In almost every conversation I have with colleagues these days, a common refrain is how we look forward to getting back to ‘normal.’ I am afraid that the ‘new normal’ will be quite different from what we knew before the COVID Crisis. As an example, I would like to share my perspective on the bi-weekly Lycoming County Commissioners Meetings.

Jim Webb Jr. asked me to consider covering county government for Webb Weekly. So that was how I found myself at the work session of the Lycoming Commissioners Meeting on Tuesday, April 5, 2016 at the Executive Plaza Building opposite the County Court House. The three commissioners; Jack McKernan, Tony Mussare, and Rick Mirabito were sitting at a table that was actually in the back of the large meeting room. The chairs had to be turned 180 degrees around to face the table. Sitting at the head table were also Marci Hesert, the Administrative Manager, Matt McDermott, Director of Administration, and J. David Smith, Solicitor. It was rather crowded, they were not quite shoulder to shoulder, but it was close.

I had no idea what was going on, but quickly gathered that the county department heads were there to present various authorizations they needed from the commissioners. I remember there was rather an engaged discussion on tasers that were requested by the sheriff’s office. The atmosphere was professional, but also quite friendly. It was obvious that everyone seemed to know everyone else. There was even a little playful banter from time to time. I was impressed in the dynamic of serious business done in an amiable and congenial way.

I was rather surprised when I came back two days later to find that there was a completely different meeting, which was the regular session of the Lycoming County Board of Commissioners. Unlike the work session two days previously, the commissioners were now sitting at their elevated seats in the front of the room backdropped by national, state, and county flags. Unlike the work session, it began with a prayer and a pledge of allegiance to the flag. The meeting itself was somewhat boring, as all the discussion had been held two days before. This meeting largely consisted of motions, seconds, and all in favor say “aye.” That was until the business was concluded and the public was allowed to make comments. This was “off script” and did provide at least a little more excitement for a columnist looking for something to write about.

And that was pretty much how it went for the next five years; Tuesdays were work sessions that were somewhat informal and lively, providing interesting give-and-take between the commissioners and their department heads, and Thursday was more formal and perfunctory until the commissioners comments and public comments, which could be fire or ice.

Then came March of 2020, and the beginning of the COVID Shutdowns. The commissioners tried to keep a status quo going, but there were problems almost immediately. They could not socially distance themselves adequately. Some department heads were working from home, and according to Sunshine Law, they could only participate electronically if they could be heard by all and they also could hear everyone. The commissioners decided to redesign their work sessions on Tuesday like the Thursday meeting so they could spread out more and better utilize video and audio equipment.

And thus, began the death of the Tuesday meeting as we knew them. For the most part was gone the friendly patter, the engaging give and take, the open discussion of options between the commissioners and their department heads, etc. Now that everything was being taped and put on-line, almost everyone was aware that they needed to guard what they said and how they said it.

After some time, the commissioners themselves realized that they were no longer holding work sessions, but two regular meetings per week. Did they need two identical meetings? Even they began to realize that it was redundant, so their meetings slowly began to evolve into a single weekly meeting more often than not.

I use this as an illustration to show that these shutdowns have brought about changes in many fabrics of our life and society that we will probably not return to. Education, entertainment, shopping, work habits, even church services will in many cases not be the same as they were before COVID. True, some of these might be for the better. But I will still miss those old County Commissioner work sessions.