After more than a year, Scottsdale will resume in-person City Council meetings on Tuesday. 

Pre-pandemic, a hot topic could attract about 300 people to a Scottsdale council meeting. It’ll be limited to 34 when City Hall Kiva reopens to meetings next week. But Mayor David Ortega said there will be overflow seating for people to watch a live video stream.

“So we’re going to do the best we can to bring the government as close to our citizens and businesses and stakeholders as possible,” he said. “I think it’s an inherent need and of course Scottsdale, we do encourage and promote input.”

Current transmission levels for the city and county are considered moderate. When levels fall to low, Ortega said physical distancing and limited audience sizes will disappear. He’s hopeful that will happen in late August or September.

“Local government is the most important level, in my opinion. We’re accountable directly to neighborhoods, businesses, in our own backyard,” he said.

Masks are not currently required in Scottsdale for anyone who is fully vaccinated. 

“We cannot card people, so to speak, it’s an honor system,” Ortega said. “And certainly for those who still feel more comfortable with a mask — either as employers, as customers, or as citizens coming to City Hall, they are certainly entitled to wear a face covering if they so choose.”