The Kenai City Council is taking a step toward reducing paper waste by adopting resolutions that incorporate the use of electronic devices.
Since the adoption of the City Council Electronic Devices During Meetings of the Council policy in 2008, the use of electronic devices during meetings has increased substantially.
The Kenai City Council took multiple steps at Wednesday’s regular meeting to update, reevaluate and adopt policies regarding electronic devices and their use during public meetings.
The Council amended Policy No. 2017-03 and renumbered to Policy No. 20.010: the City Council Mobile Device and Use Management Policy No. 2017-01 was adopted in 2017 through Resolution No. 2017-02, then further amended in 2018 and 2019.
The Council also amended Policy No. 2017-01 and renumbered to Policy No. 20.120; adopting a resolution repealing the unnumbered City Council Electronic Devices During Meetings of the Council Policy and adopted City Council Policy No. 20.110, Use of Electronic Devices During Meetings.
Councilman Henry Knackstedt encouraged members to continue use of electronics.
“When we funded to have these devices provided to council members the primary purpose of doing that was to reduce the Impossible naturally sometimes we some members that have a mailing and all of that with the clerk’s office. So I would encourage council members that have a device to use it and discourage the use of paper when possible; naturally sometimes we need to do that and that’s understood.”
The use of technology has been increasing over the last decade. The Kenai City Council has adjusted throughout the years to accommodate these changes.