Prince William supervisors now sit divided due to coronavirus

The Prince William Board of County Supervisors returned to the dias this week.

Sitting between dividers made of safety glass, it’s the first time all seven eight sitting supervisors have been seated together in front of an audience since the onset of the coronavirus pandemic in March.

New tempered glass was installed inside onto the desk in which supervisors, the county attorney, and county eectuive sit during meetings at the McCoart government center building at 1 County Complex Court in Woodbridge. The tempered glass was fitted into stained wood framing that was painted to match the existing colors of the existing desk.

The work was completed on August 3 and was ordered following the July 14 Board of County Supervisors meeting.

“The board directed staff to construct barriers so. that they could resume meetings from the dias,” said Micheal Villareale, with the county’s department of facilities and fleet management

Now, each supervisor has their own bubble to sit inside during meetings. Social distancing measures still apply to those who sit in the audience, as many of the seats in the chamber are no longer available for public use. During the board meetings, a county employee limits the number of people who can be inside the chambers.

The work was completed by county staff for $8,000, about $5,000 less than what a private contractor quoted for the job, according to Villareale. The new bubbles are removable but sturdy enough to be held in place for an extended period of time.