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With more time freed up because of the COVID-19 pandemic, residents should consider getting more involved in the decisions of their local governments. Meetings are available to watch from the comfort of your living room.

If the times of the meetings previously haven’t worked for your schedule to attend in person, rest assured you can still keep up on the decisions being made by our elected officials through videos of the meetings posted on the entities’ websites or through local government access channels.

The Albert Lea City Council meeting airs live on public access Channel 180 on cable TV and also is on the city’s YouTube channel, www.youtube.com/cityofalbertlea, after the meeting. The council meetings are at 7 p.m. on the second and fourth Mondays.

The Freeborn County Board of Commissioners meetings can be watched from the county’s website at https://www.co.freeborn.mn.us/civicmedia?cid=1#allVideos. The board meets at 8:30 a.m. the first and third Tuesdays.

The Albert Lea School board meetings are at 5 p.m. on the first and third Mondays and can be seen live on public access Channel 181 and on the Albert Lea Area Schools YouTube channel.

The Shell Rock River Watershed District meetings are online on its website at www.shellrock.org. It meets at 8:30 a.m. the second Tuesday of the month.

All of the entities are accepting public comment ahead of time since all meetings are conducted online.

We encourage you to stay a part of the happenings in the community at every level.