Armidale Regional Council Mayor Simon Murray has cancelled March's Ordinary Monthly Meeting, and said depending on the circumstances, April's meeting might also be in jeopardy.
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Cr Murray said the meeting was cancelled mainly because six councillors, including himself, were in the at risk category.
"It is a risk for us to be in a public area at a meeting. At the moment I cannot see how we can hold a public meeting, and do it remotely," he said.
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"We are talking about one-and-a-half metres as a safe distance. Now, if someone sneezes I think one-and-a-half metres is far too close, so what are we really looking at? and that's the question I really don't know the answer to.
"So consideration of the risk management for our councillors was one of the reasons I cancelled the meeting."
Cr Murray said April's meeting was not assured either.
"We've got to consider that this is the very start of the virus getting among the community. As far as we know it's not even in Armidale yet, so what are we going to do?" he said.
"If we say we'll hold a meeting in April, it could be April will see a lot of people really sick, so we just don't know.
"I've said to the councillors that we will wait for advice from the Department of Local government about how future meeting can be conducted."
