The Santa Clarita City Council was excited to greet a live audience Tuesday evening at its first in-person regular meeting since March 2020, when state health orders pushed public meetings online.

“We’re so happy to see you,” said Mayor Pro Tem Laurene Weste as she approached the dais following a closed session meeting of the City Council.

Mayor Bill Miranda also shared that he was happy to be with “this wonderful audience.”

“We’re thrilled to have you back live and in color,” Miranda said, noting the “many smiling faces” in the crowd.

Councilman Cameron Smyth delivered the invocation at the council’s first in-person meeting in more than a year-and-a-half.

“It’s been well over a year since we’ve had an audience and so we very much appreciate everybody back and look forward to this being usual again,” Smyth said before providing background on the country’s newest federal holiday, Juneteenth, celebrated on June 19.

Council Chambers at Santa Clarita City Hall was nearly full between city staff and members of the public, many of whom were there to express their opinions on recently disclosed plans to move juvenile inmates to two facilities in Saugus.

At the end of the evening, following a lengthy discussion about the controversial issue, Miranda said Tuesday evening’s meeting made him proud to be a resident of Santa Clarita and a representative on the City Council.

“For a first meeting back, public participation in our community was awesome,” he said. “It was good seeing everybody come back.”