DULUTH, Minn. — A city council member in the northeastern Minnesota town of Cohasset is participating in council meetings the last few months via the video conferencing software Skype.

Minnesota Public Radio News reports Wednesday that Dennis Blankensop spends four months every winter in Palm Springs, Calif. Last week, the state decided he could even vote over Skype.

Blankensop says he came up with the plan after consulting the city’s mayor and city attorney. He says he’s just as accessible as if he was there in person.

But Minnesota media attorney Mark Anfinson questions if Blankensop is truly accessible when he’s sitting in California.

Blankensop’s not the only Minnesota official using this arrangement. In Fifty Lakes, councilmember Les Degner has also used Skype to participate in meetings from North Carolina.