Agenda - 09-01-20; 8-a - Minutes

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22 1 confusion. She said technology can be helpful, and the goal here is to be more inclusive, but 2 she does not want to inadvertently exclude people. 3 Commissioner Dorosin said there are two interests to balance: facilitating the work of 4 the boards and public access/transparency of meetings. He said even the BOCC zoom 5 meetings are difficulty, and it is not the same as being together in person. 6 Commissioner Dorosin said the best way to reconcile the issue is a combination of 7 options 2 and 4: promoting in person expectations, with the option for remote participation if 8 necessary. He said he hopes this will keep the remote participation low, but also allow for 9 greater diversity in participation, as it allows for flexibility in extenuating circumstances. 10 Chair Rich agreed, but with the comment that one cannot repeatedly attend virtually. 11 She said the goal should be in person participation. 12 Commissioner Price said she was looking at combining options 3 and 4. She said there 13 is currently a state of emergency, and advisory boards need to meet, but she would like to have 14 an option that people can participate virtually if needed (with the authorization from the 15 Manager in option 3). She said she would also want the preference to be in person meetings. 16 Commissioner McKee said he would support option 2 or 3. 17 Commissioner McKee said option 4 is contradictory, as it allows for virtual meetings to 18 attend during a declared state of emergency, but also for members to attend remotely at any 19 other time. 20 Commissioner McKee said he is not for option 5, as it is his expectation that board 21 members should attend meetings in public. He said his main fear for remote meetings is the 22 limits of technology, and not all people have IT support and may live in rural areas. 23 Commissioner McKee said he has counted only about 5 people that have spoken to the 24 BOCC by public comments during these remote meetings, and he believes access to 25 technology may be a factor in that number. 26 Commissioner Marcoplos said if the goal is transparency, then nothing beats option 5. 27 He said he believes more of the public would participate in remote meetings. He said he 28 questions as to whether this should be a fluctuating issue, needing a decision to be made in 29 each circumstance. He said option 5 would require no room rental, no expense, and he thinks 30 it allows the most access. 31 Commissioner Greene said if everyone in the county had equal access to high quality 32 Internet then option 5 would be great, but that is not the case. She said she liked the 33 discussion that Chair Rich and Commissioner Dorosin were having around options 2 and 4. 34 She said the Partnership to End Homelessness (PTEH) has allowed members to call in, and it 35 has worked very well, and has not been abused. 36 37 A motion was made by Commissioner McKee to move option 3 — no second. 38 Motion fails. 39 40 A motion was made by Commissioner Dorosin, seconded by Commissioner Greene to 41 move option 2, with the addition of the language in option 4, and allow individual members to 42 attend meetings remotely anytime. 43 44 Option 1 — leave in place the restrictions on remote meetings. 45 Option 2 — leave the general restriction on remote meetings in place for advisory boards, but 46 specifically authorize the Manager to allow a remote meeting for an advisory board when a 47 meeting is immediately necessary to further County business. And allow individual members to 48 attend remotely at any other time. 49