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File #: 20-656A    Version: 1
Type: Informational Report Status: Passed
File created: 4/3/2020 Department: Board of County Commissioners
On agenda: 4/7/2020 Final action: 4/7/2020
Title: Ratification of Emergency Order Adopted Procedures for Virtual Meetings of the Board of County Commissioners.
Attachments: 1. Official Authority Order 20-3 re Virtual Meeting Procedures.pdf

Subject:

Title

Ratification of Emergency Order Adopted Procedures for Virtual Meetings of the Board of County Commissioners.

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Recommended Action:

Recommended Action

Recommend the ratification of the Procedures for Virtual Meetings of the Board of County Commissioners.

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Strategic Plan:

Ensure Public Health Safety Welfare

 

Summary:

Summary

To enable the Board of County Commissioners to meet virtually, the County Attorney’s Office recommended that fundamental procedures be adopted to comport with the requirements of state law and the Governor’s Executive Orders. These procedures: 1) Make the meeting entirely virtual; 2) Require multiple avenues for public comment on agenda items; 3) eliminates citizens to be heard during the emergency; 4) Provides for notice requirements; and 5) provides that meetings will otherwise follow usual Pinellas County Board of County Commissioners meeting practices to the greatest extent practicable within the discretion of the Chair.

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Background Information:

The Governor’s Executive Orders allow the Board to proceed with a virtual meeting without a quorum physically present and instructs people to remain home with limited exceptions. His order allowing a virtual meeting refers to a statute that generally does not apply to the County. Adopting these fundamental procedures pursuant to the Emergency powers of the County allow a mechanism to have these adopted before the Board would meet, satisfying the requirements stated by the Governor.

 

Fiscal Impact:

N/A

 

Staff Member Responsible:

Don Crowell, Chief Assistant County Attorney

 

Partners:

N/A

 

Attachments:

Emergency Order [Initially adopting the procedures]