Hillsborough County issued the following announcement on July 30.
Virtual appearances still an option as public safety, accessibility remain priorities
People who wish to appear in person at regular meetings of Hillsborough County's Board of County Commissioners may do so beginning Wednesday, Aug. 4.
In-person participation is not required. Appearing virtually remains an option.
The Board sets aside 45 minutes at the beginning of each regular session to hear from the public. Anyone may speak but must limit their comments to no more than three minutes unless designated to do otherwise by the BOCC Chair.
The BOCC went to an all-virtual format with the advent of COVID-19 coronavirus protocols in March 2020. In-person attendance was restricted at the Board's meetings in the second-floor Boardroom at Frederick B. Karl County Center, 601 E. Kennedy Blvd.
Public safety and accessibility remain the priorities with the return to in-person public appearances. Seating in the Boardroom will be limited, with some overflow seating available in the first-floor multipurpose room. Speakers may address the Board from either location. Visitors are required to wear face coverings and to practice social distancing. Groups are asked to limit attendance to four people.
Here are the guidelines:
- All speakers, whether virtual or in-person, will be required to sign up in advance
- Online registration for both virtual and in-person public comment will open 48 hours before the meeting
- Sign-ups for both virtual and in-person public speaking opportunities for public hearings and public comments close at 9 a.m. on the day of the meeting
- Speakers, both virtual and in-person, will be called on in the order of when the speaker sign-up form is submitted
- Residents speaking on scheduled agenda items will be called before those speaking on non-scheduled agenda items. Prioritization is on a first-come first-served basis.
- In-person registration will also be accepted on the day of the meeting, in the lobby of Frederick B. Karl County Center, located at 601 E. Kennedy Blvd.
- Assistance will be available on-site between 8:30 a.m. and 9 a.m.
- Audiovisual presentations such as Power Points, digital photos, audio, and video files for public comments are not accepted at this time. However, presentations may be submitted to the Clerk's Office for insertion into the official record. Please email any submissions to: boccrec@hillsclerk.com.
- Presentations of proclamations, certificates, and other recognitions will continue to be virtual for the time being
Original source can be found here.
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