SEQUIM — Clallam County Fire District 3, which also extends into Jefferson County, has acquired the technology needed for virtual meetings and will use it Tuesday, the district announced.
The meeting will be at 1 p.m. through the Zoom online application.
The change, which will prohibit public comment, is temporary in light of Gov. Jay Inslee’s modification of the way in which public agencies comply with the state Open Public Meetings Act and the Public Records Act. Both meetings an public records procedures have changed until the requirements expire, currently April 23.
To slow the spread of the coronavirus that causes COVID-19, public organizations are not allowed to conduct in-person meetings. Attendees must participate remotely via phone or a web-based conferencing system.
The public will not be able to present comment during the meeting.
“Since this action by its nature restricts the public oversight typically allowed by in-person meetings, the type of business that organizations may conduct is limited to what is ‘necessary and routine or are matters necessary to respond to the COVID-19 outbreak and the current public health emergency,’ the district said in a press release.
Examples of these agenda items are approval of meeting minutes, approval of payroll and warrants to be paid, hiring and employment actions, and contracts, bids, or legal matters that cannot be delayed until the restriction is lifted.
The district will publish the call-in number and Zoom meeting ID number for the public to access the meeting on the website at www.ccfd3.org.
The Zoom app for video conferences is available at www.zoom.us/download.
We look forward to the return of in-person meetings with our community. In the meantime, we are pleased that we have the technology to continue to conduct the people’s business during this difficult time.
The district said it cannot accept public record requests in person at this time. The public can request records by mail, email or fax, with instructions at the district’s website. Records requests will be honored but may be delayed, the district said.
District staff are limiting potential exposure to the virus by working remotely when possible, reducing non-emergency work hours, and assignments at the Sequim Emergency Coordination Center.
