Public viewing area and in-person comment kiosk established for County Council meeting

Posted On: April 10, 2020

As part of the Volusia County Council’s evolving transition to a virtual meeting format in response to the coronavirus outbreak, the public will have an additional option to view the meetings and/or public comment.

Due to the extraordinary circumstances related to the declared emergency associated with COVID-19, the public isn’t allowed to access the County Council chambers to attend council meetings in person. However, beginning with Tuesday’s special County Council meeting, the county is setting up a public viewing area in the Thomas C. Kelly Administration Center in DeLand along with a kiosk to provide residents a physical access point for live, in-person public participation to this virtual meeting.

Tuesday’s special County Council meeting to discuss COVID-19 matters will begin at 10 a.m. While the council’s meeting chambers are on the 2nd-floor of the administration center at 123 W. Indiana Ave. in DeLand, a monitor for the public to view a live stream of the meeting will be set up in the training rooms on the 1st-floor of the administration center. A kiosk also will be set up where the public can provide public comments on items on the agenda. These options are being provided for those who cannot otherwise participate in the meeting virtually and will be provided consistent with social grouping and distancing guidelines. Thus, space will be extremely limited. If you wish to watch and/or participate in the meeting and are able to utilize the methods set for the below, please do so. This will help ensure that all those who wish to participate may do so.

In addition to the in-person kiosk, residents will still be able to provide written public participation comments via an online portal. The Public Comment form can be located at www.volusia.org/comments. Please follow the directions on the form to ensure submission. The Public Comment form will be open until the end of the County Council meeting. Comments submitted prior to 5:00 p.m. on Monday, April 13, 2020, will be provided to the council before the meeting. Any comments submitted after 5:00 p.m. Monday, April 13, 2020, will be provided to the Council at the end of the meeting. All public comment submissions will be included in the official meeting records held by the Deputy Clerk, County of Volusia and posted on the County’s website.

These steps are being taken consistent with the goals of the Governor’s Executive Order 20-91, Essential Services and Activities during the COVID-19 Emergency. Anyone having issues with the virtual public participation form, or who requires assistance or other reasonable accommodations can contact comments@volusia.org or the Deputy Clerk’s Office at 386-736-5920.

As always, the meeting will be livestreamed at www.volusia.org/livemeeting.