by Tyler Bass
The Gloucester County Board of Supervisors met Tuesday night electronically, the first time its members gathered together (albeit virtually) since restrictions were put in place last month on public gatherings as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Members were there to confirm the county’s March 13 declaration of local emergency in response to the virus, as well as to approve its schedule of electronic meetings going forward, including planned public hearings on the 2020-2021 budget and tax rates on April 21.
The board’s next e-meeting will be held at 7 o’clock tonight, a work session on the budget.
County Administrator J. Brent Fedors listed the options citizens have at this time to participate in the meetings and public hearings. The first is through an online form that can be found at gloucesterva.info/citizencomment. In the form, citizens are required to list their first and last name, as well as their magisterial district. One must also select which meeting the comment is geared toward and state the topic of said meeting.
The second method is via recorded voicemail. The number to call is 804-824-2760. When calling this number, the caller is to follow the prompts given to direct them to the proper meeting or public hearing. Like the online form, the caller is to state their name and magisterial district. According to Fedors, the phone line for public hearings specifically will be left open through the duration of the public hearing.
Lastly, citizens can mail in their comments for citizen comments and public hearings to: County Administration, Attention: Citizen Comment or Attention: Public Hearing, 6489 Main Street, Gloucester, Va. 23061. Once again, it is required that the person include his or her name and magisterial district, as well as the topic and meeting being addressed. It is asked that all mailed-in comments are typed or legibly printed so that it can be read. All mail must be received by the meeting date.
The board unanimously approved both the schedule of e-meetings, as well as the local emergency declaration. The declaration allows for the temporary electronic meetings for the boards and committees of Gloucester. The ordinance also extends deadlines to other boards and committees, which cannot be met at this time.
A full revised schedule can be found on the county website.