Remote participation policy

2:29:45And and I think Denise will have that discussion with the board. Denise will have that discussion with the board and we'll find out what their desire is. Yeah. But for the immediate issue we're gonna advertise that one. I do have a different topic I wanna briefly discuss, which is today was the first time that you had a remote person speak, to my knowledge, right? Yes. Yeah. So This is one of those issues where you may have a different policy than the board. Okay, so the board's policy on using that technology is really only for staff for their consent agenda.

2:30:15Um I didn't stop anybody from doing it today because I I don't have a problem with that gentleman speaking, but I just want to make sure, are you okay with a more liberal policy of Any member of the pol any member of staff and or the public is allowed to speak to you if they happen to go to the wrong location or happen to be at the wrong location, that that technology is available for them to speak because that's a little different than the board's policy and I want to clarify who you're going to allow

2:30:46to speak remotely.

2:30:48Well personally I don't think that's a good policy because people could use that as an excuse just to go to the most convenient location and say, Well, you're required to give me an opportunity to be promoted. Yeah, I just

2:31:01think that could get out of hand. But so what's wrong with that? I mean, if people have the It's it may be a a a challenge for people to drive from one side of the county to the other. Well that's why we try to have these things at

2:31:15the

2:31:16appropriate side of the county. But there's not a requirement anymore to have issues for for that deal with the east side in the east side.

2:31:25It's a policy.

2:31:32And David said, Oh we don't do that anymore.

2:31:34The County Administrator's policy isn't unless it's a known controversial item, it doesn't matter what side of the county it's on. That this that's the current county administration's policy. So it is possible that if you if they don't know it's controversial that somebody could show up and want to be in the other side. It is possible. We also have in in the past, the reason I'm asking this question is we've have in the past occasionally applicants show up at the wrong location. not by evil intent, they just

2:32:05they get confused and they show up with I mean We even had planning commissioners show up at the wrong location. And so the question is more general, which is are you are you Do you have any limits on who can speak to you No, we have a if if it's a planning commission member we have a quorum problem if you can't you can't be a quorum in another location. But my question is more about applicants, residents. I think we staff is not really an issue. It was set up for staff, okay. Because we

2:32:36have some staff members that we had a question that came up a couple of weeks ago where there was no staff person here to answer it. So that allows them to at least answer the question. That was why it was set up. Right. But my question to you is more general, are you okay with non-staff members using it basically is my question.

2:32:53It's a good question. I don't I think you really have to study it because on one hand I agree with Mr Cox about that, but there is more than just having the person speak, there there is the uh the the body language, the the the um the notes. It's it's kind of like a complete system for the person to make a presentation, a complete presentation, not just one that's on video. Uh y you have to study that one. I

2:33:23tend to to lean like I like to see the body here. Because in there where you can interact with the person. And you could ask questions with this system here. None of us asked the questions, that gentleman there. In fact, to be honest, to be very honest with you, I kind of got tuned out after about ten, five minutes into this conversation.

2:33:41Well I think technically he would have heard your question, right? Oh he didn't heard my question. The technology set up that Yes. It's going to work. If you a staff if you ask staff a question remotely, they would be able to answer you. Yes. Like I said.

2:33:56Not at all. It's really more what you want. I mean 'cause What do you think? Um Well. The only logistical problem I have is if they're trying to show you exhibits. I mean obviously that's not gonna like the gentleman here that handled handing pictures, he's not gonna be able to do that. We we have no ability to put something on the Elmo or or take in pictures or put it remotely, but if it if Of course I'm a lawyer, okay, so my I always err on the side of letting people speak. If the if we have

2:34:26the technology available in it's not harming anything, I would err on the side of letting them speak. Just that's why today I didn't say anything when that gentleman wanted to speak remotely. But if if you but that being said, if you legal if you want to have a policy that that's only for staff to use, I can defend that too. It's really up to you all. So, and that's basically the board's policy. The board's policy is it's only for staff to use, and it's only for consent items.

2:34:57If you want to have a different policy that allows applicants or Resins to use it. I I'm okay with that, but but your call. I mean I I can't make that call for you.

2:35:09So so I think that if if we're gonna allow that and I would be inclined to allow it, but there'd have to be some rules around it. So the fact that they could not put anything into the record or show examples of stuff if we were to decl disclose that You know, if you go there, you know, your limitation is only verbal Testimony. Then You know, you've you're setting some expectations here.

2:35:39What what happens if they know they can go there, they go there and all of a sudden there's some technology problem and all of a sudden they have a hey, I didn't get my chance to speak. Well I mean kind of contention

2:35:52Well I mean in theory you could do it some kind of disclosure that it's it may be available to you but we can't guarantee it. So if you go show up at the wrong location, it's there's a risk that it won't I mean there's a risk you won't be able to be heard. Um so but again, if if you don't wanna condone somebody saying they accidentally showed up at the wrong location, I'm okay with that too. I I I'm I can defend either policy.

2:36:23But I just wanted you to disclose to you it was mostly set up for staff. But if if you're okay with others using it, I'm o I can defend that too, but just you need to tell me you need to tell us your preference.

2:36:34Well my preference is they'd be here in person, but I'm not necessarily opposed if somebody accidentally shows up somewhere else. I I didn't have a problem with them doing that today. I just in my I wouldn't want that to be the norm. Correct. I mean again, if somebody showed up accidentally, okay, I'm okay with them. Now if people start abusing it, then maybe you gotta address it.

2:36:58Yeah.

2:36:59And that's exactly what happened today. Someone went to the wrong location. Right. And they just found that staff was there and they're like, Well, I won't talk.

2:37:07Yeah, I didn't even know we had that technology.

2:37:10Well it was recently set up but it was it was again it was mostly because sta there's some staff members that can't physically be here but they're in New Port Richey if you had a question they need to be able to answer it. That's a great

2:37:21that's a

2:37:21great thing. So that was its primary intent.

2:37:27Yes. Unintended trial.

2:37:30You know, but with the advances of technology, I I don't I tend to want to embrace the technology if we can. And I wouldn't mind doing it on a trial basis just to see what happens, um, with some rules around it. Okay, so what I'm hearing you say

2:37:49is that that you're okay with it happening if it's quote accidental that that somebody t happens to show up there but it's not something you want to advertise as a is is something they should be able to do. But if it happens accidentally Either way.

2:38:07I'm not sure that's what Michael's talking. Yeah, that's not what I'm Yeah, okay.

2:38:11Okay,

2:38:11all right, okay.

2:38:12I'm I'm saying that I wouldn't mind trying it for a little while to see how it works. You know, it not necessarily be a permanent thing. But if we set some expectations and some rules around it that, you know, people can understand prior. then I I'm willing to try. The only the only real

2:38:31rule you need is what you said about you wouldn't be able to show exhibits or graphics, things like that.

2:38:35Or like what Jamie says, if it failed, you know, that hey Yeah something could happen between the connection.

2:38:42Correct. Um Brad, did you want to say something?

2:38:46No, I'm gonna have

2:38:47D say something. Oh.

2:38:51I mean I I I personally would like to see maybe the staff come back to us and say, you know, this is the policy that we would like to to try.

2:38:59Okay, so Denise, do you think that's something staff could formulate?

2:39:03We we can work on that, but Brad has brought up a good point. Um from the county attorney's office, is it acceptable that Uh you're not really seeing that person swear in. I mean did we physically see that gentleman swear in?

2:39:18Well, no, and that that's that's they do need to be sworn in. But in theory we could swear them in at the beginning just like I mean the fact that it's remotely swearing in is doesn't make it any less of a swear.

2:39:30Got

2:39:30it.

2:39:30No no I understand. I was just wondering if for this gentleman did we physically see him.

2:39:37Probably should have asked him. But that could be cured by just saying putting your rules they have to be sworn in. Right. So it there's a way to cure that. Um but To Mr. Cox's point, can you come up with a set of rules that we could Yes. Employee for J I can do that. For non-staff people to be able to speak and

2:40:00I can absolutely do that. The reason I'm laughing is because my mind is just overloading with all the other stuff I have to do, but I can absolutely do that. Well

2:40:07do what a good leader does and delegate it down to someone. I'm not sure she has anybody to delegate it

2:40:11to, but thank

2:40:12you,

2:40:12David. Thank you. I appreciate you saying that.

2:40:17What it put on the burden on the staff, it's

2:40:20I mean, how many staff people do you need to have one person speak?

2:40:26I mean, you you're you're s you're taking staff and putting them in that location there for a set period of time. That man stood there for quite some time before he spoke. And do you need a deputy in the room?

2:40:42Well you there's no legal requirement you have a deputy at every every board meeting.

2:40:50But there's no requirement that we have a deputy over there too. The question is more did did Terry need to physically sit there the whole time? Because we had a but I think you needed somebody there anyway in case there was a question for staff. I mean that was why the main reason Terry was there, right?

2:41:06Yes, I think Terry was there and didn't I also see Jeff Jenkins may have been there as well.

2:41:10So yes. I think there needs to be a staff person over there anyway just to listen to see if you all have a question for staff that can't be answered here. So they're gonna have to man that location anyway.

2:41:20Yes. So just to let you know every time that there is a board meeting in Dade City for the Planning Commission that room is reserved. I mean that has already been done for the remainder of the year. And the board hasn't adopted next year's um uh public hearing schedule, but there's an idea of when those public hearing are gonna be right now. They're not etched in stone and it's already been reserved for 2020 as well.

2:41:50So I I think they've worked it out in terms of staff. Okay. So they've now made it i easier for staff to be able to answer your questions regardless of location. The only issue was non staff using it and it sounds like Denise is willing to come up with some rules for when that can occur and then she'll present them to you at some future planning commission meeting.

2:42:09Or maybe it might be better for the county attorney to do that.

2:42:15I'm sure I I'm sure I will work with Denise.

2:42:17David and I or whomever and I can work together and on that.

2:42:25Okay, so that was all I had. I don't know but is that it all you had, Denise?

2:42:29Yes, that's all I had. Thank you so much. And again it it No way, shape, or form.

2:42:35Listen, my my skin is very, very thick. Okay. I don't have an issue with that.