Press release from Buncombe County Board of Commissioners:
As a result of COVID-19 and social distancing, the Buncombe County Board of Commissioners is taking public comment for its upcoming regular meetings through live phone calls as opposed to in-person commenting, pre-sent emails, or voicemails.
Signing up is easy:
- When: sign up between Wednesday at 5 p.m. and Monday at 3 p.m. prior to the regular meeting date.
- Where: visit buncombecounty.org/commissioners
- How: at the top of the page there will be a banner with a link to sign up – or you can click on the calendar at the bottom of the page where a “Register for Public Comment” button will appear next to the Commissioner meeting event.
- If you don’t have internet access, you can sign up by calling the Commissioners’ Office at (828) 250-4001.
To sign up, you will have to fill out a brief form (or provide the following information over the phone) with the following information:
- First and last name
- City/area of residence (example: Black Mountain, Arden, West Asheville, Fairview, etc.)
- Phone number – this will be the number you will call from when you make public comment. Note: If you do not call from this number, you will not be able to comment during the meeting.
- Topic of comment: Please address if you will be speaking during general public comment or during a specific public hearing.
- Email address: You will be emailed instructions on how to participate in public comment.
To make it easier for the live, call-in format, public comment is now at the beginning of meetings. After you fill out your information online, you will be emailed/given a phone number and meeting ID. At 5 p.m. on the day of the Commissioners’ regular meeting, call that number and enter your ID. If you lose the number or meeting ID, call (828) 250-4001.
During public comment, you will be given three minutes. If you do not sign up for public comment beforehand, you will not be permitted to speak during the meeting. Please note again: you will also not be able to speak during public comment if you call from a different number than the one you provided on the form.
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