By Scott Banbury
One of the great challenges to public participation that has arisen with the spread ov the COVID 19 virus, and subsequent restrictions on group assemblies, is how to conduct essential public business without meeting face to face is groups of more than 10 people. Since most governing bodies include more than 10 officials, Governor Lee issued Executive Order No. 16 which encourages state agencies and boards, as well as local governments and boards, to conduct meetings online, without abandoning the principles of Open Government.
The Murfreesboro Daily News Journal covered the approaches that several local governments have taken to conform to the Governor’s order. I’ve attended several virtual county commission and city council meetings now and each had its pros and cons. While some online meeting software worked better than others, all had a somewhat stifling effect on public participation and coverage by the media.
One of the biggest concerns is the availability of agendas, including add-ons, before the meeting and public/media access to the text of resolutions or ordinances before voting on them. Some government bodies are allowing citizens to email questions or statements to a compiler, while others are providing a phone number at which a recorder will transcribe statements to be read into the record. None of the programs I’ve experienced allowed for any back and forth between constituents and officials.
TDEC meetings are particularly challenging
Permit hearings conducted by the Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation are even more challenging since the public notices sent out so far state a date and time, but direct the interested party to return to TDEC’s website 3 days before the meeting to get the login information for the virtual meeting. This makes the Sierra Club’s efforts to encourage public participation difficult, and we are working to develop a system to engage members as soon as the notice goes out and then update those that RSVP when the login information becomes available.
Of course, the biggest barrier to public participation is the lack of access to the internet, let alone the broadband speeds necessary to use online meeting systems. The Knox News Sentinel covered the disparities in internet access across Tennessee that have really come to light with the coronavirus. Two of the upcoming virtual permit hearings are in counties that have little to no broadband service--a sand and gravel quarry in Humphreys County on April 28, and a limestone quarry in Campbell County on April 14. Yet another virtual permit hearing coming up is another limestone quarry in Davidson County on April 21.
If you would like more information on any of these hearings and how to participate, please email me at scott.banbury@sierraclub.org.