You will no longer have the opportunity to chime in during the open comment portion of the Door County Board of Supervisors if you are not physically in the chambers. The remote open comment portion of the meeting was born out of the early stages of the pandemic when local municipalities still needed to conduct meetings but public participation was deemed to be too risky. While many municipalities adopted the practice of recording their meetings for future viewings, remote public comment has disappeared. When reviewing the county’s by-laws, Door County Administrator Ken Pabich says there was a discrepancy regarding whether the remote public comment was allowed. With the April board meeting serving as the annual organizational meeting, Pabich adds that the administrative committee suggested that this was the time to address it.

Pabich emphasizes that even though the remote public comment period could disappear, you can still participate in the meetings by attending them in person, talking directly to your county board supervisor, or sending your correspondence via mail or email. The Door County Board will also receive an update on the Forestville Millpond including its involvement in a suit brought on by the Friends of the Forestville Dam as well as the rural address project when they meet inside their chambers in Sturgeon Bay on Tuesday at 9 a.m.