Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, York County Council has adopted an Emergency Ordinance in an effort to protect and preserve the general welfare of York County citizens, officials, and employees, while maintaining the business of the County and County Council through emergency provisions.
Highlights of the Ordinance are as follows:
- County Council hereby declares a County Public Health Emergency
- This is not a Declaration of a County-wide State of Emergency and it does not include any action required from the public. Declaring a Public Health Emergency, allows Council to modify its ordinary operations related to the conduct of public meetings.
- During the pendency of this Emergency Ordinance, the ordinance amendment provisions, the Rules of County Council “Meetings”, provisions and other ordinance provisions related to the conduction of Council and County business are hereby suspended so that emergency measures can be adopted.
- Regarding the Conduction of Council Meetings:
- One (1) Council Meeting per month will be held on the 3rd Monday of every month; unless otherwise specially called.
- The Chairman of York County Council has the authority to call for remote teleconference participation by Council members at meetings of Council through the utilization of various means of technology that are geared towards remote participation in meetings by Council members and interested members of the public (“Virtual Meeting Participation Process” or “Virtual Meeting”).
- All Council Members who participate in virtual Council regular and special called meetings may fully participate by remote teleconference participation so long as at least four (4) council members are virtually present.
- Council meetings and Public hearings will be accessible to the public via the Virtual Meeting Participation Process and the County’s current live streaming process via the County’s website. Furthermore, Public hearings will include a public interactive process that will be conveyed to the public via the County’s website, social media postings, through a press release to the local media, and Notices for Public Hearings.
- Executive Sessions may also be conducted through teleconference means, so longs as the Council safeguards the confidentiality of items discussed by closing the virtual meeting public access component for the limited time period.
- The Chairman of York County Council has the authority to postpone Council Committee meetings and Council workshops; as well as, reschedule monthly Council meetings, but only after consultation with members of County Council and the Clerk to Council.
- The County Manager has the authority to suspend and/or postpone the conduction of meetings of County Boards and Commissions, only after consultation with the County Council Chairman, and make policy determinations on the departmental application and filing processes so as to manage the flow of requests coming to the County.
- The County Manager is authorized to provide for the conduction of a meeting by a County Board or Commission though the Virtual Meeting Participation Process.
Lastly, the previously scheduled March 30, Public Hearing and Third Reading of two Ordinances authorizing and approving economic development incentives regarding Project Avalanche have been re-scheduled for the Monday, April 20, 2020, County Council meeting at 6pm. This has been rescheduled so that the County can implement interactive technology that will allow residents to participate in the Public Hearing from the safety of their home.
The Emergency Ordinance is effective immediately and will remain in effect for 60 days. View the Emergency Ordinance. For any questions and/or additional information, please contact the Clerk to Council at [email protected] or 803-628-3954.