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Starting in July, City of Blaine public meetings will again be held in the city council chambers at Blaine City Hall. These meetings will be a hybrid of Zoom meetings and in-person meetings. Members of the council, boards, commissions, and the public who wish to attend remotely can still join the meetings via Zoom as has been done for the past few months.
The council chambers will have limited seating, with audience chairs being set up at least six feet apart. There will be an overflow area where the meeting can be watched in the Cloverleaf Farms Room, also with chairs set up at least six feet apart. Please note that anyone inside city hall is required to wear a face mask at all times in all public areas of the building. For individuals without a face mask the city will provide a disposable mask to wear while in city hall. A hand sanitizer station will be located outside of the council chambers. All individuals are asked to sanitize their hands prior to entering the chambers. When speaking to the council there will be a mark on the floor for the public to stand while speaking.
Public Comment Before a Meeting
If you will not be attending the meeting in-person, city staff has developed a public comment process for virtual meetings. A public comment email address,
PublicComment@BlaineMN.gov, and phone number, 763-717-2782, allow individuals to submit comments prior to a meeting. Those comment boxes are available until n
oon on the day of the meeting. The comments will be compiled and delivered to the Blaine City Council or the appropriate commission or advisory board.
Public Comment During a Meeting
Public comment is usually heard during any scheduled public hearings and during open forum. Due to limited space and the need for social distancing, groups that wish to speak at a public meeting are asked to send one representative to speak. Others can participate virtually via Zoom. Please note that that any items you wish to show to the council, board, or commission such as a petition or photos should be submitted prior to the meeting. After your agenda item is complete, please leave the council chambers so that others can fill the space for the next agenda items.
Members of the public who will not be attending the meeting in-person and who wish to comment during public comment periods will be asked to join the meeting on the Zoom webinar platform. Meeting attendees will be able to click the raise hand button, this will alert city staff that an individual wishes to comment. When it is time for comments, individuals will be recognized and their microphones will be enabled allowing them to comment. Zoom meeting information can be found in the calendar notification and on the agenda for each meeting. For more information and to view the meeting calendar, visit
BlaineMN.gov/CityCouncil.
Ways to Watch a Meeting
If you do not wish to comment on an item but still want to watch the meeting you are asked to watch through all the normal methods the city provides. You can watch on North Metro TV which is available on Comcast (channel 799 and 16) or through a free app on Apple TV or Roku. You can also watch a live stream at
BlaineMN.gov/Video.
Any questions regarding Blaine City Council meetings, please contact City Clerk Cathy Sorensen at 763-785-6124 or
CSorensen@BlaineMN.gov.
