Commissioners and staff with Clallam County Fire District 3 are going online for their next meeting.

The three-member commissioner board will meet at 1 p.m. Tuesday, April 7, using the Zoom application, district officials said on March 31.

The Fire Commissioners and staff will participate by telephone or video conference. Members of the public may attend by phone or video; however, they not be able to speak or offer comments during the meeting.

“It is not practical to accommodate a public comment session during virtual meetings,” District 3 Fire Chief Ben Andrews said in a press release from the district.

The district will publish the call-in number and Zoom meeting ID# for the public to access the meeting on the Fire District website at www.ccfd3.org. Those wanting to use Zoom for video conferences will need to install the Zoom application on their device; get the app at www.zoom.us/download.

On March 24, Gov. Jay Inslee in a proclamation modified how public agencies are able to comply with the Open Public Meeting Act and the Public Records Act. The proclamation not only restricts public meetings but in turn limits public oversight normally allowed by in-person meetings, fire district officials noted. The type of business that organizations may conduct is limited to what is “necessary and routine or are matters necessary to respond to the COVID-19 outbreak and the current public health emergency” — such as approval of meeting minutes, personnel hiring, contracts, bids and/or legal matters that can’t be delayed until the restriction is lifted.

Fire District 3 is making the changes to their public processes until Gov. Inslee’s requirements expire on April 23.

“We look forward to the return of in-person meetings with our community,” Andrews said.

“In the meantime, we are pleased that we have the technology to continue to conduct the people’s business during this difficult time.”