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Blair has new numbers to access public meetings

Salary board meeting today to comply with Sunshine Law

HOLLIDAYSBURG — Starting today, Blair County public meetings will be accessible via a different phone number than previously advertised — or through a second phone number.

Those numbers, listed in the Mirror’s Monday classified advertising section, directs anyone interested in accessing county meetings to call 408-419-1715 or 408-915-6290. Those using either number will also need to provide the following Meeting ID code: 2468097683#.

The Altoona Mirror, when trying to access Thursday’s salary board meeting via the advertised number, was informed that access would not be granted and that the call should be made using a different number.

To rule out the possibility of a misdialing or a glitch, the Mirror tried two more times to access the meeting being convened by teleconference in light of the coronavirus pandemic. After three failed attempts, the Mirror subsequently informed county leaders about the lack of access.

While local governments are permitted to convene public meetings through the use of communication devices that include telephones and computers, they must still comply with the state’s Sunshine Law by providing the public with options to access their meetings and to render public comment, if desired.

After the Mirror’s difficulty, county personnel responded by addressing the matter with its teleconference contractor, BlueJeans.com, then by advertising two new phone numbers to access county public meetings.

Due to the lack of public access to Thursday’s the salary board meeting, the salary board is reconvening at 9:30 a.m. today, again by teleconference, to take action on the same items it considered last week.

Commissioners are convening at 10 a.m. today, also via telephone, to proceed through their agenda that is posted at www.blairco.org.

Mirror Staff Writer Kay Stephens is at 946-7456.

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