City Implements Temporary Precautionary Measures to Reduce COVID-19 Risk

DENTON, TX, March 16, 2020 – To protect the health and safety of the community and our employees and help minimize the potential spread of COVID-19 (Coronavirus), the City of Denton will put into place new procedures for City Council meetings while the declaration of local disaster for public health emergency is in effect.

Council Meeting Process Beginning with the City Council Work Session and Regular Session on Tuesday, March 17, 2020, the following measures will be implemented:

Both Regular Session and Work Session meetings will be held in the City Council Work Session Room at Denton City Hall (215 E. McKinney St.).

Seating in the work session room will be rearranged to create additional space between attendees.

With limited seating in the City Council Work Session Room due the new arrangement, other rooms—including the City Council Chambers—will be opened for attendees.

Those wishing to speak on any item or in the public comment period will sign up prior to the meeting. Attendees will be brought into the City Council Work Session Room in groups of two to provide comments.

Screening Prior to Council Meeting In addition to these procedures, attendees, staff, and Council members will be screened for COVID-19 symptoms and exposure prior to entering City Hall. Based on Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) guidelines, the screening is identical to the screening used by the Denton Fire Department when responding to emergency calls, will be performed by City of Denton paramedics, and will involve screening for COVID-19 symptoms:

If a person exhibits symptoms of COVID-19, they will not be permitted to attend the City Council meeting. These precautionary measures are to protect the health and safety of other meeting attendees and limit the spread of COVID-19 at public gatherings, while providing residents the ability to participate in public meetings.

Email Submission of Comments For residents wishing to submit comments of public interest or comments on agenda items electronically for the March 17, 2020, Council meetings, residents may email comments to the City Secretary’s office at city.secretary@cityofdenton.com before 4 p.m. Tuesday, March 17 to provide time for the comments to be compiled and distributed to the Council. Comments must include the name and address of the submitter, the agenda item of the comment, and indicate if they are “in favor of” or “in opposition to” the item. Residents are encouraged to keep written comments concise. All comments received will be added into the record.

Per the Texas Department of State Health Services, if you are experiencing fever, cough, or difficulty breathing, and you have been in close contact with a person known to have COVID‑19 or have traveled from an area with widespread or ongoing community spread of COVID‑19 in the last 14 days, you should contact your healthcare provider. Be sure to call ahead before going to your doctor’s office or emergency department to prevent any potential spread of illness.

The City will continue to release updates at www.cityofdenton.com/coronavirus and the City’s social media channels.

At this time, all City Council, board, and commission meetings remain scheduled.

Contact: Ryan Adams, (940) 349-8565, Ryan.Adams@cityofdenton.com

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Source: City of Denton