KNOXVILLE, Tenn — The public will have an opportunity to speak to the Knox County Board of Health at its next public meeting on Wednesday, Aug. 5.
Mayor Glenn Jacobs argued at the last meeting that the public should have the chance to weigh in before the board voted to close area bars for two weeks.
That order went into effect on Monday after the board elected to continue with the proposal.
“When this began, the Board of Health acted as an advisory council, but now these doctors are drafting and approving public policy,” said Knox County Mayor Glenn Jacobs. “No public institution I’ve ever seen can make these types of sweeping regulations without public input. Transparency is the greatest tool we have in government, and this situation is no different.”
The members of the Board of Health will meet via Zoom, but people who sign up to speak at the public forum will gather at the City-County Building for their chance to speak.
To register to speak at the public forum, Knox County residents must call the Mayor’s Office at 865-215-2005 to speak to Marsha between 8:30 a.m. and 4:30 p.m. on Tuesday, Aug. 4.
The meeting will last 30 minutes, so only 10 people will get the chance to address the board for three minutes. Each person will have three minutes to speak.
Those speaking at public forum will come to the City-County Building at 400 Main Street to work with on-site staff to join the meeting.
The forum will be held in the Main Assembly Room. In addition to those signed up to speak, the meeting can accommodate fifty people with proper social distancing. People can line up outside the Main Street entrance on Wednesday if they'd like the opportunity to attend. Masks will be required and will be provided if you don't have one.