IMPORTANT INFORMATION REGARDING BOARD & COMMISSION MEETINGS:
In order to comply with Governor Lamont’s executive orders regarding gatherings of more than 5 people yet still run open and transparent board and commission meetings necessary for the continued operation of Town functions, the Town of Thomaston has made the decision to hold all board and commission meetings via remote participation on the Zoom platform. To view the Zoom meeting agendas, minutes and any supporting documentation for a specific board or commission, click the "Government" tab at the top of our website page, then "Agendas/Minutes" and the specific board or commission you are looking for. There you will find a separate tab "Virtual Zoom Meeting". These instructions and all agendas, minutes and supporting documentation will be found here.
Meetings will continue to be open to the public via Zoom.
In order to remotely participate in any town board or commission meetings during this time, you will need to do the following:
1. Sign up for a free account at https://zoom.us/
2. Download and run (open) the Zoom executable file.
3. Make sure your microphone and speakers are functioning properly (there is a test feature in Zoom just after entering a meeting).
4. You will need to have the meeting ID and password in order to enter a commission meeting. All meeting agendas will be posted with zoom login information and passwords listed at the top.
5. When you first enter the meeting, you will be in a virtual “waiting room” until the meeting host admits you, which will take place approximately 5 minutes or so prior to posted start of the meeting.
6. Please be aware that your camera (if you have one) and your microphone will be muted by the meeting host when you first enter the meeting.
- You can turn on your camera at any time so that you can be seen by others when/if you choose to.
- In order to run an efficient and orderly meeting in this new virtual environment, unless stated otherwise by the meeting chairman during the meeting, the meeting host will keep everyone other than the commission members muted.
- You will still be able to hear everything said by the commission members even if you are muted and/or your camera is not on.
- There WILL be opportunity for public comment during public hearings and elsewhere during meetings, at which time public participants will be unmuted; individual boards and commissions will detail the procedures to be followed during the meeting.
7. All application and supporting materials for each application on the agenda are available on the Agendas & Minutes page of this website as a second link immediately below the link for the actual meeting agenda.
8. If you have any questions at all regarding this procedure, please feel free to contact the Land Use Office and we will try our best to assist you.
Thank you for your continued patience and flexibility.