Statute supports county’s failure to provide notice

When the Jefferson County commissioners voted March 19 to restrict public access to county offices and buildings to minimize the risk of exposure to and the spread of COVID-19, they acted with urgency — and, as a result, with no public notice.

At the time, County Attorney Steve Haddon stated a preference for the proper 48 hours’ notice of a pending action, but didn’t contest the decision to act quickly and doubted the commissioners would face repercussions given the circumstances.

The Monitor editor John Blodgett, who was also present and asked how he felt about them proceeding without giving notice, also did not contest it.