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Board of Appeals discusses moving away from Zoom, holds internal elections and notes staff change
Summary
Calvert County staff told the board the county intends to move hearings from Zoom to Microsoft Teams and increase in-person participation; board members raised concerns about public access. The board elected a new chair and vice chair and learned clerk Lisa Kreps will transfer roles within planning and zoning.
At the end of the meeting, Calvert County planning staff told the Board of Appeals the county is transitioning away from Zoom and toward Microsoft Teams and that, in future, participants in hearings (planners, witnesses and others) will generally be expected to attend in person unless there are extenuating circumstances.
Board members cautioned that stricter in-person requirements could reduce public participation. One board member said virtual platforms have enabled people to participate who otherwise could not take a full day off; staff said the policy is still being developed and that written comment will remain an option. “We are still working through the details of that,” a staff speaker said.
The board then held annual elections: Bob Carpenter was nominated and elected chair; a nomination for vice chair (Tyrone/Ira — last names not stated in the transcript) was seconded and carried. Clerk Lisa Kreps announced she will leave the Board of Appeals assignment (moving to another position in planning and zoning) and Maureen Dull will fill in as clerk; the board thanked Kreps for her service.
The board adjourned following these administrative items.
What’s next: Staff will share the detailed policy for remote participation and exceptions once County leadership finalizes criteria; the board’s new chair and vice chair will serve until the next election cycle.
