(a) A hearing board shall allow interested members of the public a reasonable opportunity to testify with regard to the matter under consideration, and shall consider that testimony in making its decision.
(b) The hearing board shall prepare a record of the witnesses and the testimony of each witness at the hearing. The record may be an audio recording. The record shall be retained by the hearing board while the variance is in effect, or for the period of one year, whichever is longer.