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Administrative Policy
ARTICLE I - PURPOSE
Section 1.1 General Purpose
As required by Section 54953.4 of the Brown Act, the purpose of this policy is to establish procedures for responding to a disruption in telephone or internet services that provide two-way remote public access for members of the public to participate in meetings of the City Council. The policy ensures transparency, public participation, and continuity of government during technological disruptions.
Section 1.2 Superseded Policies
None.
ARTICLE II - DEFINITIONS AND SCOPE
Section 2.1 Definitions
For purposes of this policy, the following definitions shall apply:
A. Clerk. The term “Clerk” shall mean the City Clerk or any employee or officer charged with keeping an accurate record of the proceedings as a public meeting.
Title: Procedures for Disruption of Remote Access Services During City Council Meetings
Administered By: City Manager’s Office (Office of the City Clerk) Policy No. Issue
Date
Revision
Date
Department
Head
Approved
City Manager
Approved
Mayor
Approved
07200.007 05-20-26 N/A
Administrative Policy 07200.007 (05-20-26)
Procedures for Disruption of Remote Access Services During City Council Meetings Administered by City Manager’s Office (Office of the City Clerk)
JAMIER\03000.35007\10323912.5
B. Disruption. The term “Disruption” shall mean any failure, outage, or other interruption that prevents members of the public from attending or observing the meeting via Remote Access Services.
C. Presiding Officer. The term “Presiding Officer” shall mean the Mayor or other City Councilmember responsible for leading and maintaining order during a City Council meeting.
D. Remote Access Services. The term “Remote Access Services” shall mean the Two-Way Telephonic Service and/or Two-Way Audiovisual Platform used to provide real-time Remote Public Participation.
E. Remote Public Participation. The term “Remote Public Participation” shall mean the ability of members of the public to attend, observe, and in some cases contribute to official proceedings without being physically present at the meeting’s inperson location.
F. Two-Way Audiovisual Platform. The term “Two-Way Audiovisual Platform” shall mean an online platform that provides participants with the ability to participate in a meeting via both an interactive video conference and a Two-Way Telephonic Service.
G. Two-Way Telephonic Service. The term “Two-Way Telephonic Service shall mean a telephone service that does not require internet access and allows participants to dial a telephone number to listen and verbally participate.
Section 2.2 General Scope
A. City Employees. Unless otherwise stipulated herein, this policy applies to all City employees. All such employees shall comply with the provisions outlined in this policy.
It is the responsibility of all supervision to ensure that the provisions outlined in this policy are enforced for those City employees under their authority.
B. City Council Meetings. This policy applies to all open and public meetings of the City Council at which Remote Public Participation is offered or required under the Brown Act.
Section 2.3 Exemptions from Scope
A. Other Legislative Bodies. This policy shall apply only to the City Council; not to any meetings of other City legislative bodies.
Administrative Policy 07200.007 (05-20-26)
Procedures for Disruption of Remote Access Services During City Council Meetings Administered by City Manager’s Office (Office of the City Clerk)
JAMIER\03000.35007\10323912.5
ARTICLE III – PROCEDURES IN THE EVENT OF A DISRUPTION IN REMOTE
ACCESS SERVICES
Section 3.1 Response to Disruption
A. Required Actions. The following actions shall be taken if the Presiding Officer or Clerk becomes aware of a Disruption to the City’s Remote Access Services that prevents Remote Public Participation:
1. The Presiding Officer or Clerk shall immediately announce the Disruption to the public.
2. The Presiding Officer shall then call for a recess of the open session and may convene to an authorized closed session, consistent with the Brown Act.
3. City staff shall begin efforts to diagnose and restore the Remote Access Services.
4. The meeting shall remain in recess for at least one hour or until the Remote Access Services are restored, whichever is sooner.
Section 3.2 Efforts to Restore Remote Access Services
A. Good Faith Efforts. The City shall make good faith efforts to restore Remote Access Services, which may include:
1. Troubleshooting platform or teleconferencing software;
2. Resetting or replacing audiovisual equipment;
3. Attempting alternative connection methods;
4. Contacting necessary support staff or service providers; or
5. Switching to back-up equipment or platforms, if available.
B. Documentation. The Clerk staff shall document the restoration efforts undertaken.
Administrative Policy 07200.007 (05-20-26)
Procedures for Disruption of Remote Access Services During City Council Meetings Administered by City Manager’s Office (Office of the City Clerk)
JAMIER\03000.35007\10323912.5
ARTICLE IV – RECONVENING OPEN SESSION
Section 4.1 Timing
The open session may be reconvened after at least one hour has elapsed from the time of disruption, or as soon as Remote Access Services are restored, whichever occurs earlier.
Section 4.2 Council Action
A. If Remote Access Services Are Restored. If Remote Access Services are restored before one hour has expired, the meeting shall continue as normal.
B. If Remote Access Services Are Not Restored. If Remote Access Services have not been restored after one hour has expired, the City Council may reconvene open session and take any of the following actions:
1. Adjourn the meeting.
2. Extend the recess to allow City staff more time to continue its good faith efforts to restore Remote Access Services. If the good faith efforts still do not result in Remote Access Services being restored, the City Council may then reconvene open session again and take either of the other two actions.
3. Continue the meeting in open session by adopting, by roll call vote, the following, or a substantially similar, finding:
“The City of Corona has made good faith efforts to restore telephonic or internet service in accordance with its adopted policy, and the public interest in continuing the meeting outweighs the public interest in remote public access.”
Upon adoption of the above finding, the City Council may continue the open session despite the fact that Remote Access Services have not been restored and will not be available for the remainder of the meeting.
Section 4.3 Recordkeeping
A. Documentation in Meeting Minutes. Following a disruption in Remote Access Services, the Clerk shall enter a brief statement into the meeting minutes, including the following:
1. The nature and time of the Disruption.
2. The restoration efforts undertaken.
Administrative Policy 07200.007 (05-20-26)
Procedures for Disruption of Remote Access Services During City Council Meetings Administered by City Manager’s Office (Office of the City Clerk)
JAMIER\03000.35007\10323912.5
3. The time the meeting was reconvened (if applicable).
4. Any finding adopted pursuant to Section 4.2 of this policy.
ARTICLE V – REVIEW AND UPDATES
Section 5.1 Revisions
This policy may be amended by the City Council at a noticed public meeting in open session. However, it shall not be placed on the consent calendar. Newspaper notice shall not be required.