C-3 Correspondence – Ann Cantrell
From: [email protected] [mailto:[email protected]]
Sent: Monday, October 3, 2022 10:32 PM
To: CityClerk <[email protected]>; Council District 1 <[email protected]>; Council District 2 <[email protected]>; Council District 3 <[email protected]>; Council District 5 <[email protected]>; Council District 6 <[email protected]>; Council District 7 <[email protected]>; Council District 8 <[email protected]>; Council District 9 <[email protected]>; Mayor <[email protected]>
Subject: Comment for Item 3, 10/4/22
-EXTERNAL-
To: Mayor and City Council
From: Ann Cantrell
Re: Item 3. Recommendation to adopt resolution making findings pursuant to Government Code Section 54953(e)(3) to authorize City legislative bodies to follow the teleconference meeting provisions of Government Code Section 54953(e)(1)-(2). (Citywide)
The Long Beach Health Officer continues to recommend teleconference meetings of the City's legislative bodies to help prevent the spread of Covid-19. This Council has the authority to hold hybrid council meetings, which would allow the public to comment on issues without putting their health at risk.
I urge those of you who really care about your constituents opinions and health to take this opportunity to bring back Hybrid meetings.
Respectfully,
Ann Cantrell
Voter
C-3 Correspondence – Leslie Garretson
From: Leslie Garretson [mailto:[email protected]]
Sent: Tuesday, October 4, 2022 1:53 PM
To: Council District 1 <[email protected]>; Council District 2 <[email protected]>; Council District 3 <[email protected]>; Council District 4 <[email protected]>; Council District 5 <[email protected]>; Council District 6 <[email protected]>; Council District 7 <[email protected]>; Council District 8 <[email protected]>; Council District 9 <[email protected]>; Mayor Garcia <[email protected]>; CityClerk <[email protected]>; CityAttorney <[email protected]>; City Manager <[email protected]>
Subject: agenda item 3 10/4/22 teleconferencing hybrid city council meetings
-EXTERNAL-
I encourage you to vote in favor of hybrid meetings. Open meeting laws, or "sunshine laws" have existed in all 50 sates since 1976 and require that meetings at various levels of the government (local, state and federal) are open to the public, along with government decisions and records. This requirement became more difficult due to the COVID-19 pandemic and social distancing requirements, which led many states to temporarily expand their laws to allow hybrid or virtual meeting formats.
As the COVID-19 crisis intensified around the globe, transitioning to working from home, technology became critical to enabling a sense of ‘business as usual’.
For a city that is attempting to move people away from driving and towards mass transit, why is getting in our cars, and driving downtown the only way we would be able to participate in our local government?
With both virtual and face-to-face options provided, hybrid meetings are incredibly easy and accommodating to attend for all!
Hybrid meetings significantly reduce the unnecessary physical presence and travelling of the attendees. Especially for those that are disabled! Hybrid meetings are extremely safe since they can be held with fewer actual participants and more people attending online and thus aid in maintaining social distancing.
I also request that the public also be recorded on video as is done in other government meetings.
Respectfully,
Leslie Garretson
Los Cerritos Neighborhood Resident
C-3 Correspondence – Roger Holman
From: R.M. Holman [mailto:[email protected]]
Sent: Tuesday, October 4, 2022 12:31 PM
To: Council District 1 <[email protected]>; Council District 2 <[email protected]>; Council District 3 <[email protected]>; Council District 4 <[email protected]>; Council District 5 <[email protected]>; Council District 6 <[email protected]>; Council District 7 <[email protected]>; Council District 8 <[email protected]>; Council District 9 <[email protected]>; Mayor Garcia <[email protected]> Cc: CityClerk <[email protected]>; Editor LBPost <[email protected]> Subject: Agenda item 3 10/4/22 teleconferencing hybrid city council meetings
-EXTERNAL-
Dear City Council members and Mayor,
As I'm hopeful you are aware, there are laws in the Great State of California against discrimination. This includes persons that have medical conditions without limitation (as far as I am aware, anyway) or persons who cannot be present at city hall for any reason but still wish to be heard.
I am aware that many Long Beach residents have asked you to make the City Council meetings via Zoom permanent and I cannot imagine how you could not do so, especially given the ease with which this can be done. As someone who has been in the technology sector for 46 years, I certainly can see how important it is to serve all people with it.
In fact, if you are supportive of an open government that is by the people, of the people, and for the people, then how can you not make available teleconference facilities for public participation available for all meetings by default?
Pandemic or not, in the year 2022, any excuse for not having electronic access to every aspect of a Public meeting is truly shameful. Potentially, this could be seen as a democracy suppression maneuver, designed to make the regular people a less significant voice in their own community!
There are many reasons why people may not be comfortable attending (or able to attend) a meeting in person. Persons who could be at significant risk attempting to get to, or being in a meeting at city hall, for whatever reason, should not be prevented from attending. There is absolutely no suitable reason why the voices of the people should not be assisted through technology.
By not providing teleconference facilities for every public meeting, you would be creating a situation where citizens (aka voters, and taxpayers) are (1) unable to exercise their right to speak publicly on significant business of the city and (2) expose themselves to a risk (in the case of communicable diseases) that could hasten their own death should they decide they must be heard, which you hopefully know is a significant and reasonable right.
Respectfully,
Roger Martin Holman
C-3 Correspondence – Corliss Lee
From: [email protected] [mailto:[email protected]]
Sent: Tuesday, October 4, 2022 10:06 AM
To: CityClerk <[email protected]>; Council District 1 <[email protected]>; Council District 2 <[email protected]>; Council District 3 <[email protected]>; Council District 5 <[email protected]>; Council District 6 <[email protected]>; Council District 7 <[email protected]>; Council District 8 <[email protected]>; Council District 9 <[email protected]>; Mayor Garcia <[email protected]> Subject: agenda item 3 10/4/22 teleconferencing hybrid city council meetings
-EXTERNAL-
Please include the following comment
Re: Item 3. Recommendation to adopt resolution making findings pursuant to Government Code Section 54953(e)(3) to authorize City legislative bodies to follow the teleconference meeting provisions of Government Code Section 54953(e)(1)-(2). (Citywide)
I encourage you to vote in favor of hybrid meetings. The City already has the technology and a process in place to make this successful. It is a minimal cost and makes council meetings more democratic encouraging input from the community. It allows more individuals to participate without endangering their health. It saves travel costs and reduces emissions in a time where global warming is increasing at an alarming pace which should justify hybrid meetings on a permanent basis.
I would suggest that the public also be recorded on video as is done in other government meetings.
Thank you for your consideration,
Corliss Lee
C-3 Correspondence – Mary Parsell
From: Mary Parsell [mailto:[email protected]]
Sent: Tuesday, October 4, 2022 1:37 PM
To: CityClerk <[email protected]>; Council District 1 <[email protected]>; Council District 2 <[email protected]>; Council District 3 <[email protected]>; Council District 4 <[email protected]>; Council District 5 <[email protected]>; Council District 6 <[email protected]>; Council District 7 <[email protected]>; Council District 8 <[email protected]>; Council District 9 <[email protected]>; Mayor <[email protected]>
Subject: October 4, 2022 Item #3 Continue Hybrid Meetings
-EXTERNAL-
October 4, 2022
RE: October 4, 2022 Item#3
Continue Hybrid Meetings
Dear Long Beach City Council Members and Mayor
cc: City Clerk
I believe that is best to continue Long Beach City Council meetings and other meetings via hybrid. This is important so as many people as possible can participate.
Thank you.
Sincerely,
Mary Parsell
C-3 Correspondence – Anne Proffit
-----Original Message-----
From: Anne Proffit [mailto:[email protected]]
Sent: Tuesday, October 4, 2022 2:56 PM
To: Council District 1 <[email protected]>; [email protected]; Council District 3 <[email protected]>; Council District 4 <[email protected]>; Council District 5 <[email protected]>; Council District 6 <[email protected]>; Council District 7 <[email protected]>; Council District 8 <[email protected]>; Council District 9 <[email protected]>; Mayor <[email protected]>; CityClerk <[email protected]> Subject: Agenda item 3 tonight
-EXTERNAL-
To the Council and Mayor:
I would prefer to attend council meetings but can’t, as I have a severe hearing disability and can’t understand what’s said. If you had regular Zoom interactions, I could be there without having to wonder and ask what was being said. Even with closed captions, the nuances are lost.
Please consider permanent Zoom interactions for those of us who want to be part of the solutions to our city’s issues but can’t, for medical or other reasons, be present in person.
Thank you -
Anne Proffit