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Thank you.
- Sincerely, Tevin Hendess, District 10
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This message is from outside the City email system. Do not open links or attachments from untrusted sources. preparedness. Whereas bringing it back early will make a huge difference for every resident who wants to make a difference in upcoming deliberations, most importantly the budget.
Virtual meetings benefit you as decisionmakers as well. You can occasionally attend remotely for just cause, without the usual Brown Act posting requirements. You don't have to worry about missing a crucial vote due to illness or taking care of a loved one. Without this flexibility, an illness means missing votes or risking getting your staff and colleagues sick.
Please adopt this memo with haste. Given that it is definitely in an existing workplan (San Jose needs to comply by July 1), I hope that it can skip workload analysis and move forwards immediately.
Best,
Jordan Moldow (speaking on my own behalf)
District 3, Japantown, 95112
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This message is from outside the City email system. Do not open links or attachments from untrusted sources. these. This should similarly be reintroduced with haste.
On point 2, please see the attached memo from the Bicycle and Pedestrian Advisory Committee, which was adopted at their regular meeting on February 23, 2026 and sent to the City Council.
Best,
Jordan Moldow (speaking on my own behalf)
Chairperson, Bicycle and Pedestrian Advisory Committee (for identification only) 5/13/26, 8:30 AM Mail - Rules and Open Government Committee Agendas - Outlook https://outlook.cloud.microsoft/mail/[email protected]/inbox/id/AAQkADhhYzk3NTk1LTBmZDAtNDc4Yi1hN2Q0LTZjNmZjNTk5M… 2/2 City of San José
Bicycle and Pedestrian Advisory Committee
April 6th, 2025
City of San José
200 E. Santa Clara Street
San Jose, CA 95113
RE: Approve the Use of SB 707 Teleconferencing for BPAC Meetings Dear City of San José,
Pursuant to 54953.8.6(a)(4) of the California Government Code ( SB 707 (2025), Durazo1 ), the
San José Bicycle and Pedestrian Advisory Committee (BPAC)2 requests approval of the use of a two-way audiovisual platform for conducting our public meetings, and for our fellow citizen advisory bodies to conduct their public meetings, so that we may fully meet our obligations to connect with diverse, underrepresented residents.
BPAC duties include “To help [..] improve bicyclist and pedestrian safety” and “to promote and facilitate community engagement in bicycle and pedestrian issues.” Our target audience are members of the public who value safe active mobility on City streets, whether out of personal preference or because they do not have the ability and means to use automobiles for their daily needs. Given the vast geographic size of our City and the incompleteness of the bike network, many in that target audience face barriers to attending in-person meetings to offer public comments. Yet it is precisely those folks whom we need to engage with the most. At least two of our fellow citizen advisory committees have expressed similar concerns. 3 4 With 54953.8.6(a), advisory body members can also participate remotely. This enhances our flexibility in case of personal emergency, caregiving need, disability, illness, or other reasonable circumstances, without depriving the public of their right to engage with members in-person.
Though 54953.8.6(a) is less restrictive on in-person requirements for citizen advisory bodies, we are committed as a body to meet an in-person quorum at nearly every meeting. As individuals, we are committed to making use of the remote option for just cause or rare circumstances, not for casual use.
Most other cities in our County, and most regional governing bodies (including VTA, MTC, and ABAG) have maintained remote meeting participation since 2020. It is inconsistent with San 1 https://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/billTextClient.xhtml?bill_id=202520260SB707 2 The BPAC is a City of San José advisory body with the role of advising the Department of Transportation (DOT) on issues affecting active transportation in San José. Our public meetings are subject to the City’s Sunshine Resolution.
3 Youth Commission: “the decision [..] disproportionately affects youth [..] preventing us from actively engaging in civic discourse.”
https://www.sjpl.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/142/2024/02/Youth-Commission-February-2024-Virtual-PublicComment.pdf 4 HCDC: https://sanjose.legistar.com/View.ashx?M=F&ID=12811796&GUID=41DB9C2B-5749-4F39-9A95- B66AFE3931C7
2. The "Broadcast Shield" (Delay Mechanism)
The most critical vulnerability in current meetings is the lack of a "dump button." When a speaker uses a slur, it is heard instantly by everyone watching.
The Solution: Managed Latency
The Workflow: Instead of streaming directly from Zoom to YouTube, the City should route the Zoom feed through a software intermediary like OBS Studio (Open Broadcaster Software).
Technical Implementation: Inside OBS, a 20 to 30-second "Stream Delay" is enabled in the Advanced Settings.
The "Kill Switch": A staff member monitors the real-time Zoom feed. If a disruption occurs, they have a 20-second window to hit "Mute" or "Stop Stream" in OBS.
The Result: The speaker is cut off on the public broadcast before their audio ever reaches the 20-second mark in the stream. The public sees a seamless transition to a "Technical Difficulty" slide.
3. Strategic Zoom Configuration
To prevent "visual" disruptions and unauthorized screen sharing, the meeting must be configured as a Zoom Webinar, not a standard Zoom Meeting.
Feature Requirement Benefit
Participant
Role
View-Only
Attendee
Prevents participants from turning on video or
unmuting themselves.
Screen
Sharing
Host Only Eliminates the risk of "visual bombing" via shared graphics/videos.
Waiting Room Enabled Allows staff to scan for offensive usernames and "Remove" them before entry.
Chat/Q&A Disabled Prevents the text-based broadcast of slurs or links to harmful websites.
5/13/26, 11:34 AM Mail - Rules and Open Government Committee Agendas - Outlook https://outlook.cloud.microsoft/mail/[email protected]/inbox/id/AAQkADhhYzk3NTk1LTBmZDAtNDc4Yi1hN2Q0LTZjNmZjNTk5M… 2/3 This message is from outside the City email system. Do not open links or attachments from untrusted sources.
4. Brown Act Compliance & Public Comment
Per Government Code § 54953.3, we cannot require names or registration. We can, however, maintain order through these compliant steps:
Anonymous Entry: Allow users to join with generic names (e.g., "Guest 1").
The "Allow to Talk" Protocol: During public comment, the Clerk identifies a person (e.g., "The caller with the last four digits 1234"). The Clerk clicks "Allow to Talk." This grants the user audio only access.
SB 707 (2026) Authority: Under the latest updates to California law, the presiding officer has the authority to remove individuals for "willful interruption." Utilizing a delay to mute a slur is a legal application of this authority to maintain the decorum required for a legislative session.
5. Operational Roles
For this to succeed, a two-person moderation team is recommended:
1. The Meeting Moderator (City Clerk): Manages the "Raise Hand" queue and calls on speakers.
2. The Technical Safety Officer (IT/AV Staff): Manages the OBS Delay and the "Kill Switch." This person focuses exclusively on the audio feed to ensure no inappropriate content bypasses the 20-second buffer.
6. Conclusion
By decoupling the "Active Meeting" (Council and Speakers) from the "Public Broadcast" (YouTube/Cable), the City of San Jose can provide a safe, professional environment for governance.
This technical solution removes the "incentive" for trolls—the guaranteed audience—thereby protecting both the Council and the community from harassment. I hope you find it helpful. 5/13/26, 11:34 AM Mail - Rules and Open Government Committee Agendas - Outlook https://outlook.cloud.microsoft/mail/[email protected]/inbox/id/AAQkADhhYzk3NTk1LTBmZDAtNDc4Yi1hN2Q0LTZjNmZjNTk5M… 3/3