City of Santa Clara
Council Policy Manual
Revised January
2006January 30, 2024
CP 041 Page 1 of 4
PUBLIC SUBMITTAL OF WRITTEN AND AUDIOVISUAL DIGITAL MATERIALS
FOR CITY COUNCIL MEETINGS
PURPOSE The purpose of this policy is to establish a clear outline for the procedures regarding the public submittal of written and digita l audiovisual materials for City Council meetings. The policy outlines a procedure for members of the public to submit materials for City Council meetings.
POLICY
The members of the public may submit written materials as public comment to be considered in the discussion during of scheduled City Council agenda items.
The members of the public may submit digital audiovisual materials (e.g., PowerPoint presentations, graphics, audi o files, videos) to be displayed during public presentations of the Council meeting agenda or during public comment of the associated agenda item. The presenter must be present in- person or online for the meeting in or der for the digital materials to be displayed during the meeting.
Written materials and eComments received as public comment for agenda items will not be read al oud during the meeting by City staff. Members o f the public may attend in-person or th rough hybrid options to speak during Public Presentations or during an agenda item.
The information will be copied and included in the Agenda packets commencing on the Friday afternoon pr eceding the Tuesday City Council meeting.
If materials are not available until after 5 p.m. on the day of the Council meeting, the submitting individual should make at least fifteen copies of the materials and provide those to the City Clerk at the meeting for distribution.
Written or digital audiovisual materi als should be directly related to a specific item listed on the City C ouncil agenda. Materials should adhere to generally accepted broadcast standards.
This policy does not supersede the Mayor or meeting Chair suspending or further limiting a presentation based on specific meeting length, needs or other criteria at the Chair’s discretion.
Time limits for public testimony are set by Council Policy 029 (Time Limits for Speakers at Council meetings) and may be modified during the meeting City of Santa Clara
Council Policy Manual
Revised January
2006January 30, 2024
CP 041 Page 2 of 4
at Council’s discretion. Time utiliz ed by a member of the public would include both their public testimony as well as time to show digital audiovisual material(s), if any. Time guidelines for public testimony are to ensure fairness to all parties, on all si des of an issue, and to help ensure the efficiency of meetings. For current guidelines on time limits, check with the City Clerk’s Office.
A schedule of public meetings can be obtained from the City Clerk’s Office or viewed on the City’s website. In addition, a Tentative Meeting Agenda Calendar (TMAC) document is also av ailable on the City website prior to City Council meetings for upcoming agenda items.
PROCEDURE
How to Submit Written Public Comment
1. Written Materials Submitted Prior to Agenda Posting: Members of the public may deliver submit written materials (letter, petition or other materials) to have it included as part of an agenda packet to the City Clerk’s Office by 10 am. 2 noon p.m. on the Wednesdayone week prior to the scheduled City Council meeting , by email to
[email protected] or in-person at the City Clerk’s Office at 1500 Warburton Ave., Santa Clara.
a. Submitted written materials, and the information will be copied by normal means (black and whit e copies, generally 8 ½” x 11”) and included in the aAgenda packets that are distributed to the City Council and City staf f, made available at the City Clerk’s Office and both City libraries for public review, and are scanned for agenda posting online , are available usually late on the Friday preceding72 hours before the public the following Tuesday City Council meeting.
a.b. A Tentative Meeting A genda Calendar listing future planned agenda items is available to the public on the City website.
1.2. Written Materials Submitte d After Agenda posting: If written materials are not available submitted until afterby Wednesday at 12 noon10 a.m. the week prior to the meeting, members of the public may still bring submit materials to the City Clerk’s Office until 125 p.m. on the day of the Council meeting by email to [email protected] or in-person at the City Clerk’s Office, 1500 Warburton Ave. Santa Clara or by eComment on Le gistar (See #4). Submitted written, and those City of Santa Clara
Council Policy Manual
Revised January
2006January 30, 2024
CP 041 Page 3 of 4
materials will be e copied and distributed to the City Council and City staff for the meeting. The written submissions will form part of the public record as “Post Meeting Material” and posted online.
3. Written Materials Submitted at the City Council Meeting: After 125 p.m. onOn the day of the meeting, members of the public may still submit written materials for consideration at the meeting in-person during public comment.
a) Provide these to the City Clerk office staff to form part of the public record as “Post Meeting Material.
b) The submitting individual should make at least fifteen (15) copies of their materials if possible, and provide those to the City Clerk as soon as they arrive at the meeting, so that copies can befor distribution ed to City Council and staff.
c) In addition, the public may bring a submitted material in paper format to the City Council meeting which may be projected on the screen as can be best accommodated.
4. eComment: Members of the public ma y submit an eComment online through the Legistar application on th e City website. The eComment function becomes available on the date the agenda is posted online (72 hours before meeting) and closes 15 minutes prior to the start of the meeting. eComments are directly sent to the iLegislate application viewable by the City Council and City staff as public comment.
How to Submit Digital Audiovisual Materials
1. As an alternative to the submission of written materials, or inIn addition, members of the public may submit digital materials (e.g. , PowerPoint presentation, video, audio file, graphics) who wish to utilize a PowerPoint presentation, videot ape, DVD, audio tape, or other audiovisual materials as part of to be displa yed during their Public pPresentations or during public comment associated with an agenda item at a Council meeting.
2. , should present send Submit those digital materials by email to the City Clerk’s Office at [email protected] no later than 10 a.m. on the day of the meeting, along with a contact telephone number where they may be reached for the remainder of the day, up to the start of the meeting at which the materials will be shown.
1.3. If the file is too lar ge to send via email, the public ma y submit via the City of Santa Clara
Council Policy Manual
Revised January
2006January 30, 2024
CP 041 Page 4 of 4
City’s electronic file transfer protocol. Please contact the City Clerk’s Office for a link to the electronic file upload.
2.4. If the audiovisual materials cannot be viewed through the City’s system, or if questions cannot be resolved by 53 p. m. on the day of the meeting the submitting individual will be notified as soon as possible at the telephone number they have provided, and the ma terials will not be shown.Digital materials should be compatible with the City’s software, and should be provided in the appropriate formats. Staf f will notify submitter by 2 p.m. o f the meeting day if the materials are not compatible.
5. Please ensure the digital files and presentations use a minimum font size of 14 point for display.
Audiovisual materials should be compatible with Microsoft software, and should be provided in one of the following formats:
- VHS, SVHS or DVD on CD with any media format. No HDTV - Items including three-dimensional objects can be displayed on the master display system’s document camera overhead projection system; landscape format is preferred; a minimum letter font size of one half inch should be utilized for handwritten materials to optimize readability. - Individual slides can be shown.
- For PowerPoint presentations, the individual should bring a diskette or CD containing the PPT file that has been saved in Windows compatible format, with a 24-point font or better to optimize readability. - Personal laptops, comput ers or other equipment may not be linked to the Council Chambers master display system.
-
6. Personal laptops, computers, USB drives or other personal equipment may not be directly connected to the City Council Chambers master display system for Council meeti ngs. Digital materials must be submitted by the procedures mentioned above.
Reference: Council Approved Policy 1/24/06
City Manager’s Directive No. 23
Time Limits for Speakers at Council Meetings
City of Santa Clara
Council Policy Manual
Revised January
2006January 30, 2024
CP 041 Page 5 of 4
Policy and Procedure dated July 2003