1 Vernice Hankins
From: [email protected]
Sent: Tuesday, September 27, 2022 11:44 AM
To: councilmtgitems; Sue Himmelrich; Kristin McCowan; Gleam Davis; Christine Parra; Phil Brock; Oscar de la Torre; Lana Negrete
Subject: Item 5C public comment for 27 September 2022 CC meeting
EXTERNAL
Dear City Council,
The purpose of public comment is to facilitate communication between residents and the City Council. In the case of item specific public comments, they allow Santa Monicans' direct input on agendized items to influence elected officials' subsequent deliberations.
Placing general public comment at the beginning of the agenda is a basic courtesy to residents and should be retained.
However, the rearrangement of item-specific public comments for this pilot was ill conceived and we're fortunate to be able to end its practice In December 2022.
Divorcing public item comments from respective items is a waste of everyone's time and effort. Removing the proximity of public comments from their respective items disenfranchises residents by minimizing the impact of their input on the conversation. It is equally unhelpful to overworked City Councilmembers who cannot possibly process and retain so much disjointed feedback out of the context of respective agenda items.
If it is not possible to end this latter practice immediately, I ask that you at least end it in December at the initially proposed pilot end date. Extending this ineffective and demoralizing practice to March 2023 is inappropriate and disrespectful to all involved in City governance—residents and elected officials alike.
Item 5.C
09/27/22
1 of 2 Item 5.C
09/27/22
2 Thank you,
Michelle Gray
Item 5.C
09/27/22
2 of 2 Item 5.C
09/27/22