From: City Council
Subject: RE: Public Comments Via Zoom
Date: Tuesday, April 2, 2024 8:43:00 AM
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From: Lisa Pierce
Sent: Monday, April 1, 2024 10:11 PM
To: City Council <[email protected]>
Subject: Public Comments Via Zoom
Dear Council members,
The Zoom bombing is very upsetting for so many reasons. The Planning Commission meeting in March was probably the worst I've seen. Our Climate Action Committee has been targeted a couple of times and, of course, the Council has been quite abused.
My personal feeling is that people watching on Zoom should not be able to make comments during meetings, at least for a period of time, maybe a year. Our City was well run for many decades before Zoom came along. People have the opportunity to come in person to make comments or write in their comments before the meetings.
Our friends and neighbors who volunteer to serve on these committees and councils should not have to put up with the abuse that has gotten much worse with Zoom. Allowing the public to comment through Zoom provides an easier way for the public to engage, but at what cost? People are going to be reluctant to serve if they have to put up with this.
Hearing a certain person comment on every single blessed item, even when her comment has no relationship with the item being discussed is a waste of everybody's time and is stressful for everybody who participates.
Perhaps this wouldn't happen if comments could only be made in person.
The City Council has work to do. Let's not make the job harder than it needs to be. Let's not provide a platform to assist trouble makers.
Thank you very much for all your work,
Lisa Pierce