CITY OF SIMI VALLEY
MEMORANDUM
M
arch 14, 2022
TO
: City Council
F
ROM: Office of the City Manager
S
UBJECT: DIRECTION TO STAFF REGARDING HOW PUBLIC STATEMENTS WILL
BE RECEIVED AT FUTURE CITY COUNCIL MEETINGS
STAFF RECOMMENDATION
S
taff recommends that the City Council provide direction to staff regarding how public statements will be received at future City Council meetings.
BACKGROUND AND OVERVIEW
D
uring the February 14, 2021, meeting, the City Council requested that a discussion regarding the hybrid approach for public statements, where members of the public may participate via Zoom or in person, be brought back for consideration. Since the November 8, 2021, City Council meeting, public statements have been received in person and via Zoom due to COVID-19.
FINDINGS AND ALTERNATIVES
S
even agencies across Ventura County continue to meet remotely and provide for public comments via email and Zoom. Four cities have returned to in person meetings, and of those, one allows participation in person and via Zoom; two allow comment in person and via email; and one allows for in person participation only. A table with the findings is provided on the next page.
AGENDA ITEM NO.
7A
2 City/Agency In Person
Meetings
Remote Meetings Method to
provide Public
Comments
City of Ventura X Email and Webex
City of Oxnard X Email and Zoom
City of Thousand
Oaks
X Email and Zoom
City of Port
Hueneme
X Email and Zoom
City of Ojai X Email and Zoom
County of Ventura X Email and Zoom
Ventura County
Transportation
Commission
X Email and Zoom
City of Moorpark X In Person and
Zoom
City of Santa Paula X In Person and
Email
City of Camarillo X In Person and
Email
City of Fillmore X In Person
P
rior to the COVID -19 pandemic when Simi Valley City Council meetings were held in person, interested parties who wished to provide comment on an item were required to do so in person at the City Council meeting. Pre- and Post-COVID, the City’s constituency has always been able to communicate with City Council Members via email, providing their comments in emails to the City Council; City Council Member email addresses are posted as links on the City’s website. However, since the beginning of COVID, the City established a separate email address for City Council meeting Public Statements and the City Clerk’s Office provides these comments to the City Council , prior to the meeting (currently at approximately 4:00 p.m.).
D
uring the pandemic, public health orders required social distancing and minimizing the number of people in public spaces. As a result, Zoom was implemented at City Council meetings to enable remote participation by the public. It is recommended that the City Council consider how it wishes to receive public statements going forward.
T
he following alternatives are available to the City Council:
1. R
eturn to in person Public Statements only at City Council meetings;
2. M
aintain the hybrid approach to Public Statements;
3. P
rovide alternative direction to staff.
S
taff has no recommendation.
3 SUGGESTED CITY COUNCIL MOTION
I mov
e to:
R
eturn to in person Public Statements only at City Council meetings.
OR
M
aintain the hybrid approach to Public Statements.
SUMMARY
D
uring the February 14, 2021, City Council meeting, the City Council requested that a discussion regarding the hybrid approach for public statements, where members of the public may participate via Zoom or in person, be brought back for consideration. Since the November 8, 2021, City Council meeting, public statements have been received in person and via Zoom during meetings due to COVID-19. Staff recommends that the City Council provide direction to staff regarding how public statements will be received at future City Council meetings.
___
_________________________________
Samantha Argabrite
Deputy City Manager
P
repared by: Samantha Argabrite, Deputy City Manager
INDEX Page
A
ttachment A – November 8, 2021 Staff Report .............................. 4
CITY OF SIMI VALLEY
MEMORANDUM
November 8, 2021
TO: City Council
FROM: Office of the City Manager
SUBJECT: DIRECTION TO STAFF REGARDING HOW PUBLIC STATEMENTS WILL
BE RECEIVED AT FUTURE CITY COUNCIL MEETINGS
STAFF RECOMMENDATION
Staff recommends that the City Council provide direction to staff regarding how public statements will be received at future City Council meetings.
BACKGROUND AND OVERVIEW
During the October 25, 2021 City Council meeting, the City Counci l adopted Resolution No. 2021-45 to implement the provisions of AB 361, which allows City Council meetings to be conducted via Zoom during declared emergencies.
By consensus, the City Council Members also decided to resume in person City Council meetings beginning with the November 8 , 2021, meeting. Council Member Luevanos requested a discussion of allowing public statements via Zoom to continue, in addition to receiving in person public statements at the meetings.
FINDINGS AND ALTERNATIVES
Prior to the COVID -19 pandemic when City Council meetings were held in person, interested parties who wanted to provide comment on an item, were required to do so in person at the City Council meeting.
During the pandemic, public health orders required social distancing and minimizing the number of people in public spaces. As a result, Zoom was implemented at City Council meetings so the public could still participate and provide statements on agenda items.
During the October 25 th Council meeting, Council Member Luevanos requested that the Council discuss providing a hybrid approach for members of the public to provide public statements via Zoom, in addition to the ability to provide comments in person.
With City Council meetings returning to an in-person format, the City Council may wish to consider how it will receive public testimony.
AGENDA ITEM NO.
8A
ATTACHMENT A
4 The following alternatives are available to the City Council:
1. Receive public statements in person at City Council meetings only;
2. Receive public statements in person and via Zoom at City Council meetings;
3. Provide staff other direction.
Staff recommends that the City Council provide direction to staff regarding how public statements will be received at future City Council meetings.
SUGGESTED CITY COUNCIL MOTION
I move to receive public statements at City Council meetings:
1) In person only; or
2) Both in person and via Zoom.
SUMMARY
During the October 25, 2021, City Council meeting, the City Council adopted Resolution No. 2021-45 to implement the provisions of AB 361, which allows City Council meetings to be conducted via Zoom during declared emergencies. By consensus, the City Council Members also decided to resume in -person City Council meetings beginning with the November 8 , 2021 meeting. Counc il Member Luevanos requested a discussion of allowing public statements via Zoom to continue, in addition to receiving in-person public statements at the meetings. Staff recommends that the City Council provide direction to staff regarding how public statements will be received at future City Council meetings. ____________________________________
Samantha Argabrite
Deputy City Manager
Prepared by: Samantha Argabrite, Deputy City Manager
5