Report Prepared by: Jennifer Parsley, Assistant City Clerk
Title
SUBJECT: Direction on the Process for Remote Participation to be in Compliance with Senate Bill (SB) 707
REPORT IN BRIEF
Staff will provide an overview of the function and use of remote public participation to be in compliance with SB 707 and request Council direction on process.
RECOMMENDATION
City Council - Discuss and provide direction to staff for further implementation and planning purposes.
Body
ALTERNATIVES
1. Provide direction to staff; or
2. Request additional information; or
3. Continue the matter to a date certain; or
4. Decline to act.
AUTHORITY
Charter of the City of Merced.
CITY COUNCIL PRIORITIES
As provided for in the 2025-26 Adopted Budget.
DISCUSSION
Staff are implementing remote public participation capabilities to support compliance with SB 707 and to facilitate two-way telephonic participation and electronic public comments during public meetings. Through this process, members of the public may register to participate telephonically and identify the specific agenda items on which they wish to provide comment during the live meeting.
The electronic comment (“e-comment”) feature also allows members of the public to submit written comments on agenda items electronically. Submitted comments are publicly viewable upon submission.
At the direction of the City Council, this feature could serve as a replacement for the current practice of accepting public comments via email.
To ensure meetings are conducted efficiently, consistently, and equitably for all participants, staff is requesting Council direction on the following operational procedures:
• Establishing a submission cutoff for e-comments to provide adequate time for staff to review, process, and publish submitted comments, while also establishing clear expectations for public participation. Council direction is requested regarding the appropriate cutoff time for accepting e-comments. Options may include:
o Always
o Until the meeting ends
o Accept Comments during the meeting
o Until 5 minutes before the meeting starts
o Until 15 minutes before the meeting starts
o Until 30 minutes before the meeting starts
o Until 1 hour before the meeting starts
• Establishing a registration cutoff time for public comment on agenda items to ensure speakers can be accommodated in an orderly manner and to support the efficient administration of the meeting. Council direction is requested regarding when registration to provide public comment should close. Options may include:
o At the beginning of each agenda item
o A specified time prior to the meeting
Establishing these cutoff times will help create clear public expectations regarding participation and support the orderly administration of meetings.
Individuals wishing to participate telephonically, they must register for the agenda items on which they intend to speak on. Once registration is closed, additional public comment requests would no longer be accepted for that item or meeting. To ensure equitable treatment of all participants, the same registration cutoff procedures would apply equally to individuals participating telephonically and those attending in person.
Once Council provides direction, Staff can finalize the implementation of remote participation and have process and procedures ready for the July 1st, SB 707 deadline.