HomeMy WebLinkAbout22.b. Hold discussion regarding protocol on correspondence received during Public Comment period Page 1 of 5
Item 22.b.
CENTRAL SAN BOARD OF DIRECTORS
POSITION PAPER
MEETING DATE: JUNE 16, 2022
SUBJECT: HOLD DISCUSSION REGARDING PROTOCOL ON CORRESPONDENCE
RECEIVED DURING PUBLIC COMMENT PERIOD
SUBMITTED BY: INITIATING DEPARTMENT:
BOARD MEMBER DAVID R. WILLIAMS, SECRETARYOF THE DISTRICT
PRESIDENT
ISSUE
After the closed session on June 2, 2022, Board President Williams provided staff with the direction to
add a future agenda item to discuss District protocol on correspondence received regarding public
comments. A discussion regarding a policy may be warranted.
BACKGROUND
As described in the District's current Board Handbook, members of the public may comment on items that
are on the agenda as they come up for discussion. The Board President will ask if anyone present wishes
to comment on the agenda item.
For items that are not on the agenda, the public may comment during the "Public Comment Period." The
Brown Act prohibits discussion of non-agendized items. I n some cases, it may be appropriate for Board
Members to ask questions in order to clarify the matter, so it may be properly agendized for a future
meeting.
The Board may discuss the merits of the item after public comment. During this time, the Board may ask
staff additional questions or seek the advice of the General Manager and/or the District Counsel.
During the last two years of the pandemic, the Board has received public comments via the
Speaker/Comment Card option on the District website or via electronic mail to the Secretary of the District.
In past practice, the Secretary of the District has read the comments received for the record and the public
comment is uploaded to the District website after the meeting for public review.
Staff has complied responses received from a survey of sister agencies and local cities on their protocols
reading public comments received via electronic mail. Attachment 1 provides the survey responses
received to date.
June 16, 2022 Regular Board Meeting Agenda Packet- Page 767 of 771
Page 2 of 5
ALTERNATIVES/CONSIDERATIONS
Alternative 1: The Board could choose to continue with current practices and/or not create a Board policy.
Alternative 2: Provide direction to the Administration Committee to review/create a policy for Board
consideration.
FINANCIAL IMPACTS
None.
COMMITTEE RECOMMENDATION
This item was not reviewed by a Board Committee.
RECOMMENDED BOARD ACTION
Hold discussion and provide direction to staff as may be applicable.
ATTACHMENTS:
1. Survey of local cities and sister agencies
June 16, 2022 Regular Board Meeting Agenda Packet- Page 768 of 771
Survey of Public Comment Protocol
Agency Policy Public Comment Protocol Additional Information
Currently,the SOD reads all public comments
received via the Central San website
Central San No Speaker/Comment Card or by email for the record.
All written public comments are posted as part of the
agenda documents.
Verbiage from Agenda
How to Submit Public Comments:
Please note that emailed comments will not be read aloud by staff.
Written:All comments received before 3:00 pm the day of the meeting
will be posted on the City's website as"Correspondence"under the
City of No Public comments received are not read aloud by staff. relevant agenda item and provided to the City Councilmembers prior to
Concord the meeting.
• Email comments to cityclerk@cityofconcord.org.
• If you are commenting on a particular item on the agenda,please
identify the agenda item number and letter.
• If you are commenting on an item not listed on the agenda,please
identify your comment as a General Public Comment.
Listed on webpage for instructions to the public:
• Written communications from the public to be included in the
agenda packet shall be submitted to the City Clerk no later than
Public comments are not read when received via e- 5:00 pm on the Monday preceding the regular meeting.
mail. Staff posts e-mails to webpage packet and title Written communications from the public regarding an agenda item
City of Lafyette No them as "additional public comment". A printed copy submitted to the City Clerk no later than noon on the day of the
is made and is available for inspection at city offices. public meeting will be distributed at the meeting to the members
of the City Council,the City Manager,and the City Attorney.At
least three copies shall be available for public inspection and it
shall be made available as part of the agenda packet.
June 16, 2022 Regular Board Meeting Agenda Packet- Page 769 of Piqe 1 of 3
Survey of Public Comment Protocol
Agency Policy Public Comment Protocol Additional Information
Verbiage from Agenda
Send your e-mail to ssmith@cityoforinda.org by 3pm on the day of the
meeting. Those e-mails will be forwarded to the City Council. They will
also be made a part of the public record and be available to view in the
public review binder at Orinda City Hall, 22 Orinda Way. In addition,they
Public comments are not read into the record. They will be available electronically by 5pm on the day of the meeting by
are posted on website to make them available to the selecting the date of the meeting in dropbox.
City of Orinda No public. If someone sends an e-mail during the
meeting and doesn't want to read it themselves,then Comments may also be submitted by e-mail during the meeting up until
it will be read. the closure of public comment period on the relevant agenda item. These
will be read into the record by staff at their normal cadence and will be
limited to a maximum of 3 minutes. To be read into the record,e-mail
must contain in the subject line"Public Forum-Not on the Agenda" or
"Public Comment-Agenda Item W with the relevant agenda item
indicated.
During COVID,due to the lack of in person
availability,CCWD began to read any letters received
by 4:00 p.m.the day of the Board meeting into the
record.As of April 20, 2022,when they ended the
Contra Costa teleconference option and reopened the Board Room
Water District No to the public,they no longer read them.The Board
President announces the number of letters received
and notes they are available for review in the Board
Room and will be attached to the minutes.
Public comments received are not read aloud.The
Mayor notes that"the Council received written public
City of comment from..."and names all the people.The
Pleasant Hill No written public comments received after the agenda
packet was published until 4 pm the day of the
meeting are uploaded as part of the final agenda
packet into Laserfiche.
June 16, 2022 Regular Board Meeting Agenda Packet- Page 770 of Piqe 2 of 3
Survey of Public Comment Protocol
Agency Policy Public Comment Protocol Additional Information
Council discussed this issue in 2021,and ultimately
City of decided not to have e-mails submitted read aloud.A
Brentwood No PowerPoint slide is made with a summary of the e-
mails received,which is shown on screen during
public comments with the timer,and emails are
posted with appropriate redactions on the website.
EMBUD accepts written comments.The Secretary Submitting written comments or materials:
makes no global promise to read the public comment
Email written comments or other materials for the Board of Directors to SecOffice ebmud.com.
during the meeting,but most times itis. For any �
East Bay written comment received and read fully,in part, or - Please indicate the meeting date and agenda item number or non-agenda item in the subject of the email.
Municipal No not read,the secretary advises during the meeting Contact information is optional.
Water District that the comments have been received,sent to the
Please email by 4 p.m.the day prior to the scheduled committee,workshop,special or regular
Board (if applicable),and will be made a part of the
record. meeting;written comments and other materials Submitted to the Board of Directors will be filed in the
record.
At every board meeting, members of the public are Should comments be received via electronic mail,the President states they
allowed to address the board on any item of interest have been received. If they have a public hearing item or comment period
within the subject matter jurisdiction of the board that item,those will be read aloud
is not already included on the posted agenda.The
board president asks anyone desiring to make public
comments to fill out a speaker card with his/her name Public comments are limited, as noted on the agenda,to five minutes per
Dublin San and address so that the minutes accurately reflect the speaker. Directors may ask clarifying questions but cannot take any action on,
Ramon speaker's identity and affiliation, and so that the district discuss, or debate the matters presented during the public comment period.
Services Yes
can contact the speaker if necessary. Members of the Members of the public also may make a request to have an item placed on a
District public who decline to provide a speaker card shall be future agenda during the public comment portion of the meeting.After
allowed to address the board.The president calls considering such a request,the board may provide direction to the general
speakers to the lectern and asks them to identify manager by motion, properly seconded and approved, regarding including
themselves, announce their item, and address the that item on future board or committee agendas.
board. Speakers may decline to identify themselves.
** DSRSD is currently reviewing this policy.
June 2022
June 16, 2022 Regular Board Meeting Agenda Packet- Page 771 of lNe 3 of 3