Board of Aldermen 6-09-2020 Page 30
President Wilshire
Ok we will discuss that with IT and see how we can make something like that happen.
Alderwoman Kelly
| would really appreciate that.
President Wilshire
You’re welcome. Alderwoman Lu?
Alderwoman Lu
Thank you, Madam President. | was also going to ask to bring that thought up. Thank you, Alderwoman
Kelly, for doing that. | wanted to just speak to the public health situation, it required that we adapt a lot to
the ways of a meeting. And the IT Department did a great job with facilitating remove participation by the
City Staff and also the elected officials. | feel we haven’t done as well for the City residents who are
interested in speaking contemporaneously, their opinions and concerns. At times we have had meetings
with 30 or more people. So | know it’s possible. | understand that there’s a concern that we may receive
more interested people than we can handle on the bandwidth. But if this were to happen perhaps after
speaking people could leave and then someone else could call in.
But | also want everyone to consider whether a person that wants to give public comment needs to know
that on the Wednesday before the Agenda even goes out, because before they even see the Agenda,
they are being asked to provide public comment on — the Agenda comes out on Friday, correct? We are
asking them to provide public comment by the Wednesday before.
President Wilshire
We take Public Comment on things that we are acting upon. So that Public Comment wouldn’t come out
until after that Agenda comes out. If we refer it to Committee, we are not taking action on it during its first
reading, typically. We did that tonight a little bit but we don’t normally do that.
Alderwoman Lu
| thought that public comment was allowed on both new items and items being acted upon?
President Wilshire
Typically on our Agenda, yes. You can’t ask someone to comment on something that hasn’t come out yet.
I’m not sure ....
Alderwoman Lu
That’s what | am saying. If they were at the meeting. To ask them to know what they want to speak on
before the Agenda comes out, | think is too soon. We can certainly include items that were submitted on
the day of the Agenda, Public Comment. | think we should give some thought as to how late somebody
can submit their public comment for a meeting on Tuesday.
President Wilshire
We will take a look at it.
