Live Public Comments Coming Back to Council Next Week

Live public comments are returning to City Council meetings.

City staff has been reading public comments since the pandemic prevented the public from attending the meetings last year.

But on Monday City Clerk Mark Jomsky announced local residents will be able to present their comments live starting at the council’s March 31 special joint meeting with Los Angeles County Supervisor Kathryn Barger. 

That meeting will start at 8 a.m.

“This is a trial phase for this new public comment process as the city works to refine and improve public comment procedures during this pandemic,” Jomsky read from a prepared statement at Monday’s council meeting. 

This is the second change moving council meetings back toward pre-COVID procedures. Monday was also the first meeting to be held under a recently passed ordinance moving meetings to 4:30 p.m., just an hour earlier than the start time mandated by the city charter. 

To participate in live public comment, members of the public will have the option of completing an online speaker card or calling city staff to assist with entering speaker card information over the phone. Speakers will then be able to connect to the virtual meeting and have a chance to make their comments when called upon through their computer or by phone.

Speakers will have three minutes to complete their comments, which is the normal time allotted during public comment.  However, as stated in the council’s meeting policy and posted on the agenda, the Mayor and City Council may limit speaking time as necessary.  

Typically the three-minute time limit is only shortened if time becomes a factor in completing the business posted on the agenda,

Detailed instructions on how to participate in live public comment will be published in the council’s agenda.

Contact the City Clerk’s Office at (626) 744-4124 for more information about the public comment procedure.