After returning to in-person meetings last week, the Long Beach City Council will study the feasibility of allowing telephonic public comments to increase accessibility and spur on civic engagement.
During the pandemic, Long Beach City Council transitioned to virtual meetings where residents could call in telephonically to share comments with the council.
When in-person meetings returned last week, residents were required to attend meetings in-person to give their comments.
“As we move back to holding in-person city council meetings, it’s important that we ensure our public comment process is available to everyone,” Councilmember Suzie Price said.
Price noted that it can be difficult for people with disabilities to attend meetings in-person. The same goes for residents who are unable to attend meetings in-person due to work or school schedules, transportation needs, childcare or the time needed to wait for their item to be called on.
When council agendas are long, it can take hours of waiting for members of the public to give their comments. Last year, meetings often ended in the late hours of the night.
One meeting on Aug. 11, 2020 lasted 6.5 hours. Another on June 14, 2020 lasted seven hours. On Jan. 21, 2020, a meeting lasted a whopping eight hours.
If a resident wants to comment on an item at the end of the agenda, they have to wait until the council arrives at that item.
There are few time-certains during council meetings and the order of items is often rearranged, leaving residents guessing how long they must wait until they can comment. The council does occasionally move up items if they know they have a large number of commenters.
During Tuesday’s meeting, Price noted that multiple commenters with mobility limitations had to leave before they discussed the item on telephonic comments. The item came to discussion around 9 p.m.
“As we all know, public comment is the opportunity for our residents to participate in the decision-making of their city,” Councilmember Mary Zendejas said. “Thus, it is crucial that we look for ways to make it easier and more accessible for everyone to provide their thoughts, concerns and ideas at our city council meetings.”
The city clerk may face budgetary restraints in allowing telephonic public comments, as additional staff will need to coordinate the system. The clerk will study the feasibility of implementing the option for remote commenting, though the council did not mention when the study will be completed.