pages: OpenGovernmentCommission/2021-10-04.pdf, 4
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OpenGovernmentCommission | 2021-10-04 | 4 | Commissioner Reid inquired whether public comment submitted during an appropriate part of the agenda should be allowed to be read to the Commission. Commissioner LoPilato stated reading correspondence into the record as a standard practice could be very time consuming and not ideal; there already is a practice in which the City Clerk can accommodate speakers who are unable to attend or speak during the meeting. The City Clerk concurred with Commissioner LoPilato; stated the Clerk's office would make any reasonable accommodation; the feedback received from most of the public when the COVID lockdown happened and staff was reading public comments was they were tired of the Clerk reading the comments; then, an automated reader was used, which the public did not like either; reading the public comments into the record was not well- received. Chair Tilos stated that he has no reservations against the current system where the correspondence is received and distributed by the City Clerk; he is confident all Commissioners are checking their emails and are very thoughtful of the comments. Vice Chair Shabazz stated that he hears an underlying theme from Commissioner Reid illustrated in the lifting up of Mr. Garfinkle's comments, which is the desire to maximize public engagement; the theme has been repeated over a few months; his thoughts are to think of other ways to have the same outcome, including considering a town hall forum or encouraging people to be involved in civic organizations; he has heard the repeated suggestions of finding other ways, having public involved in subcommittees or increasing speaker time, but the meetings have been very long; there are alternate ways of doing it that does not reduce public participation by having very long meetings. Chair Tilos concurred with Vice Chair Shabazz; stated the biggest comment he received from more than one Councilmember was about the length of OGC meetings, which is why the City Attorney's office proposed removing the complaint procedure from the Commission completely; he is looking for more efficient ways; it is not efficient use of the Commission's time to deliberate every point in correspondence received; it is not a debate; Commissioner Reid already knows how other Commissioners feel about some of the themes she would like to change and seems redundant. Commissioner Reid stated that she does not know how other Commissioners feel and that Chair Tilos's comment is an assumption. Chair Tilos stated that he understands Commissioner Reid's desire to get the public more engaged, but he is also trying to balance out how to shorten meetings; the initial schedule of bi-annual meetings became monthly meetings; work is being done; he would like to tilt it back the other way in terms of meetings. Commissioner Reid stated that she appreciates Chair Tilos's position and that he has been doing this for a long time; she is just an average member of the community and she Meeting of the Open Government Commission October 4, 2021 4 | OpenGovernmentCommission/2021-10-04.pdf |