Agenda Item # 3.1 - Julie Garcia | Received 09/15/2023CAUTION: This email originated from an External Source. Please use proper judgment and caution when opening
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From:Julie Garcia
To:Public Comments; +AllCouncilMembers@cityofgilroy.org
Subject:EXTERNAL - Item #3.1 Public Comment on Items Not on the Agenda
Date:Friday, September 15, 2023 2:46:42 PM
City Council, Staff, and the Public,
I support adding Enabling Hybrid Meetings to a future agenda. The OGO Commission
embarked on the hybrid public meetings initiative to further their Fiscal Year 2024- 2025
workplan and in support of the ordinance that enacted its purpose “...so that every citizen can
know and participate in democracy at the local level” (Gilroy City Code, Chapter 17A). While
some of the city’s technological capabilities to host hybrid meetings pre-existed the COVID
pandemic, the City has invested significantly in modernizing and enhancing its conferencing
capability to improve its ability to host local public meetings.
The Commission studied the hybrid public meeting environment (public attendance in-person
and online) to gauge how other municipalities in Santa Clara County leveraged their
technology, procedures, and visual aids to enhance public participation and access to local
government meetings. The Commission identified seven (7) technological benchmarks and
procedural best practices for the City Councils’ consideration.
The Commission seeks to provide the City Council with an update of their analysis,
highlighting how these recommended improvements can enhance public engagement and
participation while leveraging a return on investment by enabling hybrid public meetings.
RECOMMENDATION: The City Council approves agendizing the Commission’s topic to
Enabling Hybrid Public Meetings to allow the Council to receive a 20-minute briefing on
enacting the Commission’s seven (7) recommendations.
The goal of the City of Gilroy’s Open Government Ordinance (OGO) is to give the citizens of
Gilroy greater access to information and to allow for more public participation in City
governmental decisions. Because the City Council believes that governmental transparency is
paramount for the people of Gilroy to remain in control of their government, this ordinance
gives Gilroy’s citizens more access to governmental processes and public information in a
timelier manner. Overall, this legislation allows the citizens of Gilroy to be more informed and
involved in the processes of local government.
Thank you for your time.
Julie P Garcia
former PRC volunteer