Agenda Item # 3.1 - Kevin McCauley | Received 09/18/2023From:Kevin McCauley
To:All Council Members; Public Comments
Subject:EXTERNAL - Item #3.1 Public Comment on Items Not on the Agenda
Date:Sunday, September 17, 2023 10:00:41 PM
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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.
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>> 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.