Long Beach says it wants more public participation at City Council meetings
Through March 20, residents can fill out a survey on "barriers that may prevent community members from engaging" in meetings.
Long Beach officials are asking residents, community organizations and local businesses to help increase participation in City Council meetings.
Through Mar. 20, members of the public can fill out a survey on "barriers that may prevent community members from engaging" in City Council meetings, city officials said Tuesday.
The survey asks residents how often they participate in City Council meetings, how they learn about the meetings, what factors may prevent them attending and how the city can go about making it easier for them to participate.
Participation in the survey is anonymous and the form will not automatically collect participants' names and email addresses unless they provide that information themselves.
Residents can fill out the survey at a computer lab available at any open Long Beach Public Library location, officials said. People may also complete it in person at any city commission and City Council meeting at City Hall, where printed copies will be available at the City Clerk’s Office.
The city has been discussing increasing participation in council meetings since last October, when the Government Operations and Efficiency Committee released some proposed changes on the conduct of City Council meetings. Based on an earlier survey of the public, those changes included expanding early public comment, establishing estimated times for high-interest agenda items, adjusting public comment periods, setting earlier meeting start times and maintaining existing time limits on ceremonial items and presentations, city officials said.
A separate state law, Senate Bill 707, now requires hybrid council meetings and virtual public comment.
In November, the City Council asked staff to survey the community again, "to gather additional input on ways to streamline meetings and encourage broader public participation," officials said Tuesday.
When the survey period ends, the results will go to the Citizens Advisory Commission on Disabilities (CACoD), which will then give their own proposed changes to the council's order of business sometime later this year, according to the city.
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