Planning commission votes to terminate remote public attendance until state law and tech are clarified

The Siskiyou County Planning Commission voted 4-0, with one member absent, to terminate remote public attendance for Planning Commission meetings until state law or county technology decisions require otherwise.

County counsel explained that the commission is not currently required to broadcast meetings over the Internet but that a state bill to amend the Brown Act had passed the Legislature and was awaiting action by the governor. "It looks like next July, it would be required that we would have to use the Internet with our meetings," counsel said, noting the governor could still withhold signature.

Staff urged termination of remote participation for now because the meeting room's hardware and the county-mandated Microsoft Teams setup had produced repeated audio and connectivity problems. "Every single time we come in, we have to reset everything and there's always issues," said Staff member Rachel, describing frequent failures with the room equipment and the county directive to use Teams instead of Zoom.

Commissioners said the decision was driven by technology problems rather than policy preference. One commissioner suggested delaying a permanent change until the governor acts and asked staff to prepare a recommendation for the Board of Supervisors on options for room technology or shared access to a larger room that can reliably host remote broadcasts.

Commissioner Mello moved to approve a resolution terminating remote public attendance to Planning Commission meetings; Commissioner Veal seconded. The roll-call vote was 4 in favor, 0 opposed, 1 absent. The commission recorded the vote as: Commissioner Hart ' yes; Commissioner Mello ' yes; Commissioner Beal ' yes; Chair Fowl ' yes; Commissioner Lenders ' absent.

Staff said it will bring technology and logistics recommendations to the commission and recommended that if the state law is signed, the commission direct the Board of Supervisors to either provide shared access to a room with adequate technology or invest in an upgrade of the current meeting room to meet the broadcast requirement.