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Council tables decision on restoring remote call-in or Zoom for meetings after staff and treasurer warn of technical and legal risks
Summary
After a lengthy discussion on whether to restore a remote call-in or Zoom option for council and commission meetings, the council voted to table the item indefinitely and asked staff to research reliable options and costs; staff noted technical failure risks and potential Brown Act implications.
Councilmembers debated restoring a remote public-participation option (phone/Zoom) for council and commission meetings on Feb. 11 and ultimately tabled the issue for further staff study.
City Manager Rob Houston reviewed the city's prior use of Zoom during the COVID-19 period and the city's later decision to discontinue remote participation while adding cameras and YouTube streaming. Houston told council that 28 of 32 surrounding cities had removed remote call-in features and warned that system failures can create Brown Act risk when remote access is allowed but not available.
Why it matters: Restoring remote participation would expand access for residents who cannot attend in…
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