Resident petition prompts committee to study ways to ensure remote callers who raise hands can be heard

Resident Natalie Gibson presented a petition on Jan. 28 asking the Municipal & Legislative Operations Subcommittee to adopt additional measures so people who call in via Zoom and raise their hands are reliably recognized and heard.

Gibson described instances when she signaled in the virtual queue but was not called and said she sometimes has been muted and unable to rejoin the discussion. She urged more than one staff member be able to see raised hands or for a clearer visual cue in the chamber so remote participants are not inadvertently skipped.

Deputy Clerk AJ Pottle and Committee Clerk (Mr. Vangeli) described the existing virtual queue process: the clerk’s office monitors a queue and recognizes hands in order, while the chair enforces time limits. The clerk cautioned that Zoom chat messages are public records and that the city’s current Zoom configuration does not offer private host-only messaging as a substitute for public testimony.

Another participant who identified herself as Bieni suggested an option that would allow a private message to the host (host-only chat) for people who have difficulty speaking; the clerk noted questions about whether such messages are public records would need legal review.

Given the mix of technical and access concerns, the committee voted to hold item 6A and asked the clerk’s office to prepare a report on practices that could improve recognition and timeliness for remote participants. The chair also directed the administration to explore a resident-friendly suggestions mechanism on the city website and for the clerk to identify procedural options used by other cities.

The committee did not adopt any rule changes at the Jan. 28 meeting; staff will return with recommendations.