Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Public Comment Accessibility topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Public commenter urges Lancaster to restore two-way online public comment and improve accessibility
Summary
A resident urged Lancaster City Council to reinstate two-way online public comment and remove barriers to civic participation, arguing the city stepped back after pandemic-era accommodations and that online options would help shift, second-shift and disabled residents participate.
Tony Dastra, a Lancaster resident, used the public-comment period Tuesday to urge the council to restore two-way online public comment and otherwise remove barriers to civic participation.
"We need 2 way online public comment at council meetings. We had this technology during the pandemic. We still have this technology. What we don't have is the will," Dastra said, addressing council from the 700 block of New Holland Avenue.
Dastra said the absence of online comment disproportionately affects people working second shifts, single parents and people who are deaf or have mobility barriers. He described past messages meant to silence public participation and said the city "stepped back" from pandemic-era access measures when the emergency ended.
Why it matters: The request goes to meeting accessibility and civic engagement policies rather than a specific ordinance. Dastra framed the change as a way to expand equitable participation and to make public meetings accessible to residents who cannot attend in person.
Ending: The council did not take action on the request during the meeting; staff later proceeded with the planned agenda items.
