Klamath County moves to require preregistration for virtual public comment to reduce meeting disruptions

Klamath County commissioners agreed Tuesday to require preregistration for virtual public comment in order to reduce the risk of meeting disruptions after a recent incident in which a remote participant displayed inappropriate content.

Commissioners discussed the county’s legal obligations to make meetings viewable while noting there is no statutory requirement to offer a virtual public-comment option when in-person participation is available. The board favored continuing to offer a virtual option but with controls: callers must preregister and staff will send an individualized link rather than publishing a public meeting link.

A model discussed and supported by several commissioners was 24 hours’ notice for virtual public comment; one commissioner suggested 5 p.m. Monday as a practical preregistration cutoff tied to the meeting agenda schedule. Staff said they had worked with IT and multimedia to mitigate the technical vulnerability that allowed the earlier disruptive incident and that they would prepare website instructions and an internal process.

The board directed staff to implement the preregistration process and to publish a notice (described in the meeting as a “news flash”) about the change; commissioners said the new process would begin the following Tuesday. Staff will require contact information and the usual sign-in details from participants and will issue individualized virtual links to those who preregister.

No change to in-person public-comment rules was made; the board emphasized that in-person access remains available.