Commissioner Diane Nielsen told the Parks and Recreation Commission that turnout for a Seaside local road safety plan meeting had been disappointing and urged the city to broaden outreach to reach a more diverse population.

"There could be better communication from the city to citizens," Nielsen said, citing a meeting that drew about 10 people when there was capacity for many more. She recommended three priorities — relationship, trust and partnerships — and suggested using local organizations, schools, churches, printed flyers, Zoom streaming and targeted social-media reposts to reach people who do not rely on the city website.

Commissioner Carla Lobo and others echoed Nielsen’s concerns about reaching the Latinx community and noted that in-person, paper-based outreach and direct contact with businesses could produce higher participation. Commissioners discussed the loss or transition of a communications position and multiple unsuccessful recruitments to fill it; the clerk said the recruitment remains with HR.

Staff explained the availability of translation equipment for meetings but acknowledged inconsistent use and the need to make the service more visible to staff and the public. Commissioners and staff proposed practical steps including multilingual pamphlets, tabling at community events, using nonprofit partner distribution lists, and exploring Zoom broadcasting to make materials and presentations visible to residents who cannot attend in person.

The commission opened and closed public comment on the item with no in-chamber commenters and agreed to incorporate follow-up outreach actions in future planning.