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Fremont council unanimously appoints seven to Charter Advisory Committee after public call to restore remote comment
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Summary
The Fremont City Council unanimously approved appointments to a seven‑member Charter Advisory Committee after a public commenter urged the city to restore remote participation for public comment ahead of an approaching SB deadline. The council discussed Brown Act guidance, livestreaming and timelines for interim recommendations.
The Fremont City Council unanimously appointed seven members to a Charter Advisory Committee during a Friday meeting, after a public speaker urged the city to restore remote participation for public comment ahead of an approaching state bill deadline.
A resident, Henry Soon, told the council he hoped the city would "start looking into sooner rather than later" restoring remote public‑comment participation, saying remote access helps residents constrained by transportation or obligations and that disruptions like "Zoom bombing" can be managed with clear rules.
Mayor remarks and appointment rationale The mayor thanked the 38 applicants for the advisory panel and said the selections aimed to reflect geographic and ethnic diversity, prior experience and availability for Monday 5 p.m. meetings. The mayor said the commission is intended to bring differing perspectives to the charter review process and acknowledged the difficulty of choosing seven members from many applicants.
Brown Act guidance, livestreaming and timeline City Manager Queena Shackleford introduced city staff, and City Attorney Rafael Alvarado advised the council that advisory members will receive introductory information on the Brown Act and state law prohibitions on certain social‑media uses for committee business. "That will be part of our presentation," Alvarado said, adding that staff will follow the council's work plan and provide guidance to the advisory body.
Alvarado also said the committee will provide interim recommendations in late April and that the advisory meetings are open and recorded, allowing council members to observe meeting video; the Brown Act limits how many council members may attend together.
City staff confirmed the advisory meetings will be livestreamed and posted on the city's website and Comcast channel 27.
Motion and vote The council moved and seconded the appointments and voted to approve them unanimously. The council congratulated the appointees and encouraged residents who were not selected to remain involved in other boards and commissions.
What happens next Interim recommendations from the Charter Advisory Committee are expected in late April; staff will provide updates to the council and videos of the advisory meetings will be posted online, the city said.
