So @COSAGOV made a nice gesture earlier this month by opening up digital public comment (frmrly Citizens to Be Heard) in light of #COVID19. I hope this is something that sticks going fwd. However, I learned something today that makes me question the whole process

After working for @COSAGOV’s public affairs arm for 5 yrs, I had no idea that the only way to address the City Council on a specific agenda item is to show up in-person on the day of an A session or, only if there’s a B session that week, sign up to speak at CTBH on Wednesdays

I mean... in 2018 I managed the City’s response to @AnaSandovalSATX’s CCR asking for the est. of guiding principles for Public Participation. It was a lengthy process that def stretched my understanding of local govt, and I still didn’t fully grasp the number of barriers in place

I guess I assumed you could submit written comments to your elected officials without being required to go to City Hall??? Groundbreaking. Kind of like assuming local government actually *wants* to be transparent in its decision-making processes...

I must have gotten used to the access granted once you’re on the inside of the municipal walls. The “COSA bubble” that people joke about. And... now I can’t unsee how problematic it is that the public is required to SHOW UP IN PERSON to address the whole council on Thursdays

Anyway, according to the City Clerk, who called me today after I submitted comments for tomorrow’s item 5, the *only* way to provide comment on this very important agenda item is to be there tomorrow morning before 9 a.m. and sign up to speak since there’s no B session this week

[Why not extend the digital input opportunities for City Council A-session? #COVID19 is no less dangerous on Thursdays. Hopefully @COSAGOV is working on this and will make it permanent.]

I submitted comments for CTBH 2 wks ago in support of divesting from @SATXPolice & received this auto-response. So I asked the Clerk what “part of the record” means. Apparently it means everyone’s comments will be “summarized” & posted with the meeting minutes (in several months)

Like... long after City Council has taken action on any specific item. Heh. I’ve also seen the way FY budget comments are “summarized,” so if this is any indicator, we are being lumped into ‘for’ and ‘against’ buckets, not necessarily having specific ideas relayed to electeds.

There was a lot of back and forth on this, and she said she did end up sending my last email to the full council. I’m unclear whether this was an exception or if everyone who submits emails to [email protected] receives the same courtesy. Where do the emails go?

TL/DR; as a City Hall outsider, the public comment process is incredibly confusing, possibly a dead end and the City’s website doesn’t make it any easier to figure out.

Here’s some excellent guidance for anyone who *is* able to attend the meeting in-person tomorrow. Get there before 9 a.m. to sign up to speak! (with a mask on, of course)

Also, this clearly isn’t a hot take whatsoever. There are soooo many community members and advocates and journalists who have called out a lack of fair process and transparency at the City for decades. I will say... it’s much easier to see it when you’re not standing in it.