Council OKS public comments via Zoom

The Sonora City Council approved a change in policy on Monday that will allow people to make live public comments during future meetings remotely via Zoom and shelved an idea to form a committee on taking action against climate change.

The only way people have been able to provide public comment since the council returned to in-person meetings in July was to physically attend them at City Hall, or give a pre-written letter to a member of city staff or the council prior to the meeting to have the letter’s contents repeated out loud.

Critics of the previous policy said it excluded those who did not feel safe attending city council meetings in person due to the risk of COVID-19 from being able to comment in real time as the meetings were taking place.

“I understand the convenience of Zoom,” Councilwoman Ann Segerstrom said before the 4-0 vote to approve the new policy, with Mayor Matt Hawkins absent. “It’s not rocket science. We should have public access. I am with the Zoom crowd.”

Outgoing City Administrator Mary Rose Rutikanga said the city government initially did not have the staff or technology to include public comments via Zoom at in-person city council meetings, but that has since changed.

At least one person is now trained to handle public comments via Zoom.

Earlier in the meeting, prior to Hawkins having to leave due to a family commitment, the council voted 4-1 to shelve a decision on whether the city government will form a climate action committee. Councilman Mark Plummer was opposed.

Hawkins said he sensed Plummer and Councilman Jim Garaventa were opposed to approving the creation of a new climate action committee because of costs involved, with no guarantee of lucrative grants and other opportunities. Hawkins also said he sensed Segerstrom, who requested the discussion on forming the committee, and Such were in support of the idea.

The council authorized an agreement in April 2017 with the regional nonprofit

organization Sierra Business Council to prepare an energy action plan in coordination with the city and Pacific Gas and Electric Co., which was accepted by the council in March 2018.

Rutikanga said a climate action plan for Sonora is not state-mandated, but the city’s General Plan is required to include an environmental justice element.

It would take an estimated minimum of $50,000 to hire a consultant to develop a climate action plan for the city, Rutikanga said. It would also take bids and memorandums of understanding, which also cost the city money.

Hawkins said “climate action” and “environmental justice” are phrases that some people view as anti-capitalist. He added that he doesn’t believe the city is doing business that way, but some people on one end of the political spectrum are trying to portray climate action and environmental justice negatively.

Segerstrom joked, “I’m trying to decide if our committee is socialist, Marxist, or anti-capitalist.”

Garaventa said he wants to wait and see the outcome and process of a climate action plan being developed by the county and expected sometime in January.

Hawkins suggested waiting 45 to 60 days before the council decides on whether to form a climate action committee, which is what four of the five members ultimately approved Monday night.