Resolution: VideoConference to Council District field office

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Don Zimmerman
Posts: 168
Joined: Fri Jan 09, 2015 11:05 am

Resolution: VideoConference to Council District field office

Post by Don Zimmerman »

CM Colleagues,

I'm proposing the following Resolution in order to reduce downtown trips while increasing Council meeting participation options for constituents.

Simply put, I'm asking Council to go forward with having noon citizen communication (on regular Thursday meetings) live testimony before Council, from any local Council District field office. Currently only District 6 has a local office, but this additional Council meeting option should provide more motivation for additional field offices. To keep the cost and complexity of this pilot program way down, this is limited to Council District offices.

This Resolution was researched, drafted and vetted with significant input from city attorney JK Gayle and City Clerk Ms. Goodall.

We have tentative co-sponsors in CM Houston, CM Troxclair, and the Mayor. If anyone else is interested please reply here.

RESOLUTION NO. 2016

WHEREAS, the Austin City Council is committed to supporting and enhancing opportunities for citizen participation at all of its open meetings; and

WHEREAS, even though the Texas Open Meetings Act does not require governmental entities to provide a public forum for citizens to speak on matters of interest, this and previous Councils have recognized the value of citizen participation as a key component to effective governance and therefore have established rules allowing citizen communication at open meetings; and

WHEREAS, the Texas Open Meetings Act was amended in 2013 to allow a governmental body to permit members of the public to testify at an open meeting from a remote location by videoconference call; and

WHEREAS, the Council is committed to supporting innovative uses of technology to enhance citizen participation while simultaneously working in tandem with environmentally-friendly mobility options to relieve traffic congestion in the downtown area;

NOW, THEREFORE,
BE IT RESOLVED BY THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF AUSTIN:
The City Manager and the City Clerk are directed to develop a plan for implementation of a pilot program, to be no longer than three months in duration, whereby citizen participation would be allowed via videoconference call from any local Council District office during regularly-scheduled open Council meetings.

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED:
The City Manager and City Clerk are directed to report back to Council no later than ___________ 1, 2016 on results of the pilot program, and make recommendations to Council based on the conduct of the pilot program for any Code amendments, Code provision waivers, Council Rules, and technology requirements that may be necessary in order to implement the program more widely and on a regular basis.

ADOPTED: , 2016 ATTEST:______________________

Jannette S. Goodall
City Clerk
Don Zimmerman
Council Member District 6 (northwest Austin)