How to participate in virtual meetings

CITY OF SEAL BEACH

The City of Seal Beach has several tools available so that residents may view public meetings and provide public comment on agenda items from the comfort of their home. Members of the public may provide public comments live during the virtual Zoom meeting OR in advance. The instructions for each of these methods are listed below:

Just Want to Watch or Listen?

If you do not want to participate in live public comment during a meeting but still want to watch or listen to the meeting, you may do so through one of the following options:

•SBTV-Channel 3 to watch

live.

• YouTube.com (Subscribe and click the notification bell for recent video uploads)

• Online through the city’s meeting portal (recorded) at https://www.sealbeachca.gov/ Government/ Agendas- Notices- Meeting- Videos/ Council-Commission- Meetings. Refer to the list of upcoming public meetings and select the “Video” icon for the link to that meeting’s recording. The video will be posted within 24 hours after the meeting.

How to Provide Public Comment During Virtual Meetings Members of the public may provide public comment live during the virtual public meeting or in advance of the meeting.

• How to provide comment in advance of a meeting:

There are a few ways to provide public comment in advance of a council or other public meeting—by email or online using the comment icon through the online portal.

MEETING, page 22 First review the agenda by visiting https:// www. sealbeachca. gov/Government/Agendas- Notices- Meeting- Videos/ Council-Commission-Meetings. Check the public comment deadline on the agenda and submit comments prior to the deadline via one of the following options: To submit comments via email:

• Email the Acting City Clerk Dana Engstrom at dengstrom@sealbeachca.gov.

• When composing your email, in the subject line, include all of the following: name, date of public meeting, and agenda item number (if applicable).

To submit comments online:

• Once the meeting agenda is published in the legislative meeting portal, go to https:// www.sealbeachca.gov/Government/ Agendas-Notices-Meeting-Videos/ Council- Commission-Meetings

• Click on the comment icon next to the agenda

• Select the “+” sign to add a comment

• Indicate your vote if desired and write a comment in the box provided. When composing your message, include the following: date of public meeting and agenda item number (if applicable)

• “Submit” comments.

• Select “Next” and enter your first and last name.

• Select “Submit” and you will receive a success box.

• Select “OK.” To make a public comment during a virtual meeting: To make a public comment during a virtual public meeting, take the following steps:

• Access the meeting. Virtual public meetings are hosted by Zoom Webinar. Each meeting has a unique meeting ID number that provides participant access.

• To obtain the meeting ID, look up the meeting you are trying to access in the city’s legislative meeting portal: https://www.sealbeachca.gov/ Government/Agendas-Notices- Meeting-Videos/Council-Commission- Meetings. The meeting ID is located on the meeting “Agenda.”

If accessing the meeting through a streaming device to watch, click on the Zoom meeting hyperlink within the agenda to access the meeting as an attendee.

If you log in before 7 p.m., a message on your screen will indicate the live meeting has not started and you will be automatically admitted when the meeting begins.

If listening from a phone, dial the number located on the agenda and follow these steps: 1. Enter the meeting ID when prompted. If you don’t have a participant ID press #. To unmute press *6.

2. Raise your hand for the public comment once prompted

• During the meeting, the mayor or chair will announce the opportunity for public comment.

• If watching on a device, use the “raised hand” feature in Zoom to make a comment.

• If listening from a phone, dial *9 to raise your hand and make a comment.

• The meeting host will go through raised hands one by one. The name you signed in with on Zoom is the name that will be called upon when asked to speak.

3. Make your comment

• When it is your turn to speak, you will be prompted to unmute, and your Zoom username will be called upon to speak.

During council meetings, each speaker is allowed 5 minutes to provide public comment.

—from the City of Seal Beach