LIVE OAK, CA (MPG) - At the Aug. 6 meeting of the Live Oak City Council, resident Dale Carlson submitted a written public comment regarding a 2.5% fee increase for parcels in the Community Facilities District (CFD) 2004-1, which was approved at the July 16 meeting.

Carlson said these homes are bearing the weight of rising city costs, and the city should explore a more equitable taxation model shared across all parcels.

City Manager Benjamim Moody recommended that the City Council consider updating the remote participation procedures for city meetings.

City Council meetings were initially moved to Zoom in 2020 during the COVID-19 pandemic, allowing for virtual participation and live streaming. But more recently, many jurisdictions have returned to in-person meetings or a hybrid approach.

Live Oak currently allows both in-person public participation and the option for residents to call into the meetings through Zoom. The meetings are also live streamed and recorded, so they can be viewed later online.

Moody said managing the virtual participation option is often a burden on staff, and technical issues in the system can impede the proceedings. He added that virtual participation allows for abuse of the system, such as people concealing their true identity, as well as “Zoom bombings” in which callers disrupt meetings by shouting inappropriate comments. 

When reviewing the level of public participation through Zoom over the last several years, Moody said it is not frequently utilized.

Nearby jurisdictions such as Gridley, Oroville, Chico, Yuba City, Marysville, Wheatland, Colusa County, Butte County and Sutter County have all removed the virtual participation option due to similar concerns, said Moody.

He recommended returning to in-person meetings for the City Council and all other city boards and commissions, while continuing the use of live stream and recording for both real-time and later viewing. The public would still be able to submit electronic comments ahead of the meetings, and virtual participation will be retained as needed for staff participation or presentations, or for ADA accommodations for the public.

No public comments were submitted on this item, and the council voted 4-0 to approve the change, with Councilmember Nancy Santana absent.

Councilmember Bob Woten acknowledged the hard work of the new city manager, stating that he feels very “confident…about the direction we’re going.”

Woten said to Moody, “You’ve really been very dedicated to us, and I know on behalf of the council, that we appreciate that. You keep us abreast of everything that’s going on, and you’re very much appreciated, so thank you.”

The next meeting of the Live Oak City Council is scheduled for Aug. 20.