City to allow public to comment through email
Lehi City began live-streaming public meetings in 2016 for the benefit of residents. That decision has been a boon to anyone who wants to view public meetings but is not able to attend them. During the next several weeks, the City will continue the use of these “virtual” meetings but will not be allowing the public to attend them due to the Coronavirus and social distancing guidelines.
The City will allow the public to comment before the meeting. Comments will need to be emailed to the city recorder by noon on the day of the meeting. This plan will be tested in the upcoming Planning Commission meeting on Thursday, March 26, and the City Council meeting on Tuesday, March 31. The emailed comments will be provided to the City Council and Planning Commission prior to the meetings. Meeting applicants will be allowed to make a brief, factual presentation describing their application to the Council or Commission if necessary.
During the meetings, The Planning Commission and the City Council will consider the emailed comments. To access the live stream, visit the City’s website and then visit the public meetings tab to find the link. According to Mayor Mark Johnson, “we will post information in our public notices and through social media if rules are changed and will inform the public of possible technical limitations.”
Mayor Johnson also expressed his desire to ensure the meetings are held to a high standard of civility. “We will consider the public’s comments, but we may not have the opportunity to answer all of the questions. People tend to write things [online] that they would never say in public, so we are encouraging people to continue to exercise proper decorum in their electronic communication.”
