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How COVID-19 has impacted the way residents interact with city leaders

Since the COVID-19 pandemic hit the Coastal Bend, the procedure for public comment has changed to lessen the amount of people gathered in the council chambers.

CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas — Corpus Christi city council meetings are a vital resource to remain civically engaged, but COVID-19 has impacted how the public can interact with our community leaders. This has brought concerns for some citizens.

Isabel Araiza is one of the founding members of ‘For the Greater Good' -- an activist organization in Corpus Christi.

Araiza said they utilize public comment at City Council meetings as one of the ways to advocate for their causes and hold city leaders accountable.

“It is one of the very rare times where we have an opportunity to speak on the record face to face with our elected officials to voice our concerns,” said Araiza.  

Since COVID-19 hit, the procedure for public comment has changed to lessen the amount of people gathered in the council chambers.

The City of Corpus Christi Secretary Rebecca Huerta said citizens can now fill out a form online and send in a written public comment with a maximum of 1,000 characters. That translates roughly to 150 words which would take about a minute to say aloud.

“Those are not read into the record, but what happens to those is they are attached to the minutes as a part of the permanent public record of the city,” said Huerta.  

Huerta said the second way people can participate in public comment is to sign up online and dial in.

“We appreciate people taking the time to call. We realize the time is short, but I think we understood the message and we appreciate you taking the time to get in touch with us,” said Corpus Christi Mayor Joe McComb.

Mayor Joe McComb acknowledges that the time to speak is short because pre-COVID-19 public comment was three minutes long per person, and during the pandemic it has been shortened to one minute.

“I think I can actually get about 175 words if I’m talking really fast, but I have to draft, I have to reduce, I have to practice,” said Araiza. 

Araiza said there is no time to elaborate and she says it feels like the public concerns are being suppressed.

Huerta tells 3News why the time has been shortened.

“It's new technology for us by forwarding the call so it's just to make the meeting work a little more efficiently. That's why it was reduced,” said Huerta.

Huerta also says if someone is having trouble submitting a comment, they can fill out a written statement at City Hall.

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