HomeMy WebLinkAboutA13A Disruption of Telephonic or Internet Service During City Council MeetingsCITY COUNCIL POLICY
SUBJECT: DISRUPTION OF TELEPHONIC OR INTERNET SERVICE DURING
CITY COUNCIL MEETINGS
NO.: A-13a
Page 1 of 3
PURPOSE:
This Policy establishes procedures for responding to a disruption in the telephonic or internet
services that provide two-way remote public access to meetings of the City Council, as required
by California Government Code § 54953.4. The Policy ensures transparency, public participation,
and continuity of government during technology disruptions.
DEFINITIONS:
Disruption means any failure, outage, or other interruption that prevents members of the public
from attending the City Council meeting via Remote Access Services, as defined in this Policy.
Remote Access Services means the two-way telephonic service and/or two-way audiovisual
platform used to provide real-time remote public attendance and participation in meetings of
the City Council.
POLICY:
1. Procedures in the Event of a Remove Access Services Disruption
If the Mayor, City Manager, or City Clerk becomes aware of a Disruption to the City's
Remote Access Services that prevents members of the public from attending or observing
the meeting remotely:
a. The Mayor, City Manager, or City Clerk shall immediately announce the Disruption
publicly.
b. The Mayor may then call for a recess of the open session or convene the City Council
meeting in closed session if there are any closed session items on the agenda
consistent with the Brown Act.
c. Staff shall begin good faith efforts to diagnose and restore Remote Access Services.
d. The meeting shall remain in recess for at least one hour or until Remote Access
Services are restored, whichever is sooner. The recess period may be extended if
restoration efforts are ongoing.
CITY COUNCIL POLICY
SUBJECT: DISRUPTION OF TELEPHONIC OR INTERNET SERVICE DURING
CITY COUNCIL MEETINGS
NO.: A-13a
Page 2 of 3
The City shall make good-faith efforts to restore Remote Access Services, which may include
troubleshooting platform or teleconferencing software, resetting or replacing audiovisual
equipment, attempting alternative connection methods, contacting necessary support staff or
service providers, or switching to backup equipment or platforms, if available.
Information Technology Department staff shall document the restoration efforts undertaken and
provide a copy of that documentation to the City Clerk.
2. Reconvening the Open Session
The open session may be reconvened after at least one hour has elapsed from the time of
disruption or as soon as service is restored, whichever occurs earlier. If Remote Access
Services are restored before or at the time the meeting reconvenes, the meeting shall
continue. If Remote Access Services have not been restored after one hour, the City
Council may reconvene and:
1. Adjourn the meeting; or
2. Continue the meeting in open session by adopting, by roll call vote, the following, or
a substantially similar, finding:
"Pursuant to Government Code Section 54953.4, the City of Mountain View has made good
faith efforts to restore telephonic or internet service in accordance with its adopted policy,
and the public interest in continuing the meeting outweighs the public interest in remote
public access."
3. Recordkeeping
The City Clerk shall enter a brief statement into the meeting minutes, which includes the
following information:
a. The nature and time of the Disruption
b. The restoration efforts undertaken
c. The time the meeting was reconvened (if applicable)
d. Any finding adopted pursuant to Section 2 of this Policy.
CITY COUNCIL POLICY
SUBJECT: DISRUPTION OF TELEPHONIC OR INTERNET SERVICE DURING
CITY COUNCIL MEETINGS
NO.: A-13a
Page 3 of 3
4. Policy Review and Updates
Pursuant to California Government Code§ 54953.4(b)(l)(A)(i)(l)(ib)(la), this Policy may be
amended by the City Council at a noticed public meeting in open session, not on the
Consent Calendar.
Effective Date: April 14, 2026, Resolution No. 19087
CNLPOL
A13a