How to Participate in County Decision-Making during COVID

By Pedro Hernandez, Ivanhoe Sol

The Editorial Team at the Ivanhoe Sol believes strong civic engagement is necessary to resolve many of the key issues we face in Ivanhoe. Still, during these times where public meetings are discouraged many people are trying to stay engaged while also remaining safe from exposure. We believe it is important that the COVID-19 public health restrictions do not negatively impact the public’s ability to interact with their elected representatives. As a result, we would like to provide information on how Tulare County can be accessed during these times of limited public interaction.

Board of Supervisors Meetings

Although COVID-19 has restricted most in-person meetings, the Tulare County Supervisors continue to hold regular meetings every Tuesday morning at 9am. Tulare County is one of the only public agencies in the San Joaquin Valley that continues to meet in person while other agencies like the City of Fresno, for example, have converted completely to online video meetings to maximize protections for their workers and community members.

Previously it was possible to listen to the meeting online but now it is possible to call via phone or email to give comments on issues that concern you from the safety of your home. There are four options residents have to stay engaged with county-level decision-making:

1. Attend in person: Meetings are nearly every Tuesday at 9am
2. Submit written comments on an agenda item to the Clerk of the Board of Supervisors for distribution before the meetings. Comments can be emailed to clerkoftheboard@co.tulare.ca.us. Physical copies of comments can be mailed to 

Tulare County Board of Supervisors

c/o Clerk of the Board

2800 W. Burrel Ave. Visalia, CA 93277

1. 1. To participate during the Board meeting, please call (559) 636-5045. Each caller will, one at a time, be connected to the Board room to address the Board in the same manner as if the caller were there in person. 

• Alternatively, you may participate during the Board meeting by submitting an email as the item is being heard. Emails should include the sender’s name and address for the record. Emails should include the agenda item number and sent to the Clerk of the Board at clerkoftheboard@co.tulare.ca.us. 

Although there are various ways to remain engaged, there are several considerations to take into account in order to ensure your public participation is not negatively affected by the need to navigate new procedures.

• If Spanish translation is needed, please provide notice and request interpretation from Tulare County. You can call (559) 636-5000 to arrange the services. Interpretation does not reduce your ability to speak with equal time to other English speakers. 
• Live meeting audio and previous recordings can be also streamed online at http://tulare.granicus.com/ViewPublisher.php?view_id=2#2020 . Spanish translation is not available for past recordings.
• If you do attend the County Supervisors’ meetings in-person, please practice social distancing to reduce exposure to COVID.
• If you are placed on hold while attempting to call in, keep your phone in an accessible location for when you are selected to speak. It is also recommended to call a few minutes before the meeting starts at 9am in case the phone lines are full or a receptionist is unable to direct your call.
• Since there is a three minute time limit is important to organize your thoughts in a clear way. The Board Chair can allow extended time but does not use this authority in a uniform way.

We hope these quick tips can support your new or continued engagement with the County of Tulare. For any additional questions you may have, please contact the County of Tulare at (559) 636-5000.