May 19 and 20 Public Meetings to Offer Virtual Public Commenting Options

Virtual White Card – The meeting agendas are available online at www.cityofdenton.com/publicmeetings. A link to the Virtual White Card, an online form, has been made available under the main heading on the webpage. Within this comment form, citizens may indicate support or opposition, and submit a brief comment about a specific agenda item. Comments may be submitted up until the start of the meeting, at which time, the Virtual White Card form will be closed. Similar to when a citizen submits a physical white card to indicate their position on the item, these comment forms will be sent directly to City Council members and recorded by the City Secretary. City Council Members review comments received in advance of the meeting and take that public input into consideration prior to voting on an agenda item. The Mayor will announce the number of Comment Cards submitted in support or opposition to an item during the public comment period, but comments will not be read during the meeting. The City Secretary will reflect the number of comments submitted in favor/opposition to an item, the registrant’s name, address, and (summary of) comments within the Minutes of the Meeting, as applicable.

By phone – Citizens wishing to speak to the Council on an agenda item over the phone, may call (940) 349-7800 beginning 30 minutes prior to the start of the meeting, until the agenda item is brought forward for discussion. When the call is initially received, a staff member will receive the caller’s information and either: 1) offer to call the citizen back when it is time for them to speak on their requested item, or 2) record the caller’s information, support or opposition, and comment. If the caller chooses to record their support or opposition, rather than speaking during the meeting, the Mayor will announce the number of comments submitted in support or opposition to the item. If the caller wishes to receive a call back, the voice of each caller will be broadcast into the meeting during the public commenting time of their desired agenda item. Individuals will be able to comment once per agenda item, no matter the method.

At regular meetings only, citizens can speak on any topic that is not on the agenda during the “Open Microphone” portion of the agenda. Citizens may call (940) 349-7800, as described above, and alert the call taker that they wish to speak under the Open Microphone category.

If a citizen would like to give a public report, they may register by noon the Thursday before the scheduled meeting by contacting the City Secretary’s Office at citysecretary@cityofdenton.com or (940) 349-8309. On the day of the meeting, the registrant will be called shortly before the meeting is called to order and will be placed into the speaker’s queue. When it is time for the registrant to speak, the call will be activated live and the speaker asked to begin the presentation.