Meeting Announcement

Participating in the North Coast Regional Water Board Meetings during the COVID-19 Emergency

Please check this page regularly and again before the board meeting starts as it will be updated with additional information to facilitate the public’s participation in the meeting.

Table of Contents

 

If you want to watch the webcast online go here as early as 8:45 a.m. on the meeting day: www.cal-span.org

Background

As a result of the COVID-19 emergency and the Governor’s Executive Orders N-29-20 and N-33-20, this meeting will occur solely via remote presence by video and teleconference. There will not be a physical public access location. The North Coast Regional Water Board is conducting the meeting this way to protect public health by avoiding public gatherings and requiring social distancing. At the same time, the North Coast Regional Water Board remains committed to transparency. Members of the public will be able to listen to and watch the meeting and comment if desired. 

The Board asks for patience and cooperation. While every effort has been made to streamline the experience and conduct meetings in the manner to which our stakeholders have grown accustomed, there may be technical issues and human error. We will attempt to correct any issues that arise as soon as we can.  

Individuals who require special accommodations are requested to contact the Clerk to the Board by email at: Patti.Corsie@waterboards.ca.gov. 

If you only want to watch or listen to the Board meeting. 
The webcast can be viewed through most web browsers from this page as early as 8:45 a.m. on the meeting day: www.cal-span.org. 

Individuals who only want to watch or listen should use this option as it preserves interactive meeting resources for those who are commenting on items

You only need to review below if you want to comment.

Details for Public Participation and Commenting During the April 16, 2020 North Coast Regional Water Board Meeting 

Information about participating in the North Coast Regional Water Board’s remote meeting is further down on this page and should be reviewed before submitting a request to comment. Once you have reviewed details on this page, if you want to provide a comment then send an email to the clerk according to the following instructions:

Requesting to Speak (the “Virtual Pink Speaker Card”) and Obtaining the
Meeting Password 

Persons speaking at North Coast Regional Water Board meetings are accustomed to filling out a pink speaker card.  To allow for a more orderly process of identifying speakers in advance, the Regional Water Board will use virtual speaker cards. The virtual speaker card will allow the Board Clerk to identify commenters interested in a particular item, locate them within the Zoom meeting waiting list, and unmute them so they can address the Board at the appropriate time.  Please note that the “raise hand” feature in Zoom will not be activated during the Board meeting. You will be called upon and unmuted when it is your turn to address the Board or as requested by the Board or Regional Water Board staff.

To request to speak on an item and to receive the meeting password: 

  • By 8:00 a.m. on the day of the Board Meeting,  
  • Send an email to RB1-CommentLetters@waterboards.ca.gov 
  • In the subject line, indicate: [*April 16, 2020*] Speaker Comment 
  • In the body of the email, indicate: 
  • Your name 
  • Who you represent (i.e., self, another person, an organization) 
  • The item number and name you wish to speak on 
  • Whether you definitely want to speak, or you are unsure and will decide during the item whether you want to speak 
  • Whether you intend to participate via videoconference or telephonically (note: through Zoom videoconference, you will be able to see Board Meeting video, but you will not have the option to show your own video)
  • If calling in, please provide the last three digits of the phone number you will be calling from 

The Clerk will respond to your email with the link, Meeting ID and password for the meeting. 

If you do not send an email by 8:00 a.m., please send the email as soon as you can. You cannot participate in the Zoom meeting until you receive an email with the Meeting ID and password.  This means you may need to begin watching the webcast available at www.cal-span.org. 

If you want to provide oral comments to the Board during the meeting. 
The North Coast Regional Water Board will be using a remote meeting service to host the interactive part of the meeting.  With the remote participation option, you can either call in or use a computer or mobile device (e.g., mobile phone or table) to participate via audio or video conference.  

Guidelines for Orderly Participation for Those Who Want to Comment During the Meeting

  • Remote meetings often lack the same visual and social cues available during public, in-person meetings. Please be respectful and patient so all interested commenters can be fairly heard. 
  • Call in to the meeting or video conference into the meeting a few minutes before the scheduled start of the meeting to ensure you can resolve any technical issues before the meeting starts. You will initially be in a virtual waiting room and will remain there until the start of the meeting. 
  • You will be muted until it is your turn to speak. While muted, you will be able to hear the Board meeting and can continue watching via the remote meeting service if you have connected from a computer or mobile device. Note: if you participate via the video conference option, only your audio will be enabled. Only Board members and Regional Water Board staff will have video enabled.
  • Even though you may only wish to comment on one item, the Board encourages you to participate in the entire meeting via the remote meeting service because there are at times brief delays associated with the webcast, and it may not be synchronized with interactive meeting. 
  • Regardless of whether you participate via phone, computer, or mobile device, please participate from a quiet environment so that the Board can hear you when you are called upon. If you are using the internet to connect to the meeting, try to ensure you have a good connection or strong signal. 
  • It is important to avoid creating acoustic feedback. If there are other devices near you that are tuned into the meeting, please make sure that the speaker volume of those devices is turned down when it is your turn to participate. 
  • The Board Chair will maintain decorum during the meeting as is customary in public meetings, and individuals who are disruptive may be removed from the remote meeting service or have their connection muted. 
  • Other public commenters will be able to see your name (which is not unusual because commenters already have to identify themselves for the record before speaking), and if you call in, other commenters will see the last three digits of your phone number unless you have called in anonymously. 

Joining the Meeting Remotely if You Want to Participate 

  • The North Coast Regional Water Board will be using the Zoom meeting service to allow remote participation 
  • Do not use the webcast if you are participating through the Zoom remote service. 
  • Meeting ID, password and phone numbers for the Zoom meeting will be provided to you via email once a Virtual Pink Speaker Card is submitted.  
  • A password is necessary to join the Zoom meeting and instructions for obtaining a password are above. 

Participating via Telephone 

  • The Zoom remote meeting service allows individuals to dial from a list of California phone numbers. 
  • You will need to have the Meeting ID and password from the Clerk to join the    meeting  
  • General information about using a phone to participate in a Zoom meeting is available here.  
  • When you are asked to comment during the meeting, the meeting organizer will unmute your phone, but you may also need to press *6 on your phone. 
  • If you want to use your phone to provide comments but follow along with the video presentations (e.g., because you do not have or want to use a computer microphone), you can do so, but the computer or mobile device will need to be connected to the Zoom meeting using the steps below for “Participating via Video Conference.”  When connecting to the Zoom meeting through a computer or mobile device select the option that you are participating by phone call. The Zoom service will give you a participant number that you can then enter on your phone (#[Participant Number]#]).  

Participating via Zoom Video Conference 

  • The North Coast Regional Water Board will be using the Zoom remote meeting service for those who want to provide comments. Do not use the webcast link above if you are participating through the Zoom remote service. Only use the Zoom service if you want to provide comment.  
  • You do not need to create a Zoom account to participate in a Water Board meeting. The Meeting ID and password provided by the Water Board are all you will need to join the meeting, but you will need to enter your name so the Board can identify and unmute you from the speaker queue. 
  • You do not need to install software on your computer to participate. The Zoom service can run within an existing web browser.  
  • Downloading the Zoom software may, however, provide a superior meeting experience for you. You can download the Zoom client in advance at https://zoom.us/download 
Familiarize yourself with the Zoom features here: https://support.zoom.us/hc/en-us/categories/200101697