OPENPUBLICA · PUBLIC MEETING RECORD
Record of Proceedings

San Diego Rules Committee Meeting on Communications Department – June 9, 2021

Rules CommitteeWednesday, June 9, 2021
BodySan Diego, California
SessionRules Committee
DateWednesday, June 9, 2021
StatusFILED
Video Record

STREAMING COPY IN PREPARATION — RECORDING AVAILABLE FROM THE ORIGINAL SOURCE

Transcript — Verbatim
0:07

Chair, please proceed.

0:15

Good afternoon.

0:17

I want to welcome you to the June 9th, 2021 Rules Committee meeting per executive order 29-20, which suspends certain requirements of the Brown Act.

0:28

All the council members and city staff will be participating via Zoom, and no members of the public will be in attendance at the meeting in the interest of public health and safety.

0:39

In addition, this meeting is being televised and live streamed on the city's website, and the committee liaison has made arrangements for the public to comment using the Zoom webinar platform.

0:52

We appreciate the public's cooperation.

0:55

We will go over the specifics of how to join the webinar and we'll give details on how the public can offer their public testimony.

1:03

I will now call the rules committee meeting of Wednesday, June 9, 2021 to order.

1:08

And for purposes of the roll call, those on Zoom include Vice Chair Campillo, Committee Member President Pro Tem Whitburn, Committee Member Von Wilbert, and Committee Member Kate.

1:20

Each council member is attending virtually.

1:23

And also participating via Zoom.

1:25

Randy Wilde of the Mayor's Office.

1:27

Heather Ferbert of the City Attorney's Office.

1:36

The public may view the meeting on public television on City TV Channel 24 for Cox Communication and Time Wander Cable or Channel 99 for ATT, or view the meeting online by going to the City Council Committee's homepage at Sandiego.gov and selecting the City TV Live Webcast Blue button on the right hand side of the page.

1:57

The committee meetings will be held virtually using the Zoom webinar platform.

2:02

Members of the public can offer public comment on items by accessing the Zoom webinar online using a desktop computer, laptop, tablet, or smartphone, or by calling into the meeting using a smartphone, cellular phone, or landline.

2:17

The link to join the committee meeting webinar by computer, tablet, or smartphone is listed on the agenda on how to join by iPhone one tap.

2:26

To join the Zoom webinar by telephone, you may dial 1669 2545252.

2:33

When prompted, input webinar ID 161 708 6946 Pound.

2:41

This information is also available on the agenda and will appear on the screen during the public comment period for each item.

2:47

When I introduce the item you would like to comment on, you will raise your hand by either tapping the raise your hand button on your computer, tablet, or smartphone, or by pressing star 9 on your phone.

2:58

You will be taken in the order in which you raise your hand.

3:01

You may only speak once on a particular item.

3:04

When I indicate it is your turn to speak, I will call you by your name as it appears on the Zoom webinar attendee list, or I will read out the last four digits of your your of your phone number if you have called into the meeting.

3:16

That is how you will know it is your turn to speak.

3:18

If you have joined the webinar by computer, tablet, or smartphone, you will receive a pop-up notice to select to unmute your device.

3:26

If you have called into the meeting by cellular phone or landline, press star six on your phone to unmute yourself.

3:32

We will review these instructions briefly again when the public comment period on an item is open.

3:37

Please wait until the item you wish to speak to has been called before raising your hand to speak.

3:42

If you raise your hand during a non-comment period, your hand will be lowered.

3:46

When you're when you are announced as the next speaker, please unmute yourself and offer your comments.

3:52

Also, please mute your volume on your TV or computer before you begin to speak.

4:02

Thank you.

4:03

The quorum is now present.

4:06

And we will start with the approval of the committee actions.

4:10

The actions before you for approval are for the meeting of April 21 2021.

4:17

And do I have a motion to approve the committee actions?

4:20

I will so move, Council President.

4:22

Thank you, Councilmember.

4:23

Eight seconds.

4:24

Thank you, Councilmember Kate.

4:26

We will now have each council member register their vote.

4:30

And please mute yourself once you have voted.

4:32

Vice Chair Kempio.

4:33

I vote yes.

4:37

Yes.

4:38

Committee member von Wilpert.

4:41

Yes.

4:42

And uh Committee Member Kate.

4:44

Yes.

4:45

And I am also yes.

4:47

That passes unanimously.

4:49

We will now take up non-agenda public comment.

4:52

Losell, please proceed.

5:00

Per temporary rule 2.6, non-agenda public comment is an opportunity for members of the public to comment on items that are not on the agenda but within the subject matter jurisdiction of the committee.

5:05

Each speaker will have two minutes.

5:07

The public comment period for non-agenda public comment is now open.

5:11

If you have already joined the Zoom webinar online or by phone, please raise your hand if you wish to speak.

5:17

If you're watching on City TV or the live stream online and would like to call into the meeting to speak, please call 1669 254 5252 when prompted input webinar ID 16176946 pound.

5:36

To raise your hand to speak, select the raise your hand button or press star nine.

Discussion Breakdown — Share of Meeting
Public Engagement████████████████████20%
Communications███████████████████19%
Human Resources████████████████16%
Procedural██████████10%
Miscellaneous██████████10%
Public Comment████████8%
Public Health████████8%
Language Access███████7%
Homelessness██2%
Summary of Proceedings

San Diego Rules Committee Meeting – June 9, 2021

The Rules Committee of the San Diego City Council met virtually on June 9, 2021, to receive an informational presentation from the Communications Department. The meeting covered the department's history, structure, 2020 achievements, staffing vacancies, language access initiatives, and upcoming projects. No public testimony was offered, and no votes were taken.

Discussion Items

  • Communications Department Overview: Interim Director Nicole Darling and Deputy Director Maureen Hugar presented the department's evolution since 2013, when scattered public information officer (PIO) positions were consolidated. The department now includes City TV and Creative Services, Public Information and Media Services (15 PIOs serving various city departments), and the Public Records Act (PRA) administration team (4 staff). In 2019, six new unclassified positions were approved but only partially funded; three are filled, three remain unfilled and unfunded.
  • 2020 by the Numbers: The department managed over 2,000 media inquiries, had more than 500,000 social media followers, broadcast 179 public meetings, provided AV support for 120 news conferences (including 66 straight days of COVID briefings), produced 140 videos, and designed 77 collateral pieces. The PRA team received 5,800 requests and closed 5,700.
  • Staffing and Budget: There are seven vacancies, including two multimedia production coordinator positions (currently being recruited), a senior PIO, and a program manager. The department requested budget corrections to properly fund three filled unclassified positions that lacked designated funding—a carryover from the previous administration.
  • Language Access: Vice Chair Campillo and other members emphasized expanding language services beyond English and Spanish. Darling noted the department is exploring a citywide translation contract (potentially using PEG funds) and has consulted with New York and Seattle. Current reliance on Google Translate is inadequate for technical terms. The clerk's office uses census data to prioritize languages.
  • Upcoming Projects: The department is supporting the hybrid meeting technology upgrades, redistricting commission meetings (expected 40-50 additional broadcasts), the climate action plan update, SB 1383 organics recycling outreach, and Think Blue (stormwater) initiatives. They also assisted with the Access for All digital equity program, including logo design and multilingual postcards.

Key Outcomes

  • No formal actions were taken as the item was informational only.
  • The committee expressed strong support for the department's work and urged continued progress on language access and filling vacancies.
  • The next Rules Committee meeting is scheduled for July 14, 2021, at 2 p.m.

Meeting Transcript

Chair, please proceed. Good afternoon. I want to welcome you to the June 9th, 2021 Rules Committee meeting per executive order 29-20, which suspends certain requirements of the Brown Act. All the council members and city staff will be participating via Zoom, and no members of the public will be in attendance at the meeting in the interest of public health and safety. In addition, this meeting is being televised and live streamed on the city's website, and the committee liaison has made arrangements for the public to comment using the Zoom webinar platform. We appreciate the public's cooperation. We will go over the specifics of how to join the webinar and we'll give details on how the public can offer their public testimony. I will now call the rules committee meeting of Wednesday, June 9, 2021 to order. And for purposes of the roll call, those on Zoom include Vice Chair Campillo, Committee Member President Pro Tem Whitburn, Committee Member Von Wilbert, and Committee Member Kate. Each council member is attending virtually. And also participating via Zoom. Randy Wilde of the Mayor's Office. Heather Ferbert of the City Attorney's Office. The public may view the meeting on public television on City TV Channel 24 for Cox Communication and Time Wander Cable or Channel 99 for ATT, or view the meeting online by going to the City Council Committee's homepage at Sandiego.gov and selecting the City TV Live Webcast Blue button on the right hand side of the page. The committee meetings will be held virtually using the Zoom webinar platform. Members of the public can offer public comment on items by accessing the Zoom webinar online using a desktop computer, laptop, tablet, or smartphone, or by calling into the meeting using a smartphone, cellular phone, or landline. The link to join the committee meeting webinar by computer, tablet, or smartphone is listed on the agenda on how to join by iPhone one tap. To join the Zoom webinar by telephone, you may dial 1669 2545252. When prompted, input webinar ID 161 708 6946 Pound. This information is also available on the agenda and will appear on the screen during the public comment period for each item. When I introduce the item you would like to comment on, you will raise your hand by either tapping the raise your hand button on your computer, tablet, or smartphone, or by pressing star 9 on your phone. You will be taken in the order in which you raise your hand. You may only speak once on a particular item. When I indicate it is your turn to speak, I will call you by your name as it appears on the Zoom webinar attendee list, or I will read out the last four digits of your your of your phone number if you have called into the meeting. That is how you will know it is your turn to speak. If you have joined the webinar by computer, tablet, or smartphone, you will receive a pop-up notice to select to unmute your device. If you have called into the meeting by cellular phone or landline, press star six on your phone to unmute yourself. We will review these instructions briefly again when the public comment period on an item is open. Please wait until the item you wish to speak to has been called before raising your hand to speak. If you raise your hand during a non-comment period, your hand will be lowered. When you're when you are announced as the next speaker, please unmute yourself and offer your comments. Also, please mute your volume on your TV or computer before you begin to speak. Thank you. The quorum is now present. And we will start with the approval of the committee actions. The actions before you for approval are for the meeting of April 21 2021. And do I have a motion to approve the committee actions? I will so move, Council President. Thank you, Councilmember. Eight seconds. Thank you, Councilmember Kate. We will now have each council member register their vote. And please mute yourself once you have voted. Vice Chair Kempio. I vote yes. Yes. Committee member von Wilpert. Yes. And uh Committee Member Kate. Yes.

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