Participating in City Council Meetings

Anyone can participate in a City Council meeting by following the process for public comment or written communication. Learn how and when you can give written or verbal input to the City Council on agenda items or on general issues.

Baldwin Park’s City Council meets regularly to discuss and make decisions on local laws and policies. Baldwin Park residents, business owners, and other stakeholders can give input on these decisions by commenting at a City Council meeting or submitting written comments in advance of the meeting. You can also contact the Mayor and Councilmembers directly.

 

Make a plan to participate

City Council generally meets on two Wednesday of the month at 7:00 pm, and organizes additional special meetings. View the City Council meetings page to see upcoming dates and times.

 Review agendas for upcoming meetings to decide if there are any decisions you would like to comment on. You can access regular meeting agendas  at least 72 hours before the meeting online or in person at the City Clerk Department.

 To request a disability-related accommodation(s) to participate in the meeting, please contact the City Clerk’s Department at cityclerk@baldwinparkca.gov , (626) 960-4011 (V), at least three business days before the meeting date.

 

You can watch meetings in formats that don't allow for public comment, such as:

 If you miss the live meeting, you can watch a recording online . 

 Join in or comment at a meeting

You can join City Council meetings virtually or in person. 

 In-Person Participation

City Council, unless noticed otherwise in an agenda, meets in person at: 

Baldwin Park City Council Chambers  
 14403 E Pacific Ave 
 Baldwin Park, CA 91706


Any member of the public may attend, however, if you are feeling sick, please do not attend the meeting in person.

 Decorum and Order — Audience  (BPMC § 39.02)

 Members of the public attending Council meetings must observe the same rules of order and decorum applicable to the Council members and city staff. Each person who addresses the Council shall do so in an orderly manner and shall not make personal, impertinent, slanderous or profane remarks to any member of the Council, staff or general public. Any person who makes such remarks, or who utters loud, threatening, personal or abusive language, or engages in any other disorderly conduct which disrupts, disturbs or otherwise impedes the orderly conduct of any Council meeting shall, at the discretion of the presiding officer or a majority of the Council, be barred from further audience before the Council during that meeting. Unauthorized remarks from the audience, heckling, stamping of feet, whistles, yells, applause, and similar demonstrations which disrupt, disturb or otherwise impede the orderly conduct of the Council meeting should not be permitted by the presiding officer of the meeting.

 The presiding officer of the meeting may order the meeting room cleared and Council may continue in session if the meeting is willfully interrupted by a person or group of persons so as to render the orderly conduct of the meeting infeasible without removal of individuals who are willfully disrupting the meeting. In these cases, only matters appearing on the agenda may be considered. Representatives of the press or other news media, except those participating in the disturbance, and individuals not responsible for disturbance of the orderly conduct of the meeting, will be allowed to remain at the meeting or may be readmitted.

 ENFORCEMENT OF DECORUM (BPMC § 39.04)

The Police Chief, or other member of the Police Department designated by the Chief, serves as Sergeant-at-Arms of the Council and may attend meetings at the request of the presiding officer of the meeting or the Chief Executive Officer. The Sergeant-at-Arms will be available to serve at all meetings immediately upon call, and will carry out all lawful orders given by the presiding officer of the meeting or Council for the purpose of maintaining order and decorum at meetings.

    (A)   Warning. The presiding officer shall request that a person who is breaching the rules of decorum be orderly and silent. If, after receiving a warning from the presiding officer, a person persists in disturbing the meeting, the presiding officer shall order him or her, to leave the Council meeting. If such person does not remove himself or herself, the presiding officer may order any law enforcement officer who is on duty at the meeting as sergeant-at-arms of the Council to remove that person from the Council chambers.

   (B)   Removal. Any law enforcement officer who is serving as sergeant-at-arms of the Council shall carry out all orders and instructions given by the presiding officer for the purpose of maintaining order and decorum at the Council meeting. Upon instruction of the presiding officer, it shall be the duty of the sergeant-at-arms to remove from the Council meeting any person who is disturbing the proceedings of the Council.

   (C)   Resisting removal. Any person who resists removal by the sergeant at-arm shall be charged with a violation of this section.

 Virtual participation

To participate in a City Council meeting virtually, you can choose to join online using

Zoom or by phone.

 Online - Zoom

  1. Follow the link posted on the first page of the meeting agenda. 
  2. To speak, use the "raise hand" icon near the bottom of the screen and wait. 
  3. The meeting Chair will call your name when it is your turn. 

 To use this option, you will need to use the Zoom platform. Zoom provides instructions that you can review in advance, including joining a test meeting.  

 You are not required to provide your name to participate. Your name will appear on the screen however you enter it into the app. 

  Phone - Zoom

  1. Dial 1-669-900-9128 or 1-877-853-5257 (Toll Free) and enter the Meeting ID. The meeting ID will be posted at the top of each meeting agenda.
  2. To speak, press *9 when your item is called and wait for your turn.
  3. The meeting Chair will announce when it is your turn to speak by reading the last four digits of your phone number. Press *6 to unmute your phone to speak.

Policy on Disruptions to Public Participation During Remote or Hybrid Meetings

 

  1. Recess Upon Disruption

If a disruption prevents public participation through two-way telephonic or audiovisual platforms, the legislative or governing body shall recess the open session and make good faith efforts to restore public access and participation.

 

  1. Closed Session During Recess

During the recess, the body may meet in closed session to address matters lawfully permitted under applicable open meeting laws.

 

  1. Reconvening Open Session

The open session may not reconvene until at least one hour has elapsed or public access has been restored, whichever occurs first.

 

  1. Continuing Without Restored Access

If public access cannot be restored after good faith efforts, the body may resume the meeting only after adopting, by roll call vote, formal findings that:

    • Good faith efforts were made to restore access; and
    • Continuing the meeting is necessary and that the public interest in proceeding outweighs the public’s interest in remote participation.

 

  1. Decorum and Order

In accordance with Chapter 39 of the Baldwin Park Municipal Code, Speakers must address the City Council as a whole and refrain from making impertinent, slanderous, or profane remarks or disrupt the peace of the meeting.

 The presiding officer of the meeting may remove a participant from a telephonic or audiovisual platform who are willfully disrupting the meeting.

 Individuals not responsible for disturbance of the orderly conduct of the meeting, will be allowed to remain on the telephonic or audiovisual platform of the meeting.

 

  1. Enforcement of Decorum
    • Warning. The presiding officer shall request that a person who is participating through telephonic or audiovisual platform and is breaching the rules of decorum be orderly and silent. If, after receiving a warning from the presiding officer, a person persists in disturbing the meeting, the presiding officer shall order him or her, to leave the telephonic or audiovisual platform.
    • Removal.   If such person does not remove himself or herself, the presiding officer may order IT Department, who is on duty at the meeting remove that person from the telephonic or audiovisual platform.

 When to comment

During Public Communication you may comment, depending on whether you wish to comment on agenda items or during Public Hearing, regarding the matter of the Public Hearing.

 Public Comments        

In accordance with Chapter 39 of the Baldwin Park Municipal Code, Speakers must address the City Council as a whole and refrain from making impertinent, slanderous, or profane remarks or disrupt the peace of the meeting. Speaker cards are available at the podium and by request with the City Clerk.  

The public is encouraged to address the City Council or any of its Agencies listed on this agenda on any matter posted on the agenda or on any other matter within its jurisdiction. In accordance with Chapter 39 of the Baldwin Park Municipal Code, Speakers must address the City Council as a whole and refrain from making impertinent, slanderous, or profane remarks or disrupt the peace of the meeting. Speaker cards are available at the podium and by request with the City Clerk.      

 Public Communication        

There is a three-minute speaking time limit. This is the time set aside to address the City Council. Please notify the City Clerk if you require the services of an interpreter. No Action may be taken on a matter unless it is listed on the agenda, or unless certain emergency or special circumstances exist. The legislative body or its staff may: 1) Briefly respond to statements made or questions asked by persons; or 2) Direct staff to investigate and/or schedule matters for consideration at a future meeting.

 

 Comment in writing

You can provide your comments for City Council in writing by sending it to the City Clerk Department in advance.

 Your written comments will be distributed and will be made part of the written record but will NOT be read verbally at the meeting.   

 Written comments to the City Council may be submitted by email or mail:

 Communications to the City Council are public record and will become part of the City’s electronic records. Please note: e-mail addresses, names, addresses, and other contact information are not required, but if included in any communication to the City Council, will become part of the public record.

Prohibited Objects

Note that you may not bring objects and signs that have sticks or poles attached into the Council Chamber during Council meetings.