Suggested talking points

1. Urge the Council to reallocate funding from the police budget to prevent the city from reducing or closing services, especially the Richmond Public Library.
2. Call for a task force to be created, with Black youth and people impacted by policing, to develop a plan to re-imagine public safety in the community. For a comment letter template, see the end of this document.
3. Get some inspiration from a community letter that was signed and sent to the Council by twelve organizations last week.

Four ways to provide input

1. By webform: with your comment included in a written report (by 3pm): By 3pm tomorrow, click through to the City's new online comment form, and go to the Open Forum for Public Comment and write in your comments. Your input will be excerpted into a report, distributed Councilmembers before the meeting, and put into the record.
2. By email, with a summary of comments read into the record (by 3pm): By 3pm, email [email protected]. Include in the subject line "Open Forum for Public Comments - not on the agenda." These comments will be summarized, and the summaries will be read into the record during the meeting. 
3. By email, with your comments read verbatim into the record (between 6:25 - 6:35pm): Email [email protected]. Include in the subject line "Open Forum for Public Comments - not on the agenda." Comments sent in after 6:25 and before the Clerk announces the agenda item (for tomorrow, it will be around 6:35) will be read into the record during the meeting. Your email will be read verbatim (not summarized); keep your comments short as they may only allow one minute per comment.
4. Live by phone (between 6:25 - 6:35pm): Email [email protected] between 6:25 and 6:35 (before the Clerk announces the agenda item). Include in the subject line "Open Forum for Public Comments - not on the agenda." Include your area code and phone number and the clerk will call you and patch you into the meeting to present your comments.

How to watch the meeting

The meeting will begin at 6:30 pm. You can watch on TV or via streaming video on the City’s website ci.richmond.ca.us. You might have fewer technical problems by going to KCRT youtube channel.