Public Participation Guide for Conservancy Board Meetings 

The California Tahoe Conservancy conducts its meetings in person, via the Zoom Webinar platform (Zoom), or via both methods. If the Conservancy holds its Board meetings in person, the public is welcome to attend and participate and provide written or oral comments in-person. If the meeting is conducted or broadcast virtually, the public is welcome to attend via Zoom, with an option to connect by phone. The instructions below outline how members of the public can provide comment.

Information on how to join each Board meeting is provided in that meeting’s agenda and in the detailed instructions below. If you are attending virtually, we recommend you join using the Zoom link. If you do not have access to a computer or the internet, you can join the meeting by telephone. Please do not join via the Zoom link and the phone dial-in simultaneously because it causes audio feedback. 

Please do not hesitate to reach out for technical support for technical issues at technical_support@tahoe.ca.gov.  

How to Join Zoom

• Visit the Conservancy Board Meetings webpage.
• Navigate to the current year of Conservancy Board Meetings and select the current Board meeting. There, you will find the Zoom meeting link on the current Board agenda.
• You can join the meeting online or by telephone. Learn more about joining a Zoom meeting (external link).
• The Conservancy recommends that you test your device, internet connection, and Zoom application compatibility well before attempting to join the meeting.
• When prompted, provide your name and email address to be placed in the meeting. You will automatically be muted when joining as an attendee.
• For any technical questions on the day of the meeting, please email Conservancy technical support at technical_support@tahoe.ca.gov. 

Providing Public Comment

The public may provide comments for Conservancy Board meetings in the following ways: 

Provide written comments to be sent to Board members:

• You may submit written comments to the Conservancy by sending an email to public_comment@tahoe.ca.gov. All written comments will be part of the public record and shared with the Board but will not be read out loud during the Board meeting. 

Provide in-person oral comments:

If you are participating in-person and want to provide oral comments on a specific agenda item, you will need to raise your hand during the meeting and a Conservancy representative will provide a microphone for you to speak. Comments will be taken in the order in which hands are raised.

• A speaker’s time allotment is at the discretion of the Chair. The Chair typically asks the public to please limit comments to three minutes.

Provide virtual oral comments**:

If you are participating via Zoom in a meeting that allows virtual public comments, and you want to provide oral comments on a specific agenda item, you will need to click the “Raise Hand” button on your Zoom application during the meeting. (If you join the meeting via telephone only, you can enter *9 on your phone keypad to raise your hand virtually.)

• You will remain muted until you are invited to provide your comment.
• Once your hand is raised and it is your turn to speak, your microphone will be unmuted so you can provide your comments to the Board. Depending on how you have called in, you may also need to unmute yourself.
• A speaker’s time allotment is at the discretion of the Chair. The Chair typically asks the public to please limit comments to three minutes.
• At the end of your comment or your allotted time, your hand will be lowered and you will put your microphone back on mute, or mute your telephone line by entering *6.

** Some meetings may be broadcast on Zoom, with an option to watch but not to participate virtually. For these meetings, comments must be made in person or submitted beforehand. Please check the meeting agenda.

 Additional Information:

• Contact info@tahoe.ca.gov or (530) 542-5580 for questions on the Board meeting, meeting materials, or reasonable accommodation, including Spanish interpretation.
• Contact technical_support@tahoe.ca.gov for technical questions during the day of the meeting.