Petition to the El Dorado County Board of Supervisors
We, the undersigned residents and taxpayers of El Dorado County, respectfully demand that the Board of Supervisors rescind its recently adopted public comment policy governing non-hearing agenda items —which consolidates public comment on all agenda items into a single three-minute period held before any items are heard — and immediately restore meaningful, item-by-item public participation at Board meetings.
Why This Matters
Public comment is not a courtesy.
It is a right — and a critical safeguard in local government.
Under the newly adopted policy, members of the public are often required to speak before staff presentations and before the Board begins deliberating. Once the actual discussion starts, the public is barred from responding — even when new information is revealed or errors become apparent.
The result is that residents may watch decisions being made, but cannot participate when it matters most.
That is not meaningful public engagement. It turns the public into bystanders.
Transparency protects taxpayers.
Public participation protects accountability.
The Law Is Clear
California’s Brown Act guarantees the public the right to address a legislative body on any item of interest to the public, before or during the body’s consideration of that item.
A policy that requires the public to speak without access to relevant information — and then prohibits them from speaking once deliberation begins — undermines that right and the purpose of open government.
Our Demand
We respectfully call on the El Dorado County Board of Supervisors to:
- Immediately rescind the consolidated public comment policy adopted under Agenda Item 25-2034;
- Restore item-by-item public comment on non-hearing agenda items; and
- Affirm that transparency and public participation are core values of County governance, not obstacles to be managed.
This is about whether the people of El Dorado County have a real seat at the table — or are reduced to watching decisions after the fact.
We urge the Board to choose openness, accountability, and trust.
Updates
Reached 100 supporters
February 6, 2026
69 Comments
The public must be able to comment on each item as it has been presented. Especially since all the information is unknown until the item has been discussed.
It is critical that citizens are able to engage with real time data and discussion. This procedure needs to be changed back to allow our feedback per item before decisions are made.
We elected these people as our representatives. Not the other way around. Denying the public the right to speak as items are being heard is a disservice to the residents of this great county.
Public comment should shape decisions—not be rushed or sidelined. Forcing residents to cram multiple agenda items into a single three-minute comment before anything is heard silences real input and erodes transparency. Ask yourself how denying item-specific, real-time public comment benefits the public at all. Hint: it doesn’t.
It's not a good sign when any elected representatives treat public comment as a nuisance to be sidelined rather than an essential element of good governance. This policy should be repealed ASAP.
It’s important and vital to maintain the voice of the people in all things that concern them. That you would restrict it is almaing!
BOS work for the people of the community Not leadership if they can’t manage meetings efficiently with public attendance.
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Petition to the El Dorado County Board of Supervisors
We, the undersigned residents and taxpayers of El Dorado County, respectfully demand that the Board of Supervisors rescind its recently adopted public comment policy governing non-hearing agenda items —which consolidates public comment on all agenda items into a single three-minute period held before any items are heard — and immediately restore meaningful, item-by-item public participation at Board meetings.
Why This Matters
Public comment is not a courtesy.
It is a right — and a critical safeguard in local government.
Under the newly adopted policy, members of the public are often required to speak before staff presentations and before the Board begins deliberating. Once the actual discussion starts, the public is barred from responding — even when new information is revealed or errors become apparent.
The result is that residents may watch decisions being made, but cannot participate when it matters most.
That is not meaningful public engagement. It turns the public into bystanders.
Transparency protects taxpayers.
Public participation protects accountability.
The Law Is Clear
California’s Brown Act guarantees the public the right to address a legislative body on any item of interest to the public, before or during the body’s consideration of that item.
A policy that requires the public to speak without access to relevant information — and then prohibits them from speaking once deliberation begins — undermines that right and the purpose of open government.
Our Demand
We respectfully call on the El Dorado County Board of Supervisors to:
- Immediately rescind the consolidated public comment policy adopted under Agenda Item 25-2034;
- Restore item-by-item public comment on non-hearing agenda items; and
- Affirm that transparency and public participation are core values of County governance, not obstacles to be managed.
This is about whether the people of El Dorado County have a real seat at the table — or are reduced to watching decisions after the fact.
We urge the Board to choose openness, accountability, and trust.
Updates
Reached 100 supporters
February 6, 2026
69 Comments
Do not go down the same road as the CA State Legislature, who continue to limit public input, not to mention with more and more secret sessions. It is more and more evident that the state is usurping our local elected boards and commissions, and taxpayers you are elected to serve deserve to be able to express their opinion, on what can be a myriad of diverse issues.
The public must be able to comment on each item as it has been presented. Especially since all the information is unknown until the item has been discussed.
It is critical that citizens are able to engage with real time data and discussion. This procedure needs to be changed back to allow our feedback per item before decisions are made.
We elected these people as our representatives. Not the other way around. Denying the public the right to speak as items are being heard is a disservice to the residents of this great county.
Public comment should shape decisions—not be rushed or sidelined. Forcing residents to cram multiple agenda items into a single three-minute comment before anything is heard silences real input and erodes transparency. Ask yourself how denying item-specific, real-time public comment benefits the public at all. Hint: it doesn’t.
It's not a good sign when any elected representatives treat public comment as a nuisance to be sidelined rather than an essential element of good governance. This policy should be repealed ASAP.
It’s important and vital to maintain the voice of the people in all things that concern them. That you would restrict it is almaing!
BOS work for the people of the community Not leadership if they can’t manage meetings efficiently with public attendance.
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Do not go down the same road as the CA State Legislature, who continue to limit public input, not to mention with more and more secret sessions. It is more and more evident that the state is usurping our local elected boards and commissions, and taxpayers you are elected to serve deserve to be able to express their opinion, on what can be a myriad of diverse issues.