A Guide to Participating in Virtual City Council Meetings
Please refer to this document for the most comprehensive information on how to use Zoom for Delano’s
virtual online council meetings. Read the information below in its entirety. We appreciate your
willingness to learn this technology enough to be able to use it well, which will help us ensure
community members can follow along and participate remotely. Fortunately, it is straightforward and
user-friendly.
ZOOM MEETING OPERATIONS OVERVIEW
The City of Delano will be using Zoom’s Meeting feature for virtual online council meetings. Learn more
about Zoom HERE. The webinar feature divides participants into attendees and panelists.
City Council Members, Committee Members, Applicants, and/or City Staff are panelists. Members of the
public who join a Zoom meeting are attendees. In the webinar format everyone is allowed to speak at
designated times during the meeting. For security reasons, only panelists can be seen on video.
The meeting is “run” by a host or co-hosts. Generally, City staff serve as hosts. The role of the host is to
manage the meeting.
The City will provide a web link to access meetings on the meeting agenda prior to the meeting. You
may also use a phone to access meetings (see details below).
HOW TO INSTALL ZOOM
To access all the features of Zoom, you will need to install Zoom on your device. For those using tablets
to view the remote meetings, you can download the Zoom application from the Apple App Store, or
from Google Play, depending on your device. You can download the Zoom application for
laptop/desktop. Make certain you always are using the most up-to-date version of Zoom.
If you call in by phone, there is no need to install Zoom.
TRAINING
Zoom offers several trainings to help users navigate the platform. Please watch training video, totaling 1
min.
Joining & Configuring Audio and Video (1 min.)
TIPS AND BEST PRACTICES
Here are a few recommendations to optimize your digital meeting experience.
Arrive early. Join the meeting at least ten minutes before the start time. By joining early, you will have
time to troubleshoot any technical challenges.
Rename yourself with First & Last Name (this allows us to prevent "Zoom bombing" by hackers from
occurring).
Silence your phone and all notifications that could interrupt a meeting. Do the same for your
computer.
Make sure your Zoom software is updated.
Your internet connection has the most significant impact on your video/audio quality. If you are able,
it is best to use a wired Internet connection.
To hear and be heard best, we recommend using a headset or headphones with a microphone. If you
don’t have one, don’t worry. You can achieve similar results if you are in a quiet room for the duration of
the meeting. Wear headphones even if you don’t have a microphone so that you can hear as well as
possible.
The City of Delano offers multiple ways to watch and participate in virtual public meetings:
Watch and/or participate in the meeting directly in Zoom by joining the meeting as an attendee. To
join a Zoom meeting, follow the link on the agenda.
Dial in to the meeting with your phone. This method will also allow you to participate in public
comment opportunities. The toll-free dial-in numbers for each meeting will be posted prior to each
meeting on the meeting agenda.
Watch the broadcast on Facebook Live via the City of Delano’s Facebook page. These broadcast
methods will NOT allow viewers to participate in the meeting. Do not try to simultaneously watch the
broadcast and participate via Zoom as there will be a delay.
PUBLIC COMMENT
Zoom allows you, an attendee, the opportunity to speak during public comment periods. During public
comment you will be asked to use the “raise your hand” function to speak. Click on the “raise your
hand” option located at the center of your control bar at the bottom of the screen. Dial *9 to "raise your
hand" if connecting by phone. The Mayor will acknowledge each attendee raising their hand in turn.
When you are acknowledged, the host will unmute your microphone. You will be required to “accept”
this action on your device. At that point, as in regular public meetings, state your name and address
prior to asking a question or making a comment. When you are finished speaking, the Mayor will again
mute your microphone and you will be unable to speak further unless you utilize the “raise your hand”
function again. Note: If you are not using the latest update of Zoom, the host may not be able to "invite
you to speak" due to security issues. If this occurs, you will need to call in by phone to make a public
comment. To avoid this, always check for the latest Zoom update prior to each meeting.
CLOSED SESSION
To ensure privacy during Closed Session, we will observe the following procedures:
A separate, private Zoom meeting for Closed Session will be created.
Once a motion to move to Closed Session is approved in the public Zoom meeting, participants in
Closed Session will exit the public meeting.
Staying in the Zoom app, participants in Closed Session will then join the private meeting created for
closed session.
Closed Session is done securely in private.
Once Closed Session is complete, participants will leave the private Zoom meeting and re-join the
public meeting using their panelist join-link for any potential report from Closed Session and
adjournment in front of the public.
QUESTIONS
If you experience any challenges installing or using zoom, please contact Michael Enriquez at
menriquez@cityofdelano.org