LA County launches new tools for public comment and translation at board meetings

Los Angeles County announced new tools the public can use to participate in Board of Supervisors meetings, including a revamped comment process and real-time translation services in a variety of languages.

The changes are designed to make sure every member of the county’s diverse communities can have their voices heard, according to Supervisor Kathryn Barger.

“ This really is about breaking down barriers and ensuring that every voice in the county is heard,” Barger told LAist. “ Our goal is to make sure that everyone has the ability to weigh in and be a part of the discussion — whatever the issue is.”

Here’s what you need to know:

Translation services

People now have access to a free, AI-powered service during board meetings that can translate and interpret in real-time more than 70 languages, including Spanish, Chinese, Korean and Armenian.

Here’s how to use the translation service if you attend a meeting in person:

• Scan a provided QR code with your phone, tablet or other device.
• Select the language option you’d like.
• Put on your headphones or earbuds to listen to real-time translation and transcription.

Here’s how to use the translation service if you’re watching the meeting online:

• Click here.
• Select your preferred language from the dropdown box, then “attend.”
• Watch the automatic translated captions, or unmute the speaker icon to listen to live-interpreted audio.

Similar AI services were available for news conferences during January’s wildfires, according to Barger’s office.

“By making this translation service available, we make L.A. County governance more transparent and accessible for all,” Edward Yen, the board’s executive officer, said in a statement.

How to participate in public comment

The county is using a new system — Cisco Webex — that Barger said is a more stable and flexible platform. People reported issues with the previous teleconference system, which Barger noted “crashed and burned” at a recent meeting. 

“ We've had people that have said that they were on the line ready to testify, and then they got dropped,” Barger said, adding that the service was also “very expensive.”

Barger said she thought the new system seem to run more smoothly during its first meeting Tuesday.

People can participate by phone or with a computer or other device on Webex.

Here’s how to use the online system:

• Register here before or during the board meeting
  
  • The form will ask for your name, contact information and the agenda item(s) you’d like to comment on.
  • If you register right before or during the meeting, a green “join webinar” button will pop up. Otherwise look for an email from “Webex” or “Board Executive Office” with the same green button (check your spam or junk folders too).
  • If the button doesn’t work, you can copy and paste the link from the email.

• Join the meeting to be placed in a “listening-only” queue, either through the Webex app or your internet browser
  
  • You’ll be asked to enter your full name and email.
  • If prompted, make sure your microphones and speakers are connected.
  • Stay on the screen if you get a “waiting to let you in” message from the host.

• When the agenda item(s) you want to comment on is called, use the “raise hand” feature to be moved into a “speaking” queue
  
  • You'll hear a beep, but wait to speak until you hear your name.
  • When your comment time runs out, you will be muted again and placed back into the “listening-only” queue.
  • Repeat process for each agenda item you want to comment on.

If your internet is slow or you prefer to use the phone, you can still call-in for public comment.

Here’s how to call if you register here before or during the board meeting:

• Open the confirmation email and find the “tap to join from a mobile device” section
  
  • Click the phone number and access code link for attendees to be automatically connected to the meeting.
• You can also call the number in the “join by phone” section
  
  • Enter the “Webinar number (access code)” listed under the “Join by webinar number” section, then press #.
  • Enter the Webinar password, then press # again.

Here’s how to call if you don’t register:

• Find the phone number, webinar number and the meeting password here or on the board agenda for the meeting
  
  • This information can change between meetings.
• Call the number starting at 9 a.m., enter the webinar number, then press #
• Enter the meeting password, then press # again
• You’ll be connected and placed into a “listening-only” queue
• When the item(s) you want to comment on is called, press *3
  
  • You will hear a  “you have raised your hand to ask a question” message, but wait to speak until the host calls on you.
  • You will hear “your line is unmuted,” your area code and the first three digits of your phone number when it is your turn.
  • When your comment time runs out, you will be muted again and placed back into the “listening-only” queue.
  • Repeat process for each agenda item you want to comment on.

After a member of the public expressed concerns Tuesday about access for visually impaired people, county officials said they’d also announce the call-in information verbally at the beginning of each meeting.

In general, make sure your microphone is unmuted when you want to speak, and try to find a relatively quiet place to participate. Officials ask that you stay on topic and only join the meeting once between the various platforms, meaning you shouldn’t call-in and have the Webex link open at the same time.

You can still submit written comments here, and attend the meetings in person at:

• Room 381-B, 500 West Temple St., Los Angeles

If you want to see the meetings without participating, you can watch them live here or on YouTube. The meetings are also aired on KLCS at 11 p.m. the following Wednesday.