Weeks after scrapping a beloved voicemail option that residents used to weigh in on issues at municipal boards and commissions, the city of San Antonio reversed course — kind of — at Mayor Gina Ortiz Jones’ request.
But a new pilot program city staff rolled out this week falls short for some of the city’s most civically active San Antonians.
Many of the city’s 94 boards and commissions let people leave voicemails to be played during the “public comment” portion of their meetings when the pandemic forced community members to weigh in from afar. Though use of that option slowly dropped off as residents returned to meetings in person, several boards and commissions still allowed the practice until the city cut the option early this spring…