If you want to address the City Council when they meet Tuesday you are going to have to do it by phone.

Manteca is following the directive of the San Joaquin County Health Department and avoiding public gatherings for the duration of the coronavirus emergency. And since Gov. Gavin Newsom has issued an emergency order that allows parts of the Brown Act assuring public access to meetings of the governing boards of public agencies to be temporarily suspended, they will start doing so Tuesday.

Mayor Ben Cantu noted the public will still be able to view the council meeting via the city’s website or Comcast Channel 97. In addition a monitor will be put in place at the Manteca Transit Center on Moffat Boulevard for those that do not have access to a computer or subscribe to Comcast.

As of Sunday night, the agenda posted on the city website did not offer details as to how a citizen can call in to address the council or speak as part of a public hearing that includes the controversial Yosemite Greens neighborhood on Airport Way at Crom Street just west of the Manteca Golf Course.

It was also not clear whether project proponents would be allowed inside the council chambers or whether they would need to phone in as well.

Also there is a special council meeting at 5:30 p.m. for a closed session regarding appointment of Lutzow as permanent city manager as well as a lawsuit the city has against Dow Chemical. The city doesn’t typically live stream special meetings. Whether they will live steam in this case as there is a public comment section before they go behind closed doors as well as a section reporting to the public on action taken in closed session, is not clear.

The city manager’s contract is part of the consent calendar for the regular meeting agenda at 7 p.m.

Given on employee hiring matters the council takes a vote in closed session, the public won’t have an opportunity to weigh in before council members they elected to run the city make a decision on Lutzow’s status unless they can do so before they go into the closed session during the special meeting at 5:30 p.m.

To contact Dennis Wyatt, email dwyatt@mantecabulletin.com