ACTION TIME
BY Richard Summers
How to Make Written Public Comments Part of the Official City Record
This guide explains how to ensure your comments become part of the public record for a City Council meeting.
This method is particularly important when in-person delivery of written remarks is refused, or when public comment rules do not allow questions or dialogue.
Email Submission Matter
Emails received by officials in their official capacity, copied to the city clerk, become officially recognized government records.
This allows citizens to request their letter’s inclusion in the public-comment record, making it subject to retention requirements, and discoverable under the Texas Public Information Act (TPIA).
Whom to Address
Your email should be addressed the mayor or presiding official and your city council representative, with the city clerk copied on all correspondence.
An up-to-date Staff Directory can be found here.
- Mayor Tom Thompson — tom.Thompson@sanangelo.gov
- SMD 1 Council Member Tommy Hiebert — tommy.Hiebert@sanangelo.gov
- SMD 2 Rep. Joe Self — joe.Self@sanangelo.gov
- SMD 3 Rep. Harry Thomas — harry.Thomas@sanangelo.gov
- SMD 4 Rep. Patrick Keely — patrick.Keely@sanangelo.gov
- SMD 5 Rep. Karen Hesse Smith — karen.Hesse_smith@sanangelo.gov
- SMD 6 Rep. Mary Coffey — mary.Coffey@sanangelo.gov
- City Clerk, Heather Stastny — heather.stastny@sanangelo.gov
What to Include
To ensure your submission is properly retained, include each of the following:
- 1. The specific meeting date on which you comment (e.g., “February 3, 2026, City Council Meeting”).
- 2. A clear statement that your message is a written public comment.
- 3. An explicit request that the email be accepted and retained as part of the official public-comment record.
- 4. Your full name and city of residence.
NOTE: You are not required to give your full street address, even if requested, such as when you comply with requesting and attending public comment sessions. Your city and, if appropriate, your council district are sufficient.
If you choose to provide your street address as well, understand that address, too, becomes part of the public record and can be disclosed through Texas Public Information Access (TPIA) requests.
Addresses can be required for utility installation and billing and for various city permit applications, for example.
When you are ready to begin composing, start by emphasizing in your opening why you feel it’s necessary for your questions and comments to appear in the public record.
Then, in your own voice, express your opinions and ask the questions you want them to answer.
Sample Email
To: [Mayor; council member; city clerk]
Subject: Request to Include Written Comment in Public Record – Feb. 3, 2026, City Council Meeting
Mayor and Council Members;
I am submitting the attached written comment in connection with the Feb. 3, 2026, City Council meeting, and requesting its inclusion in the public record.
Because public comment does not permit questions or dialogue, I further request that the presiding official consider addressing these questions publicly, and on the record, prior to the commencement of the public comment session.
For the record, I have two questions I would like to have answered on the record by the Mayor and the Council Members who wish to respond:
With San Angelo already under constant, if nominal, water rationing, as well as continuing energy availability risks during regular bouts with extreme temperature variances, I want to know:
1. What analyses, studies, or supporting materials were relied upon by city staff or council in connection with the Jan. 13, 2026, rezoning decision, and when will those materials be made available to the public under applicable open-records law?
2. For purposes of compliance with the Open Meetings Act, can the city confirm who is expected to be present in the Feb. 3, 2026, executive session associated with the proposed Skybox Datacenter; will any individuals other than council members, city staff, and the city attorney attend and, if so, who are they?”
I believe your answers on these issues potentially hold considerable importance for the ongoing mission to improve the quality of life here in the City of San Angelo.
I look forward to your responses at the designated city council meeting.
Thank you for your consideration, and your responses;
Sincerely, [Your Name] [City of Residence]
OF NOTE: Hand-delivered paper copies of your comments may be — and in some cases have been — refused at meetings; a submission by email explicitly requesting inclusion in the public-comment record avoids this risk.
Your submission becomes a government record upon receipt, even if the addressed official(s) do not respond. Once retained, the submission may be requested later under the Texas Public Information Act.
This process protects both citizen participation and the city’s procedural integrity.
Other Tips for Communication
- When communicating with public officials, it’s a good idea to keep things focused and short.
- Ask a question or state your opinion regarding the subject that’s important to you and ask them to please respond on the record.
- Attaching files like diagrams, graphics, maps, or other presentations is optional; government agencies prefer text, PDF, or DOCX files, in that order of preference.
- Always keep a copy of the sent email and any automatic reply for your records.
Questions You Might Like Answers To
- Given that a COSA-initiated Attorney General review is currently pending regarding the scope of records subject to disclosure, why should the Jan. 13, 2026, meeting minutes be approved before that scope is clarified and any AG required disclosures are made?
- What detailed analysis has been completed, or will be completed, regarding water usage, power demand, and grid reliability associated with the proposed data center, and when will those analyses be available for public review?
- Will zoning conditions or other robust, enforceable safeguards prohibit or strictly regulate High-Performance Computing (HPC) uses, including cryptocurrency mining and AI training, and will such uses be disallowed entirely if determined to materially impact local infrastructure or quality of life?
- Have any representatives of Skybox Datacenters or affiliated development, investment, or infrastructure partners met in person with city officials, city staff, or city-affiliated entities regarding this project since Jan. 13, 2026, and if so, how is equal access to Skybox officials for constituents being ensured?”
- What utility upgrades, incentive agreements, or long-term commitments related to power or infrastructure are being considered or negotiated in connection with this project?
