Dear City Council,
I hope this message finds you well. I am writing to request that you facilitate City Council and Commission meetings at the Meta Campus.
In the Council Meetings I have attended, you often highlight equity as a priority. However, many East Menlo Park residents do not have adequate access to you, and I want to remind you that you also represent us. To keep our democracy strong, it is vital that all community members can actively participate and have access to Council members.
You have already shown us that meetings can be held at the Meta Campus. This was evident when the city acknowledged Meta’s contribution to funding the Meta Campus building. However, you do not recognize that East Menlo Park residents have been paying taxes since the foundation of the city. I personally have paid taxes to Menlo Park for at least 24 years.
As the great Mahatma Gandhi said, “Action expresses priorities.” If you truly believe in equity, demonstrate it through meaningful actions rather than words or proclamations.
It is the ethical duty of the City Council to ensure accessibility for all. To achieve this, I propose the following actions:

1. Host meetings at the Meta Campus on at least a quarterly basis to bring Council discussions closer to the East Menlo Park community.
2. Provide transportation to the City Council chambers for residents who face mobility or transportation challenges.
3. Set up Zoom access and host virtual meetings at the Meta Campus Library to increase engagement.

These steps will help bridge the gap and ensure that all members of our community can actively participate in and have access to their elected officials.
Thank you for considering this request. I look forward to your response and the positive changes this could bring to our community.
Sincerely,

Eduardo L. Hernandez