Regarding public comments, I don't believe a good politician will make a snap decision at the dais following public comments. Most of them will have received the meeting agenda in advance and formed an opinion about how they are going to vote and the questions they are going to ask. If this is the case, public comment is just a waste of time for them, as they won't really get swayed by it. At most, they will mention a point that a public commenter made to support something that they were already going to do.

Emailing them privately in advance of the meeting will give them the opportunity to think about your input and, in some cases, reply and engage with you about the policy. It might not change their mind, but it will definitely help them see others' perspectives on their upcoming decision.