Dallas committee begins review of council rules; questions raised on attendance, electronics and public-comment ID

A Dallas City committee on Jan. 27 opened a review of proposed amendments to the council rules of procedure that would add written guidance on electronic communications, clarify how members report absences and reconsider how public commenters state their residency.

Assistant City Manager Emily Gonyer presented the packet to the committee and said the most substantive new language proposes rules on electronic communications to remind elected officials that messages tied to their public duties can be public records. She also reviewed suggested edits prompted by prior council discussion, including attendance language and a provision about stating a speaker’s address during public comment.

The committee discussed attendance language first. Members referenced charter language that an office “shall be deemed vacant” when a council member is absent from meetings for 60 days…