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Committee reviews city memorandum on members’ social-media and public-comment conduct
Summary
The advisory committee reviewed a city secretary memorandum clarifying how members should separate their personal social-media speech from official committee duties and reminded members to follow the posted agenda and public-comment rules.
The committee reviewed a city secretary memorandum about expressions of personal views and asked members to sign an acknowledgment form clarifying when they speak as private citizens versus in an official capacity.
A committee member explained the memorandum’s purpose: members "have to wear two hats," the member said, meaning they may post privately but must not present personal social-media statements as official committee statements. The member emphasized that the committee’s public meetings must stick to the noticed agenda and that individuals who wish to comment in their private capacity should use the public-comment period and the three-minute allowance.
The memorandum and the attendant discussion were framed as guidance to prevent confusion between individual opinions and committee positions and to avoid potential state-law issues or wasted meeting time. Committee members asked staff to be available to answer questions before signing the acknowledgment, and the chair said staff would provide clarification as needed.
No formal disciplinary action or rule change was taken at the meeting; instead, the committee agreed to circulate the acknowledgment form and encouraged members to ask staff if they had questions about what constitutes official conduct versus private speech.
