City attorney reiterates open-meeting rules, nondiscrimination and social-media guidance to Harrisville council

At the council’s Jan. 14 meeting, the city attorney gave the council its annual training on nondiscrimination, public meetings law and social-media conduct, stressing that the council must avoid deliberating outside public meetings and that elected officials have retention and first-amendment obligations when posting official city business on social media.

The attorney reminded the council the city is required to hold at least one city council meeting per month under state law and said that if an emergency or lack of quorum prevented a meeting, the council would be required to reschedule to meet that requirement. He cautioned members that any discussion of city business among a quorum outside an open meeting could be considered a public meeting subject to open-meeting rules.

Social media guidance: The attorney said council members may use social media but warned that if a member uses a personal account to perform official city duties they effectively create a public account and must follow retention rules and allow public comment. He recommended creating a separate account for official business or turning comments off to avoid suppressing speech that the first amendment protects when the account serves an official function.

Nondiscrimination and harassment: The attorney reviewed protected classes and workplace conduct, saying he had not received complaints about the council but advising members to raise any concerns promptly.

Why it matters: The guidance reiterates legal obligations that shape how the council discusses and decides city business and how members may communicate with constituents, particularly around use of group messages, social media and informal gatherings where a quorum might be present.

Sources: City Attorney (referred to in the transcript as Brother Flynn) during the Jan. 14 Harrisville City Council meeting.