Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Government Ethics topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
San Clemente adopts policy limiting use of ‘mayor’ or ‘mayor pro tem’ titles after office ends
Summary
The City Council adopted a policy Jan. 14 that limits use of the titles "mayor" and "mayor pro tem" for official communications and bars implying one speaks on behalf of the city when not authorized; council removed a clause that would have strictly prescribed exact language for speaking as a private citizen.
The San Clemente City Council adopted a policy on Jan. 14 intended to curb misuse of mayoral titles and to reduce public confusion about whether elected officials are speaking in an official city capacity. The policy as adopted prohibits former mayors or mayor pro tems from presenting themselves as acting on behalf of the city when they are not authorized to do so and restricts city seal and clothing usage tied to official engagements.
Council debate: The policy prompted a lengthy discussion about free speech, ballot designations and past instances in which speakers said a former mayor had used the title after leaving office. Some council members cautioned against language that could be interpreted as restricting citizens’ speech; others cited a need to prevent misrepresentation that might mislead voters or the public. The council removed a clause (section 3.1.5 in the draft) that would have specified the only acceptable wording officials could use when addressing the public, and it revised section 3.1.2 to say elected officials may not represent they are speaking on behalf of the city unless authorized to do so.
Public comments: Residents at the meeting said the policy was necessary to prevent misrepresentation in campaign materials and public forums. Several cited past instances in which a title was prominently used on a ballot or in coverage after an official had left the office.
What the policy does and next steps: The policy does not create criminal penalties or new civil fines; it is a local administrative policy that establishes expectations and a process for the council to address alleged misrepresentations. The city attorney advised the council that the policy sets expectations for conduct and that its details had not been judicially tested; council members acknowledged that if an enforcement question arose the council could revisit the language. The council adopted the policy with the edits and asked staff to finalize the ordinance language for publication.
