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Edgewood council asks staff, city attorney to clarify rules on councilmember advocacy for school bond
Summary
Council members asked whether they may personally advocate for a Puyallup School District bond measure and whether the city can use official channels; staff said individual council members can advocate privately but city resources cannot be used, and city attorney Veil will provide formal guidance at the next regular meeting.
Council members sought legal clarity about whether they or the city may promote a Puyallup School District bond measure that will appear on the February ballot.
Why it matters: elected officials weigh rules about use of municipal resources and the line between private advocacy and official endorsement.
Council member Erica described a Puyallup School District tour she attended and asked whether council members could advocate for the district’s bond measure. The mayor and other staff said council members may privately express support or participate in community advocacy on their own time, but that city resources—such as using the City of Edgewood’s official Facebook page or city staff time to assemble campaign signs—should not be dedicated to promote a ballot measure.
Staff said they would seek formal clarification from City Attorney Veil and asked Veil to be prepared to address the question at the regular council meeting the following week. The mayor noted staff would follow up and that some evening informational sessions were being scheduled by the school district for public participation.
Next steps: staff and the city attorney will provide guidance on what council may and may not do using city resources and whether any proclamation or official city action would be permitted; no formal city endorsement or action was taken at the study session.
