The Hanford City Council voted on Nov. 4 to adopt a limited public‑forum social media policy for the city’s official accounts and to add guidance for elected and appointed officials’ personal social media usage to the council handbook.

Communications Manager Brian Johnson and city attorney staff had recommended a two‑part approach: adopt a public‑facing policy that defines the city’s social accounts as a limited public forum (allowing the city to impose viewpoint‑neutral, topic‑based limits on public comments) and separately insert a handbook section setting expectations and a disclaimer for personal accounts of elected and appointed officials. The policy includes a required disclaimer for city accounts, limits public comment to matters within the city’s jurisdiction or to the topic of a specific post, and lists content the city may remove (e.g., obscene or unlawful posts, threats, defamatory statements, solicitations and statements supporting or opposing political candidates or ballot measures).

Council actions: a motion to adopt the limited public‑forum social media policy and to allow commenting on city social accounts passed unanimously (4–0). The council then adopted a resolution to amend the council handbook with a new section on personal social media use for elected and appointed officials; that motion passed 3–1 (the transcript does not include an identified roll‑call of the dissenting vote).

What the changes mean in practice: city staff will post the policy disclaimer on official accounts, resume accepting public comments under the topic‑based limits, and provide a webpage with the full policy text. The city manager (or designee) will serve as administrator responsible for moderation; staff said moderation will not be monitored 24/7 but comments may be removed in accordance with the policy. The handbook language requires officials who post on personal accounts to include a disclaimer that their posts do not represent city policy and asks officials to refrain from conduct on social media that harms the city or staff or violates existing regulations.

Council members discussed the balance between free expression and civility, and several members said they expect to continue responding to constituents while avoiding personal attacks. The council emphasized the goal of channeling public questions and concerns to city channels where staff can provide factual responses.