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Council debate over social media posts surfaces concerns about conduct and safety
Summary
A heated exchange between council members during the Dec. 9 work session centered on social media posts and an ethics complaint; one council member said posts risked "empowering" harmful actions, while another said the process made her feel unsafe.
Council discussion on Dec. 9 turned to a dispute over social media posts, an ethics complaint and the tone of online commentary by elected officials.
Councilman Auershire said staff-provided follow-up information and a prior online response crossed a line. "We can communicate our concerns to one another in a rational manner...not in a way that is extreme and disturbing," he said, criticizing a past Facebook post and saying that rhetoric of that kind can "empower other peoples to feel they can take those actions."
Councilwoman Bell, responding to the exchange, said that during the ethics-complaint process she experienced distressing incidents (people "knocking on the door and running away") that caused her to fear for her and her family's safety. She described filing through the formal ethics process rather than responding outside that process.
Other council members urged civility and suggested discussing matters directly with colleagues rather than in public social media posts. The exchange included appeals to adult, professional behavior and reiterated that the council provides processes for ethics complaints.
No formal disciplinary action or council vote resulted from the discussion; members described it as a matter for internal process and potential future follow-up.
