Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Public Engagement topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Residents press council on pools, fireworks and social-media posts during public forum
Summary
During public comment residents urged caution on proposals for a town pool, fireworks and drones and asked the council to enforce the town's social media policy after a council member's Facebook posts; commenters cited costs, nearby private pools and the need for better civic engagement methods.
The Town of Lewisville opened its public forum on Feb. 12 to a steady stream of residents concerned about the town's vision and use of social media.
Several residents—including Beautification Committee chair Yvonne Hall and multiple neighbors—urged the council to preserve a "small-town" character and warned against tax increases to fund new amenities such as a municipal pool, fireworks or drone shows. Speakers pointed to nearby YMCAs and private community pools, questioned expected usage and operating costs, and urged prioritizing routine services such as leaf and limb pickup and road maintenance over new amenities.
Resident Gina and others pressed the council to apply the town's May 2022 social media policy after they said Councilman Mac Wilder posted polls and funding statements on Facebook that characterized possible future council action as settled fact. Gina requested that town counsel examine whether those posts violated policy and asked for corrective action to preserve public trust. Town attorney Al Andrews advised caution, noting there is no law that prevents a council member from speaking but warned that council members should generally reserve advocacy until the appropriate time and forum.
Council members acknowledged the concerns: several thanked staff for public-safety work during recent inclement weather, said they would review the social media policy and noted no current consensus exists among council to amend the budget for fireworks or to raise taxes for a municipal pool. Councilman Wilder said he uses Facebook informally to gauge public interest and that the polling results can inform future actions, and several council members suggested putting the question to voters in November if appetite exists.
The public comments underscored two consistent requests: more formal, reliable outreach tools (town surveys, verified email lists and structured feedback) and clearer application of an updated or clarified social media policy for elected officials.
