Brooklyn Park staff and council debate election-year rules on staff photos, political tabling and town‑hall timing

At a work session, Brooklyn Park staff and councilors discussed proposed guidance for the 2026 election year focused on three areas: the use of city staff photographs in campaign literature, whether to permit political tabling at city-sponsored events, and the timing of town-hall style events.

City Manager Jay Strobel told the council that staff frequently appear in photographs taken at public events and that candidates sometimes include those images in campaign materials, which can put employees — particularly visible police and fire personnel — in a difficult position. “We are entering 2026 as an election year, and historically there have been situations where staff really could benefit from some clarity from city council with regard to policies around … employee pictures within campaign literature,” Strobel said. He added staff cannot outright prohibit candidates from using photos taken in public but recommended asking candidates, as a courtesy, to avoid using staff images when possible and offering staff the option to remove themselves from official photos.

The city attorney cautioned that any restriction must respect federal and state law. “A policy could be”—the attorney said—“but because the fair is so crowded and it’s body to body, you can rely on that factor to show a significant governmental interest” when distinguishing types of activity; he warned that fairness alone would not be a legally sufficient reason to prohibit activity.

On political tabling, staff noted the city allows some campaign activity at long-established events (for example, the Tater Days parade) and that permitting booths can generate modest revenue (staff estimated roughly $150 per booth at some events). Councilors described trade-offs: booths can offer candidates a direct way to meet voters but can also change the character of family‑oriented or commemorative events such as Juneteenth and certain healing or memorial gatherings. One council member said tabling at a healing event felt “bizarre,” while others argued some events make sense for limited political presence.

Councilors and staff discussed whether to distinguish between paid booths and individuals passing out literature. The city attorney said a legally defensible policy could treat booth rental differently from free‑roaming distribution, but any restriction should be tied to a clear governmental interest such as limited space, safety, or disruption risk rather than a desire for competitive fairness.

On event timing, staff described prior guidance that urged town‑hall style events and similar candidate-facing meetings be held before early summer in election years to reduce the appearance of incumbents using official events as campaign platforms. Staff reminded the council that filing dates and candidate windows drive when campaigning intensifies; the transcript recorded a May filing window as staff’s point of reference. Several councilors said they favored a consistent spring/early‑summer window—around May or June—for town halls so newly elected officials have a transition period and the public has predictable access.

Council members asked staff to return with a short list of the city’s largest recurring events and a recommendation about which of those events would be appropriate for limited political activity, plus sample outreach language for candidates and employees. Staff also committed to update employees about options for removing themselves from city photos and to include sign‑posting or communications reminding residents how to report unauthorized lawn signs.

No formal motions or votes were taken at the work session; the discussion concluded with staff to prepare policy options and communications for council consideration at a future meeting.