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Select board debates town social media policy; discussion tabled for two weeks
Summary
After outreach showed community interest, staff and a board member proposed adopting a town social media policy and establishing official accounts. Members raised concerns about moderation, platform choice, First Amendment implications and governance; the board voted to table the item to allow additional input.
Town staff and a select board member reintroduced an official social media policy for elected officials and municipal accounts after outreach indicating roughly 150 community members favored a town presence online.
Proponents argued an official account would speed notifications for critical items such as transfer station closures and absentee voting and would centralize messages currently posted informally by staff and departments. They also proposed a communications committee, content filters (to remove racial epithets and truly derogatory language), and routine review of the policy.
Opponents warned that open comment sections, particularly on algorithmic platforms such as Facebook (Meta), tend to promote controversy and could increase divisiveness; one member urged caution and suggested delaying action while the absent board member Carl could weigh in. Questions arose about which platform(s) to use, how to moderate content without violating free-speech principles, and who would have posting access (administrative assistant, department leads, select board point person).
A motion to adopt the social media policy was made and seconded; after extended discussion the board voted to table the item for two weeks and to solicit further public comment. One member indicated an intention to abstain if the item were immediately approved.
Next steps: the board will revisit the policy in two weeks, encourage community input and clarify posting roles and moderation practices. The transcript records the motion to table and discussion but does not provide a full policy text within the segments provided.
