HomeMy WebLinkAbout02/23/2016 07 Council General InformationITEM TITLE:
SUBMITTED BY:
BUSINESS OF THE CITY COUNCIL
YAKIMA, WASHINGTON
AGENDASTATEMENT
Council General Information
Sonya Claar Tee, City Clerk
Item No. 7.
For Meeting of: February 23, 2016
SUMMARY EXPLANATION:
1. Preliminary Council Agenda
2. City Meeting Schedule
3. Preliminary Future Activities Calendar
4. Newspaper/Magazine/Internet Articles:
* "Lacy city councilman's comments on Facebook test social media guidelines for public
officials," The Olympian
ITEM BUDGETED:
STRATEGIC PRIORITY:
APPROVED FOR SUBMITTAL: Interim City Manager
STAFF RECOMMENDATION:
BOARD/COMMITTEE RECOMMENDATION:
ATTACHMENTS:
Description Upload Date
D liar o 2/19/2016
Type
Cover Memo
YAKIMA CITY COUNCIL
March 1, 2016
City Hall — Council Chambers
6 p.m. Business Meeting
BUSINESS MEETING
1. Roll Call
2. Pledge of Allegiance
3. Open Discussions for the Good of the Order
A. Proclamations
i. WIAA proclamation
B. Presentations / Recognitions / Introductions
i. 2015 Yakima Valley Tourism Annual Report presentation
4. Council Reports
5. Consent Agenda
Items listed are considered routine by the City Council and will be enacted by one motion without
discussion. A citizen or Council member may request to remove an item from the Consent Agenda and, if
approved, it will be placed on the regular agenda for discussion and consideration.
A. Resolution declaring surplus rolling stock and heavy equipment to be surplus and
authorizing their disposal
B. Resolution ratifying the declaration of an emergency and authorizing the City Manager
to execute the replacement of the engine for Transit Bus # 60
C. Resolution authorizing an agreement with TEM Enterprises d/b/a Xtra Airways, LLC, a
Nevada Corporation, to provide chartered airline service from the Yakima Air
Terminal -McAllister Field
D. Resolution authorizing fourth amendment to the Block by Block agreement for
Professional and Ambassador Services in the Downtown Yakima Business
Improvement District (DYBID)
E. Resolution declaring City -owned property located at 1606 E. Nob Hill Boulevard
surplus to the uses and needs of the City of Yakima, authorizing disposition and
approving purchase and sale agreement for sale of the property to Lawrence B.
Stone, LLC
F. Resolution affirming City -owned property located at 3300 W. Nob Hill Boulevard as
surplus to the uses and needs of the City of Yakima, authorizing disposition and
approving purchase and sale agreement for sale of the property to GESA Credit
Union
G. Resolution authorizing open cruising events to be held on June 11, June 18,
August 13, September 10 and September 17.
6. Audience Participation
Community members are invited to address items that are not listed on the regular business meeting
agenda. A guideline of three (3) minutes per speaker is in place in order to allow as much opportunity as
possible for audience participation. A speaker's time may be extended at the discretion of the Mayor
and/or the consensus or vote of the Council. Written communication and e-mail messages are strongly
encouraged.
7. Other Business
8. Adjournment
The next meeting will be a Special Council Meeting on March 8, 2016 at 6 p.m. at the Convention
Center
9. Council General Information
A. Council General Information
Any invocation that may be offered before the official start of the Council meeting shall be the
voluntary offering of a private citizen, to and for the benefit of the Council. The views or beliefs
expressed by the invocation speaker have not been previously reviewed or approved by the
Council, and the Council does not endorse the religious beliefs or views of this, or any other
speaker.
A Council packet is available for review at the City Clerk's Office and the Library. A packet is
also available on-line at www.yakimawa.gov.
The City provides special accommodations, such as hearing devices, wheelchair space or
language interpreters, for City meetings. Anyone needing special assistance please contact
the City Clerk's office at (509) 575-6037.
CITY MEETING SCHEDULE
For February 22, 2016 — February 29, 2016
Please note: Meetings are subject to change
Tuesday, February 23
10:00 a.m. City Council study session — Council Chambers
1:30 p.m. County Commissioners meeting — Council Chambers
6:00 p.m. Comprehensive Vision Open House — Yakima Valley Technical Skills Center
Wednesday, February 24
3:00 p.m. Yakima Planning Commission — Council Chambers
5:30 p.m. Historic Preservation Commission — Council Chambers
Thursday, February 25
9:00 a.m. 911 Admin Board — Station 7
9:30 a.m. Hearing Examiner — Council Chambers
1:30 p.m. Hearing Examiner — Council Chambers
2:00 p.m. Bid opening — 2nd Floor Conference Room
3:30 p.m. YAK Corps Board — 2nd Floor Conference Room
Preliminary Future Activities Calendar
Please Note: Meetings are subject to change
eetrg
Sat. Feb. 20
2:00 p.m.
7:30 p.m.
Tue. Feb. 23
10:00 a.m,
6:00 p.m.
Thur. Feb. 25
9:00 a.m.
3:30 .m..
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Tue. March 1
5:00 p.m.
6:00 ..m.
Tue. March 8
6:00 p.m.
Wed. March 9
9:00 a.m.
it en tion
Mayor speak at Good
Citizen ceremony
Encanto Concert - Mayor
Speak
w�...,.,o
City Council Study Session
Comprehensive Vision
Open House
911 Admin Board
YAK -Corps Board
(T) City Council Executive
Session
City Council meeting
01141MAMMONONANNIMMISNON
City Council special meeting
Yakima Valley Funders'
Forum
tin
Scheduled Event
Scheduled Event
Scheduled Meeting
Scheduled Event
Board Meeting
Board Meeting
Scheduled Meeting
Scheduled Meeting
WIROMMINKINOW
Scheduled Meeting
Scheduled Meeting
'pe i
A. Gutierrez
A. Gutierrez
Council
Open
TBD
TBD
Council
Council
Council
eeting Location
Mt. Olive Church
Seasons
Council Chambers
Technical Skills Center
Station 7
2nd Floor Conference Room
Council Chambers
Council Chambers
Convention Center
A. Gutierrez Grandview Community Center
Lacey city councilman's comments on Facebook test social media guidelines for public of... Page 1 of 5
LOCAL FEBRUARY 16, 2016 5:55 AM
Lacey city councilman's comments on
Facebook test social media guidelines
for public officials
HIGHLIGHTS
Jason Hearn posts potentially inflammatory comments about Obama and
Muslims on Facebook
Hearn says time spent on his personal Facebook page is as a private citizen
Experts disagree, saying those comments are fair game
1of2
In this May 16, 2012 file photo, the Facebook logo is displayed on an iPad in Philadelphia.
Facebook says it's cracking down on online gun sales, with a new policy that bars private
individuals from advertising or selling firearms on the world's largest social network,
Friday, Jan. 29, 2016 Matt Rourke - AP, FILE
BY ROLF BOONE
rboonega theolympian. com
The Internet: It's a place of information, entertainment and, for
friends and family, a way to stay in touch via Facebook,
Instagram, Twitter or Snapchat.
It's also a potential minefield for elected officials as they navigate
what to share or not to share on Facebook and other social media
websites.
http://www.theolympian,com/news/local/article60691866.html 2/17/2016
Lacey city councilman's comments on Facebook test social media guidelines for public of._ Page 2 of 5
Most elected officials who spoke to The Olympian for this story
said they avoid discussing city business online or engaging in
conversations with other council members about city business
online — both potential violations of the Open Public Meetings
Act.
But if online postings are not about city business, how should elected
officials conduct themselves on the Internet?
Lacey City Councilman Jason Hearn, who ran unopposed and won a
third term on the council in November, has waded into the debate about
elected official decorum online after he commented on a friend's
Facebook page about U S. polities.
On Nov, 15, at various times during the day, Hearn joined the
conversation and posted the following comments:
• (President Barack) Obama is Muslim or at least an avid Muslim
sympathizer.
• Remember 15 percent of Muslims are radical with violent intentions,
That's a lot.
• Obama is a Muslim sympathizer before he's an American
A reader noticed Hearn's comments and forwarded them to The
Olympian That person declined to identify themselves, but added the
following comment: "Doesn't seem like an appropriate comment for a
council member. Would love to hear from the other six members,"
Hearn said he doesn't discuss city business online, but he does
acknowledge sharing his political and spiritual views, as well as jokes
"When 1 do Facebook, I'm sending it out to the friends in my network,"
Hearn said. "I enjoy the debate and dialogue very much "
Hearn said he does not comment on Facebook with the intention of
hurting or offending people. He said he is thinking of the friends in his
network when he makes those posts
"If someone is offended by my comments, they should reach out to me,"
Hearn said
He also said that when he's using his personal Facebook page, he's doing
so as a private citizen, not as a public official,
"I don't believe my personal Facebook page is city business," he said.
In a follow-up conversation, Hearn took issue with The Olympian's use
of the statements he made on Facebook, saying they were not public
statements and were taken out of context. He also called the paper's
reporting irresponsible,
"This is not a City Council meeting and it's not a City Council email or
telephone call," he said. "This is not part of my public life and you're
making it so "
He also said he thought his comments on Facebook would remain
private.
Although most Lacey City Council members have personal Facebook
pages, the world of Facebook is new to the city: It launched its first
official Facebook page in December And rules governing social media
for the council are still to be determined, according to the city's policies
and procedures manual
"Policies and procedures for the use of social media, i e Facebook,
Twitter, etc,, by council members are under review by the Public Affairs
department," the social media section reads.
http://www.theolympian.com/news/local/article60691866.html 2/17/2016
Lacey city councilman's comments on Facebook test social media guidelines for public of... Page 3 of 5
Lacey Mayor Andy Ryder disavowed Hearn's comments and said they
do not represent the views of the city. He also acknowledged that he gets
complaints about Heam's Facebook page — it skews to the conservative
side of the political spectrum — but said it's Hearn's personal page.
He said if Hearn discussed city business on his personal Facebook page,
he would intervene
"I care about all of my council members and 1 wish them the best,"
Ryder said. "But we all have to remember that everyone is watching and
our words do matter, They really do,"
"I don't share any of those opinions," said Councilman Jeff Gadman
after learning what Hearn had posted online,
Gadman said his role as a council member is to represent all of Lacey
"l'm not picking and choosing," he said "I'm trying to make the city
better for everyone because it's not just conservatives and it's not just
I iberals "
Gadman said his social media rules are essentially the same as when he's
out in public: He's subject to public scrutiny. "1 have to make sure how I
comment and what I comment on is something people won't mind
reading," he said
"That is so painful," Deputy Mayor Cynthia Pratt said in response to
Hearn's Facebook comments, "I'm sorry he thinks that 1 don't even
have a response to that."
But she said that as long as he doesn't comment about city policy, he is
free to say whatever he wants.
"That is his right to do, but it's unfortunate," she said.
BEST PRACTICES
Turnwater and Olympia don't have specific social media policies for
their councils, but they do conduct orientations for new council members
that discuss what it means to be a public official in the age of the
Internet,
"We talk about a new world where everyone is watching you,"
Tumwater City Administrator John Doan said about the conversation he
has with new council members.
He offered this example for elected officials: whether to post a photo on
Facebook where they are in a bathing suit, downing their fifth margarita,
"You might want to think about that," he said.
Olympia staff have a similar conversation with new council members,
said Kellie Purce Braseth, a spokeswoman for the city
"We make sure they understand that they are elected officials 24/7," she
said. "They need to separate their personal life from their public life,
especially in terms of technology, whether it's email, phones or social
media,
"They are public officials now," she said
Lacey, too, has a procedure in place for new council members, said
Sandy Boyce of the city's public affairs department.
"They receive a copy of the City Council policies -procedure manual,
they meet with department directors soon after taking office and they are
encouraged to attend the Association of Washington Cities elected
officials essentials workshop," she said
Boyce added that every current council member, including Hearn, has
attended the workshop.
http://www.theolympian.com/news/local/article60691866.html 2/17/2016
Lacey city councilman's comments on Facebook test social media guidelines for public of... Page 4 of 5
Washington Coalition for Open Government president Toby Nixon, who
also is a city of Kirkland councilman, helped develop the city's social
media policy, he said, Each time a council member wants to post
something online, they can either make clear that it is their opinion and
not the council's position, or provide a link to the City Council's social
media disclaimer,
"The disclaimer ensures the view expressed in the comment is that of the
member; not of the full council," the disclaimer reads.
Of course, outside of any obvious Open Public Meetings Act violation,
public officials are free to say whatever they want online, said Nixon He
cited U S. presidential candidate Donald Trump as an example of people
who don't self censor
"Maybe it's just who he is and he doesn't care," said Nixon about Hearn.
"Some are just that way,"
But be prepared for the ramifications, he said,
"How are people going to take this? Would 1 want my opponent to have
this information?" Nixon said,
A LESSON LEARNED
This isn't the first time that a Lacey city councilman has invited
controversy on Facebook
Michael Steadman, a first -term councilman, found himself embroiled on
Facebook after he appeared to be willing to support putting the city's
plastic bag ban before voters if the ballot measure was paid for with
private money and not city money
Justin Kover, a member of the group willing to raise and pay for the
ballot measure, said he had reached that agreement with Steadman on
Facebook. Steadman ultimately voted to uphold the plastic bag ban,
which remains in effect today.
Lacey Mayor Ryder said he warned Steadman not to talk about city
business on Facebook,
"I believe he made an honest mistake," Ryder said
Steadman said he thought he could use Facebook as a way to come
across as a more transparent council member, but that was naive on his
part
"It's kind of an unspoken rule that you need to be careful online,"
Steadman said.
Rolf Boone; 360-754-5403, prod bootie
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http://www.theolympian.com/news/local/article60691866.html 2/17/2016
Lacey city councilman's comments on Facebook test social media guidelines for public of... Page 5 of 5
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COMMENTS
4 Comments
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itRichard Aronson Owner at Sell -Employer'
Jason Hearn is a public official but he is also an American citizen
with a first amendment right to say what he wants as a citizen.
Criticizing Obama's very pro Muslim views is not in poor taste. II is a
discussion that needs to happen, If Obama showed as much favor to
Christians as he does to Muslims he would be ostracized by the very
party he represents Instead of putting Mr Hearn down, we should
be thanking him for being brave enough to share his opinion,
especially in a town where pro choice means you have a right to
choose as long as your choice is in line with our progressive, haleful
thinking
Like Reply cl_iL 4 15 hrs
ason Munich
He should just learn how to use his privacy settings on Facebook
correctly. Problem solved Unless, some of his friends, really aren't
friends
L ike Reply eT 1 14 hrs
Linnea Comstock Owner/Director at Comstock Physical Therapy
This article is about is newsworthy as the article about Cheryl Selby
not paying business licensing fees.
Like 177 3hrs
a Charlie kirry Olympia, Washington
gir
This censorship business is no good,
Steadman got beat up by the bag haters for entertaining dernocracy
when the council had already had their restrictive choice in the bag
Not to single out just Lacey on that scale, but Steadman stubbed his
toe on the nature of democratic fairness, Hearn is being singled out,
picked on, by those who dislike him politically, using his personal
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http://www.theolympian.com/news/local/article60691866.html 2/17/2016