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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.. py.rve'e�meuummui,ru:.e �:.., n-.�WIWWIIM 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 MORE LOCAL YOU MAY LIKE 1114.10MNAMM.1,0 1,1,6MPIVAMMINMEPIIIOMMAMI 0.0119.04 .60.14.101 Sponsored Links by Taboole New Social Security Law Goes into Effect in May - Here's What It M.., Money Morning Subscription 8 Poisonous Foods We Commonly Eat DallyHeathRemedies.com Forget The iPhone 7. Next Apple Sensation Leaked 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 The Motley Fool Protecting Yourself Against Tax Identity Theft MR Block COMMENTS 4 Comments Add a consagerg Sort by Oldest 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 nnininns havinn nnthinn In An wilh rile business The edernnl here is MINIMMAMOMMAINIIMOIMMTAIMOMMIMMIMIIMIMANKOMMINglAVAIMANMNIONNIMMOMMOMMI4111.0/60041.101MIWOMOMHilifill0.1.41:1MOMMXIMAIMM1110" " IMININIKONOMMINJOMMINOINIAIMMONESPOIMMIA110161..ate. http://www.theolympian.com/news/local/article60691866.html 2/17/2016