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5.1. SR 06-14-2010ITEM 5.1. fiver MEMORANDUM TO: City Council FROM: Tina Allard, City Clerk DATE: June 14, 2010 SUBJECT: Communications Policy Council is asked to consider the attached draft communications policy to help encourage and assist employees in the responsible use of communication tools. This policy should help facilitate better communication, increase interaction with the public, and provide transparency of city government to those who do business with the city. The policy discusses general communications such as handling media requests, how to speak on behalf of the city, and general guidelines for employees to consider when personally communicating with the public. The Policy also addresses the fast growing social media segment of communications. Council is asked to review the policy and provide any comments. One point the Council should discuss is whether comments to walls and discussion board should be allowed to be turned on (Number 13 in Exhibit A). Currently the city's social media sites are allowing comments. Primary purposes of social media are to encourage two-way communication and provide information sharing in real time. I sent the draft policy out to various staff and the main comments I received were that the comments/walls should be allowed. Some staff comments: Beneficial in helping to answer questions from citizens. Can solicit immediate feedback or gauge public interest on a topic. A free marketing tool and provides another level of customer service. Council should also be aware of some of the following concerns/risks: S:\Public Bodies\Council\Council RCA\Branding Program\Communications Policy.doc ^ Maintaining compliance with records retention and data practices laws. ^ Censorship vs. negative comments or obscene language posted to sites. ^ Possible violations of the open meeting laws. ^ Trademark/copyright issues. Hopefully with implementing this type of policy we can curb some of these concerns by providing training to staff and keeping them updated on any law changes and requiring monitoring of the sites on a daily basis. S:\Public Bodies\Council\Council RCA\Branding Program\Communications Policy.doc http://www.startribune.com/local/west/893685 87.html Page 1 of 3 F'okr~t ~o~r mnt~ile bro~~~=.er to ` f.ttp:/jstartrit;un+~ corn StarTribun+~~com For cities, friending Facebook is trickier than a click or two Ask Edina or Blaine, "'What's on ycnir mind`?" when. it comes to using social media, and they answer with concerns about censorship and other legal issues. By MARY JANE SMETANKA, Star Tribune Last update: March 28, 2010 - 8:29 PM 'The city of Edina has astate-of--tyre-art website and routinel}% uses Twitter and e- mail lists to crnnmunicate with residents. But it doesn't have a Facebook. page. Neither does its larger neighbor, Bloomington. They are among the Minnesota cities that have hesitated to join Facebook, the matntnoth social media site that recently topped GoogJe as the most visited place on the Inteniet. Unnerved by 1^acebook's freewheeling nature, cities that have held. back from joining the rush to the «~ebsite are asking questions that in many cases don't yet have definitive answers. Do they need to keep copies of hacebook pages as public records? Is it censorship to remove an obscene comment:`? If City Council members join a discussion on a city's Facebook page, does that. mean. the give and take has suddenly become a meeting subject to the requirements of the state's open meeting law? "I have had a lot itf reservations," said Jennifer Bennerotte, Edina's comrnttnications °director. "The l.aw has not caught up with social media.." The mood is less cautious just up Hwy. 1.00 irr St. Louis Park, where Jarnie7.willing nms a city Facebook page that has attracted 1.,700 fans in its first six months. The city's communications coordinator answers users' questions under the moniker "City of St. Louis Park, Minnesota." When critical comments are posted, they're left aloa~e in the interest ofopen dialogcre. Tom C:n•undhoefer, general counsel fc7r the L.,eague of Minnesota Cities, said dealing with social media is "a tough one" for cities. So far, he said, court rulings that would help clarify the law are scanty. "1 don't think the issues are insurmountable in any way, but it's a new thing," he said. "Everybody's figuring it out." Advertisement ,' 5.'iF ~~~ ,'-- , ~ `; Ti~lUR.rsC1AY, S~EP'TJrM~E~ '!<~' l~i~ 'SAtf C?!/ rf~xFrn~asr~a.Gt)NI ~.,~c ~-~ ~ - ~.. C!~*c+~~an~rpc•°,3~xdt~~:"cstrskc+xvsr~rkut~o-„ ar~~trp n1j7StFE~3~f@,C©~l7 ., Print Pcawerecf l'ly ' http://www.startribune.com/templates/fdcp? 1276105 808583 06/09/2010 http://www.startribune.com/local/west/893685 87.html StarTribune~cc~m Page 2 of 3 ~nfnt ~o~r mobile browser fo ~^ }Yftp:,r,'/st~rtriLuEic.ctic~ Pushing to engage citizens Facebook. is attractive to dries because it has an estimated 350 million users, many of whom visit daily. People who became fans of their city's Facebook page get city updates that pop up each time they lag on, just as friends' updates do. Facebaok users skew young, which appeals to cities that may have h•ouble cannecting with that demographic. Fans of St. Louis Park's Facebook page are mostly female, with 37 percent age 24 or younger anal 27 percent between. 25 and 34. "`There's a real shift going oil in how people receive information," 7willi_ng said. "The tYiore we can push information where people are at, and provide a back and. forth, the better engaged in the civic discussion they will be." Cities with Facebook pages range from. M. i.nnea:polis, with thousands of fans, to tiny communities like Montrose, population. 1.,1.43, with. 56 Facebook fans. City pages tend to feature some of the same information that's an city websites, like announcements about pothole repair and. park programs. Others are mare active. St. Paul links to a "flood cam" that shows a new picture of the level of the Mississippi River every 30 seconds. Last winter Richfield posted. photos of the aftermath of a propane explosion, protnpring thank-yous from residents who wondered what the noise was. City workers who run the pages said they're learning as they go. "It's kind of'new territory," said Scott Bradley, Richfield's communications coordinator. "With. social itiedia, it all moves so fast... make the posts and update it and. check it every day Pm here. A lot of it is just common. sense." People must be flans of Richfield and St. Louis Park's Facebook pages to post comments. Bradley and Z~villing said obscene or defamatory posts have not been a big problem, but. if they pop up they're removed. 7..,willing said the ability to have a dialogue is what makes Facebook. useful. "It's no different than anyone coming in [City Hall's] front door and asking a question," 7...willing said. Recordkeeping concerns Concerned that an interactive Facebaok page would take time to monitor, Blaine created a Advertisement http://www.startribune.com/templates/fdcp? 1276105808583 06/09/2010 http://www.startribune.com/local/west/893685 87.htm1 StarTribune~com Page 3 of 3 ,_ _~ - ~- - i~~_T~Y~ ~~~ ~ Pc,ir~t vonr ~.,. mobile brrwsex t~ http_1J5tartri~une.c~rn page where people can't comment. Links drive users to the city's website. "We're limited in staff, but we wanted a Facebook presence," said Heidi Andrea, the ci v's Web coordinator. "We wanted. to make it as simple as possible and get. as much information out as possible ... we haven't worried about what's going on [there]." Unlike other cities. St. Louis Park does regular electronic backups of its Facebook page in case they fall under laws requiring government to retain records. "We are operating under the assumption that we do need to retain this information," Twilling said. "We are treating them. just like other electronic messages." l..eague of Cities attorney Grundhoefer said. "95 percent [of the content on a Facebook page] is not going to be the kind of things you keep under records retention. You only have to keep government records anal documentation of official government acts." But he said that because the law isn't crustal clear yet, some cities are saving screen. shots from Facebook just. to be safe. He advises City Council. members to avoid group discussions on a city Facebook page. if a quorum fot-tns and there was no legal. notice of a meeting, it could vic7late the state's open meeting law. Cities do have the right to remove; obscene or defamatory comments. "I3u obviously you. can't censor stuff," he said. Marry 1a.ne Smetanka • 61.2-673-7380 Advertisement ~'t"It"7t fob°f+'.'E°c i ~~ ' http://www.startribune.com/templates/fdcp?1276105808583 06/09/2010 City of Elk River Communications Policy for Employees The city strives to provide the public accurate and timely information, communicated in a professional manner, and in accordance with the laws regarding public information, records retention, and data practices. The intent is to ensure all communications accurately reflect the facts of a matter and the City Council's position or goals on a matter. This policy provides guidelines for all external communications from the city using various mediums including: Printed materials such as newsletters, articles, and brochures. Electronic materials such as email, postings to websites, or social media sites. Media relations such as requests for interviews, news releases, and media inquiries. The city also recognizes that employees may sometimes comment on city matters outside of their official roles as an employee of the city. Therefore, this policy provides guidelines for employees when communicating as a private citizen on matters pertaining to city business. GUIDELINES FOR OFFICIAL CITY COMMUNICATIONS Handling General Requests All staff is responsible for communicating routine information to the public in relation to their specific job duties. Requests for private data or information outside the scope of an individual's job duties should be routed to the appropriate department head or to the data practices authority. Handling Media Requests With the exception of routine events and basic information that is readily available to the public, all requests for interviews or information from the media are to be routed through the City Administrator or his/her designee. Media requests include anything intended to be published or viewable to others such as via television, radio, newspapers, newsletters, and websites. Kesponding to Media Requests If the request is regarding information about city personnel, potential litigation, controversial issues, an opinion on a city matter, or if you are unsure if it is a "routine" question, forward the request to the City Administrator. An appropriate response would be, "I'm sorry, I don't have the full information regarding that issue. Let me take some basic information and submit your request to the appropriate person who will get back to you as soon as he/she can." Ask the media representative for the follozving; 1. Name 2. Questions 3. Deadline 4. Contact information Adopted: S:\Administration\Communications\Branding Program\Communications Policy.doc Communicating on Behalf of the City The Mayor, City Administrator, or his/her designee are authorized to communicate on behalf of the city in interviews, publications, news releases, on social media sites, and related communications. Other employees may represent the city if approved by one of these individuals to communicate on a specific topic. ^ Employees must identify themselves as representing the city. ^ All information must be respectful, professional, truthful, and accurate. ^ Mistakes: If an error is made in a communication, corrections should be upfront and as timely as possible. ^ Do not engage in speculation. ^ Do not speak critically about the city or others involved in a matter. ^ Do not speak on topics you are not designated to speak upon. ^ In case of emergency situations such as fixes, accidents, or other public safety emergencies, the Fire or Police Chief will be the spokesperson for that event unless notified by the Mayor or City Administrator to the contrary. ^ Personal opinions generally don't belong in official city statements. One exception is communication related to promoting a city service. For example, if an employee posted on the city's Facebook page, "My family visited Woodland Trails this weekend and really enjoyed the ski trails." For additional policy for expected behavior by staff charged with using social media on behalf of the city, see Exhibit A. GUIDELINES FOR PERSONAL COMMUNICATIONS It is important for employees to remember that the personal communications of employees may reflect on the city, especially if employees are commenting on city business. The following guidelines apply to personal communications including various forms such as social media, letters to the editor of newspapers, and personal endorsements. ^ Remember that what you write is public and will be for a very long time. It may also be spread to large audiences. Use common sense when using email or social media sites. It is a good idea to refrain from sending or posting information that you would not want your supervisor or other employees to read, or that you would be embarrassed to see in the newspaper. ^ The city expects its employees to be truthful, courteous, and respectful towards supervisors, co-workers, citizens, customers, and other persons associated with the city. Do not engage in name-calling or personal attacks. ^ If you publish something related to city business, identify yourself and use a disclaimer such as, "I am an employee of the City of Elk River. However, these are my own opinions and do not represent those of the City of Elk River." ^ City resources, working time, or official city positions cannot be used for personal profit or business interests, or to participate in personal political activity. For example, a building inspector could not use the city's logo, email, or working time to promote his/her side business as a plumber. ^ Personal social media account names or email names should not be tied to the city. For example, E1kRiverCop. Adopted: S:\Administration\Communicadons\Branding Program\Communications Policy.doc Exhibit A Additional Policy for Social Media 1. Must be approved by the Ciry Administrator or his/her designee before implementing a social media site. 2. Must follow the Communication Strategy and Brand Plan. 3. Visitors to social media sites shall be notified that the intended purpose of the site is to serve as a communication tool with the public and that all information on the site and its list of fans are public records subject to the MN Government Data Practices Act. 4. Do not post photos or video of individuals without their permission. Do not post photos that infringe on trademark, copyright, etc. Do not post the name of any individual without permission from that person. Give credit to appropriate persons when required. 5. Do not post information that affiliates the city with or advocates for a political party or candidate running for office. 6. Where possible, content posted to social media sites should contain links directing users back to the city's official website for in-depth information, forms, etc. 7. Departments shall use proper grammar. Social media sites are more casual than most other communication tools but still represent the city at all times. 8. The city reserves the right to shut down any social media account due to violations in any laws or city policies and/or termination of an employee. 9. Adhere to area of your business expertise and provide your perspective on your current activities and those of your industry. 10. Always think before posting; if it causes you to pause or question if it is appropriate, it most likely should not be posted. 11. Be aware that by identifying yourself as a city employee you are creating perceptions about yourself and about the city. Be sure all content associated with you is consistent with your work and the city's professional standards. 12. Social media sites must be monitored on a daily basis. 13. Comments to walls and discussion boards shall be turned off. Records Retention Departmental staff shall be responsible for the content and upkeep of any social media sites their department may create. City social media sites are subject to the adopted General Records Retention Schedule for Minnesota Cities. Any department maintaining a social media site shall preserve records required to be maintained pursuant to the retention schedule for the required retention period in a format that preserves the integrity of the original record and is easily accessible. All city social media sites shall comply with all appropriate City of Elk River policies. Data Practices Non-public or confidential data shall not be posted per the data practices act. Any department maintaining a social media site is responsible for responding completely and accurately to any public records request on social media. Violations of the Policy and Discipline Employees may be disciplined in accordance with the city's Personnel Manual for violations of this policy. Adopted: S:\Administration\Communications\Branding Program\Communications Policy.doc Exhibit B City of Elk River Official Internet/Social Media Sites Facebook http: / /www.facebook.com/pa~cs /F.lk-River-1~~1N /la;lk-River-h;D / 192270624664 Created by Economic Development Division. http: / /wwtv.facebook.comfpagw /Elk-River-l~-IN /Elk-River-Parks-and- Recreation / 56398107181 Created by Parks and Recreation Department http: / /www. facebook.com/home.php?# /pages /Elk-River-MN /Elk-River-Energy Cite /221383886816?ref=ts Created by Environmental Division for Energy City. Twitter wwty. twitter. com / ourelkriver Created by the EOC PIO. For emergencies only. ~vw-w. twitter. com / elkrivered Created by Economic Development Division. www. twitter. c om / elkriverpr Created by Parks & Recreation Department. Websites www.erpr.org Parks and Recreation programming registration www. ci. elk-river.mn.us Created and maintained by Administration Division. Main city website. w~ww.elkriverenergycity.o zg Created by Environmental Division. Energy City website. Google Picasa ^ htt~://~icasaweb.google.com/elkl~-iverfire Created be Fire Department. You Tube ^ Elk River Parks and Recreation has various videos under elkriverpr. Adopted: S:\Administration\Communications\Branding Program\Communications Policy.doc