Submitted By: City Manager
Prepared By: Andy Hall, City Manager
Subject:
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REVIEW OF CITY POLICY RELATED TO CITY COUNCILMEMBERS CONDUCTING PRESS CONFERENCES AND POTENTIAL DISCUSSION OF POLICY CHANGES
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Summary:
At the August 18, 2026, Regular Meeting of the City Council, Councilmembers requested the preparation of a staff report containing the relevant policies associated with members of the City Council conducting press conferences. Staff reviewed current policies and the Municipal Code and determined there are no existing policies or Ordinances specifically dedicated to Press Conferences. Staff attached some of the policies and citations that are most closely related to the subject of press conferences for City Council review and potential action.
Background:
Members of the City Council often distribute information through mass and social media platforms. This practice allows elected officials to communicate with constituents in an efficient manner about issues deemed to be important to the community. There are many options for media communication, one of which is a formal press conference.
Because communication with constituents is a primary function of an elected official, communication with media outlets is common. One strategy for engaging the media is to arrange a formal press conference where members of the media are invited to hear directly from one or more members of the City Council (not a majority) and ask questions. The process is more efficient than speaking with each outlet individually and often leads to more consistent dissemination of information.
Discussion:
Although the Municipal Code and policies of the City Council lack specific instructions about how a press conference is organized and conducted, the activity is commonplace in local government. Following a review of existing policies, staff identified some related procedures for consideration:
City Council Policy 1201-7 (Attachment 1) was created to address City Council...
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