Fallbrook CPG adopts social media policy, approves website and Facebook page

The Fallbrook Community Planning Group adopted a policy for social media use involving official planning group matters while also approving a website and Facebook page and selecting Steve Brown as the webmaster.

The social media policy required a second reading to be adopted and added into the planning group's bylaws, and a 13-0 vote July 19 with Tom Harrington and Kim Murphy absent approved that second reading.

A 14-0 vote June 21 with Stephani Baxter out of town and not having Zoom teleconference ability set the July 19 date to vote on the adoption of the policy after the policy was discussed. The July 19 vote to approve the website and Facebook page was 9-3 with one member not voting. Planning group chair Jack Wood was given the authority to appoint the Facebook page and website coordinator and chose Brown.

The social media policy states that no planning group member shall identify as representing the planning group unless authorized by the chair (planning group committee chairs may address committee activities), that a planning group member can identify an issue but not claim to represent the planning group on that issue, that members can receive input and provide information on an item on an upcoming planning group agenda but can not give an opinion, that partisan political views should not be included, that political signs or messages not be visible on social media posts or during teleconference meetings (this applies only to planning group members and not to members of the public participating in teleconference meetings), that a planning group member requested by a member of the public to provide information should refer that person to the planning group chair unless otherwise directed, that the planning group members should present themselves as impartial and unbiased on any planning group issue prior to planning group (including committee) discussion, that the planning group may have a social media page with conditions to ensure neutrality, that the planning group chair can appoint another planning group member to oversee social media pages, and that the social media policy is not intended to be more restrictive than the state Brown Act which covers public meetings or county Policy I-1 which addresses community planning and sponsor groups.

The vote only approved the creation of a website and Facebook page and did not address content. "Only one person has control," said planning group member Victoria Stover. "All 15 of us don't always have a say so."

Planning Group member Mark Mervich noted that approximately 35 to 40% of residents speak a primary language other than English and desired content in other languages.

"We can certainly look into that," Wood said.