Please consider using the Council Message Board

[council3_rubal]

Fellow Council Members,
Please consider using the Council message board to openly discuss Council items. If you are unaware, in Texas, Council Message Boards are specialized online communication tools that allow members of a governmental body (like a city council or county commission) to discuss public business without violating the strict "open meeting" requirements of state law.

Here is the breakdown of how they are defined, how they function, and the legal authority behind them:
1. Definition
A council message board is an internal, yet publicly viewable, digital platform used by elected officials to communicate or exchange information. Unlike a private email chain or a "walking quorum" (which are illegal), these boards are designed to keep government deliberations transparent.
2. Function
The primary goal is to allow officials to share information or discuss policy asynchronously. Key functional features include:
• Public Access: While only authorized members (council and staff) can post, the public must be able to view the messages in real-time.
• Transparency: It prevents "behind-the-scenes" deal-making by ensuring the community can see the evolution of a policy discussion.
• Efficiency: It allows members to ask clarifying questions about upcoming agenda items before they reach the formal dais.

Thank you for your consideration in using this tool.

 

[council4_vaughan]

Agree, Bernie. Some comments were made at the last meeting about making the council meetings more efficient. This board is a tool that could be used for that. Perhaps discussion only items could come here first. Some times things need to be said at the meeting that could be more thoroughly discussed here first and then referenced at the meeting...e.g. "I think xyz and you can see more about my position on the message board. No need to rehash that here "

If any limits are placed on councilmember comments during the meeting, this message board could be used as a compromise to let that councilmember explain as much as they like.