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13 - Social Media PolicyProtecting our community's health and the environment by providing solid waste and sewer collection services. www.cmsdca.gov Costa Mesa Sanitary District ….an Independent Special District Memorandum T o: Board of Directors Via: Scott Carroll, General Manager From: Elizabeth Pham, Management Assistant Date: April 24 , 201 4 Subject: So cial Media Policy Revision Summary On T uesday , March 18 , 2014, the Board of Directors approved the District’s Facebook page. Facebook is a social media forum that allows staff to broadcast District events and programs. As a form of social media, it was necessary to revise current procedures for using social media while at the workplace. Staff Recommendation Staff recommends the Board of Directors approve the policy. Analysis The original Social Media Policy was developed prior to the District formalizing its Facebook page. Since its original adoption, the Board of Directosr has approved the District’s Facebook page and requested staff re -evaluate the social media policy for compliance with existing District intentions. The purpose of this revised po licy is to amend procedures for using social media while at the workplace. The policy outline s the protocol and procedures for use of social media to publicize official District services and events. In addition, this policy addresses the responsibilities o f individual employees and District officials with regard to social media and the use of District resources (time/equipment), as well as responsibilities related to the public records and open meeting laws. The most significant amendment to the existing policy was to clarify the purpose of the social media page which is exclusively for District promotional purposes and will not serve as a public comment forum. ITEM NO. 13 Board of Directors April 24 , 201 4 Page 2 of 2 Strategic Plan Element & Goal This item complies with the objective and strategy of Strategic Element 5.0, Administrative Management, which states: “Objective : To create, maintain and implement policies and procedures to ensure sound management of the District.” “Strategy : We will conduct periodic reviews, refine and implement policies and pro cedures, and assure the General Manager has the direction and tools necessary for successful District operations.” Legal Review Staff submitted the social media policy to District Counsel for review and amendments. District Counsel recommends the amende d policy to replace our current Employee Handbook Policy 19.2. Environmental Review Updating the administrative regulations is exempt from the requirements of the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) (Public Resources Code Section 21000 et. seq.). Section 15300.4 of CEQA allows an agency while establishing its own procedures “to list those specific activities which fall within each of the exempt classes”, and the District has adopted “CEQA Guidelines and Implementing Procedures” that state on pa ge 6 “”Projects” does not include …. C. Continuing administrative or maintenance activities.” Financial Review Not applicable. Public Notice Process Copies of this report are on file and will be included with the complete agenda packet for the April 24 , 201 4 , Board of Directors meeting at District Headquarters and posted on the District’s website. Alternative Actions 1. Refer the matter back to staff. Reviewed by: Javier Ochiqui Management Analyst Attachment A: Social Media Policy Attachment A Costa Mesa Sanitary District Personnel Policy No.19.2 Board of Directors Approved_______ SUBJECT: SOCIAL MEDIA USE PURPOSE: To establish procedures for using social media while at the workplace I. Purpose The policy outlines the protocol and procedures for use of social media to publicize official District services and events. In addition, this policy addresses the responsibilities of individual employees and District officials with regard to social media and the use of District resources (ti me/equipment), as well as responsibilities related to the public records and open meeting laws. II. Definitions A. Social Media -various forms of discu ssions and information -sharing, including social networks, blogs, video sharing, podcasts, wikis, mes sage boards, and online forums . Technologies include: picture -sharing, wall -postings, fan pages, e -mail, instant messaging and music -sharing. Examples of social media applications include , but are not limited to, Google, and Yahoo Groups, (reference, socia l networking), Wikipedia (reference), MySpace (social networking), Facebook (social networking), YouTube ( social networking and video sharing), Flickr, (photo sharing), Twitter (social networking and microblogging), LinkedIn (business networking), and ne ws media comment sharing/blogging. B. Social Networking - the practice of expanding business and/or social contacts by making connections through web -based applications. This policy focuses on social networking as it relates to the Internet to promote such connections for official District business and for employees, elected and appointed officials who are using this medium in the conduct of official District business. III. Policy A. All official District social media sites will be administered by the Ge neral Manager or his designee. These social media sites shall be used for the limited purpose of informing the public about District business, services and events. Individual departments may not have their own pages/sites. Individual departments wishing to add content to official District social media sites may submit a request to the General Manager. The Districts web site, www.cmsdca.gov will remain the official location for content regarding District business, servi ces and events. Whenever possible, links within social media formats should direct users back to the District web site for more information, forms, documents or online services necessary to conduct business with the Costa Mesa Sanitary District. Social Media Use Policy Page 2 of 3 B. Dist rict employees and appointed and elected officials shall not disclose information about confidential District business on either the District ’s social media sites or personal social media sites. In addition, all use of social media sites by elected and app ointed officials shall be in compliance with California’s open meeting laws. Employees and elected or appointed officials’ posts are a reflection of their own views and not necessarily those of the District. C. The District’s social media sites shall be used exclusively for District’s messages and speech. Public comments and public posting functions shall be turned off. The public is not permitted to post comments on District’s social media sites. In operating social media sites, the District does not intend to open any type of designated or limited public forum. Rather, the District intends its social media sites to be non -public forums for the dissemination of District’s speech to the public. District’s social media sites shall be reserved exclusive ly for content regarding District’s business. There shall be no campaigning or political speech. D . Posting/ Commenting Guidelines 1. All postings made by the District to social media sites will contain information and content that has already been publ ished or broadcast in an official manner or is otherwise not deemed confidential . The District will not comment on other social media member’s sites. All official social media postings by the District will be done solely on the District ’s social media site s . 2. The District reserves the right to remove content that is deemed in violation of this policy or any applicable law. The District will only post photos for which it has copyright or owner’s permission to use. 3. Chat functions in any social media sites will not be used. 4. Links to all social media networks to which the District belongs will be listed on the District’s official website. Interested parties wishing to interact with these sites will be directed to visit the District ’s web site for m ore information on how to participate. 5. The District reserves the right to temporarily or permanently suspend access to official District social media at any time. IV. Procedure s A. The District will refer users to the District’s official web site fo r information, forms, documents, or online services necessary to conduct business with the Costa Mesa Sanitary District. B. The District may invite others to participate in its social media sites. Such invitations will be based upon the best interests of the District as determined by the General Manager or designee. Social Media Use Policy Page 3 of 3 V . Responsibilities A. It is the responsibility of employees, and appointed and elected officials to understand the procedures as outlined in this policy. B. Employees who are not des ignated by the General Manager to access social media sites for official business are prohibited from accessing social media sites utilizing the District computing equipment and/ or the District’s web access. While at work, employees who are not granted ac cess via District systems and computing equipment may use personal computing devices and personal web accounts to access social media sites only during non -working hours such as lunch periods and breaks. C. The General Manager will designate a District staff person to cha i r the Website Committee that will review website and social media formats, contents, and standards. The committee will consist of management and non -management staff and will meet every quarter (once every three months) D. The General Manager will determine if a request is appropriate and adheres to the guidelines of this policy. E. All content posted on official District social media sites must comply with District web standards. Employee or District confidentiality shall be maintaine d in accordance with all applicable laws and District policies. If a question arises regarding the use or posting of confidential information on a social media site, the matter shall be referred to the General Manager for review. The information in questio n shall not be posted, or if already posted, shall be removed until an opinion is rendered by General Manager. F. All social media based services to be developed, designed, managed by or purchased from any third party source for use requires appropriate b udget authority and approval from the Board of Directors. .