BANFF – A draft code of conduct for council reinforces the municipality’s position that the mayor acts as the official spokesperson for the Town of Banff.
While the call for a unified voice is already outlined in the Town of Banff’s existing communication policy, some councillors wanted some clarity on when it was OK to speak their minds and allow for a diversity of opinions.
“I think it’s very good … allowing opinion to shine through,” said Councillor Peter Poole.
When the mayor is absent, the deputy or acting mayor acts as the official spokesperson. All media inquiries regarding the official council position on an issue shall be referred to council’s official spokesperson.
The draft code of conduct also states the person authorized as council’s official spokesperson must ensure their comments accurately reflect the official position and will of council as a whole, even if they personally disagrees with council’s position.
In addition, a statement or communication made by a member is presumed to be made on the member’s own behalf, not the Town of Banff’s behalf.
Councillor Chip Olver, however, wanted more clarity on that.
“I think a communications policy could make more clarity around how it defines members’ behalf, so it’s not confused with Town of Banff official statements,” she said.
Jason Darrah, the Town of Banff’s director of communications, said he takes a restrictive view on who speaks for the municipal corporation, but a permissive approach up until the point a council decision is made.
“There’s the wonderful benefit of diversity of opinion in our democracy that should be encouraged and should shine through,” Darrah said.
“Once a decision of council is made … there should be an alignment that anyone who is designated to speak for council, or the Town, does adhere to that decision of council.”
A code of conduct governing councillors’ behaviour is now a mandatory requirement of the provincial government.
The Municipal Government Act sets out the minimum topics a code of conduct must address, such as communicating on behalf of the municipality, establishment of a complaint process, conflict of interest, and improper use of influence among others.
While not mandatory, appropriate use of social media may be addressed in a code of conduct. For Banff, however, that’s likely to be addressed in the update of the communications policy in 2021.
While use of social media is touched upon in several codes of conduct across the province, Libbey McDougall, the Town of Banff’s municipal clerk, said they primarily deal with social media use during election campaigns.
“I have not noticed a big problem, at least nothing so far in Banff that has caused me pause in terms of how you all are maintaining a social media presence,” she said.
Councillor Corrie DiManno said she would like to see some clear guidance on social media protocols.
“What’s proper procedure for us and how do we make sure the public understands where official communications are coming from?” she said.
“I guess also just that when we are communicating with the public, that it’s in the way that it should be done.”
Mayor Karen Sorensen agreed, saying the review of the communications policy might be a good time to look at a social media policy.
“It has been a cloudy issue for sure,” she said, noting she uses Facebook as Karen Hunter Sorensen and Instagram and Twitter as Banff’s mayor.
“But there is this interesting thing with social media where people want authenticity and they want it to be the actual person doing it it.”
