Consider Policy on COR Facebook Content

Over the past several years, the development team has maintained a facebook page for The COR.  This page is intended specifically for the promotion and marketing of The COR and communication with residents in an attempt to provide the most current information.

With the initial branding and the establishment of a project mission for The COR, the development team and the HRA identified the need to make concerted efforts to overcome the prevalent negative perceptions of Ramsey Town Center. Specifically of concern was the history of alleged dealings between the City, the developer, and the banking community. 

For the last two years we have worked to replace this negative perception with very positive successes in The COR.  We have grown the facebook page from 0 to almost 500 followers, over 400 of which are Ramsey residents.  This platform is used routinely to convey positive stories and achievements, as well as promoting events that occur in The COR.  This has received overwhelming positive feedback from comments, likes, and personal messages received on the site.

Over the same period there have been a few instances of derogatory or abusive behavior on the site.  These comments have been managed by the development team on a case-by-case basis.  Rather than limiting comments we have deleted offending posts and reminded the person posting that this is not an appropriate venue.  This has worked well to date.

The City Council will be reviewing this, and other policies related to social networking at an upcoming work session.

Below is a current excerpt from city policy related to City Personal Social Networking while off duty and the City’s Responsibility:

The City of Ramsey has a duty to protect the reputation of the organization and its employees as well as guard against any liability and potential legal risk regardless of when and where social networking activity occurs. With this in mind, employees must use social media in a manner that follows the following guidelines:

• Individuals should exercise caution and good judgment when social networking
• Individuals shall not represent that they are speaking or acting on behalf of the City of Ramsey or presenting any interests of the City of Ramsey
• Content that violates existing City policies that exhibit hate, bias, discrimination, pornography, libelous or otherwise defamatory content will not be tolerated
• Individuals are prohibited from using social networking sites to harass or attack others, including those who work for the City of Ramsey

The development team feels the Facebook platform is an essential and effective marketing tool for The COR.  We would like to continue it's current use, including allowing commenting as it is today.

We would like the HRA's thoughts on developing a policy that allows us to maintain the positive benefits of the site, and allows the management of comments in a way that promotes the project and allows resident and industry contacts to provide comment and feedback.

The development team recommends the HRA adapt an interim policy until such time as a more comprehensive policy can be considered and adapted.

The development team recommends the HRA continue to allow commenting and messaging on The COR facebook page, and that offending comments are removed manually as necessary.  Continued offenders can be banned indivudually, as necessary.

 N/A

Approve an interim policy on the use of facebook to promote The COR that continues to allow commenting and messaging on The COR facebook page, and that offending comments are removed manually as necessary. Continued offenders can be banned individually, as necessary.