Communications  Policy

 COMMUNICATIONS POLICY

OF

WINCHESTER TOWN MEETING MEMBERS ASSOCIATION

Adopted on September 27, 2023

TERMS

In this document:

·      “TMMA” means Winchester Town Meeting Members Association; 

·      “TMMA member or members” means all duly elected or appointed and currently serving Winchester Town Meeting members in good standing, as certified by the Winchester town clerk, and who participate in the TMMA; and 

·      “Communications channel or channels” means and includes: 

o   TMMA directory of members; 

o   TMMA email lists; 

o   TMMA discussion board;

o   TMMA website; and

o   TMMA social media accounts.[1]

PURPOSE

This policy establishes guidelines for use of the TMMA’s communication channels by TMMA members consistent with the purpose of the TMMA, which is:

·      To enable well-informed debate and decisions during Winchester town meetings through:

o   Supporting communication among town meeting members about town issues and town meeting articles; 

• • Facilitating the timely distribution of information about town issues and town meeting articles to town meeting members and the public; and 

  • Broadening public awareness of the Winchester Town Meeting and its role in town governance.  

ADMINISTRATION

The TMMA communication channels are approved by the executive board and established and operated by the TMMA Web Manager.  

The contents of the discussion board are monitored by the TMMA Discussion Board Monitor (hereafter referred to as “Monitor”) who shall have wide discretion in interpreting and applying these guidelines. The Monitor may:

·      Delete content judged not in compliance with these guidelines and the TMMA bylaws; 

·      Recommend to the TMMA executive board that users who violate these guidelines be denied access to the TMMA’s communication channels; and

·      With the approval of the executive board, convene an advisory committee to assist in periodic improvement of the guidelines and their enforcement.  

The discussion board will not be open for posting when Winchester Town Meeting is in session.  

The TMMA Membership Manager shall update the list of TMMA members and their email addresses: 

·      After the results of the annual town election of Winchester Town Meeting members are certified by the Winchester town clerk;

·      When a member resigns, moves out of Winchester or is other otherwise disqualified, as certified by the Winchester town clerk; or 

·      When a TMMA member elects to disassociate themselves from the TMMA.  

The TMMA Membership Manager shall provide the updated list to the Web Manager for posting to the TMMA website and to the Recording Secretary for the TMMA’s records.  

MEMBER USE OF COMMUNICATION CHANNELS

The communication channels are for use by TMMA members only; however, all channels will be visible to the public.  Accordingly, TMMA members should have no expectation of privacy when using the TMMA’s communication channels.  

Members using the communication channels shall —

·      Address articles before the Winchester Town Meeting; 

·      Address issues before the town that are actionable at the local and state levels by the Winchester Town Meeting; 

·      Observe copyright restrictions and provide sources when citing studies and publicly available information; 

·      Observe the Commonwealth’s Open Meeting Law (G.L. c.  30A, §§18-25) if serving on an elected or appointed town board, committee or commission; and 

·      Provide their name and precinct number on all postings. 

Members using the communication channels shall not —

·      Post ad hominem attacks, statements or materials that are defamatory, hostile, threatening or intended to intimidate or harass TMMA members, town meeting members, town officials and staff, or other groups or individuals; 

·      Use an alias or avatar to avoid personal identification; 

·      Use their TMMA email address for official town business if serving on an elected or appointed town board, committee or commission; 

·      Post statements or materials in support of or opposing candidates for election to public offices; 

·      Misrepresent the TMMA as supporting or opposing articles before the Winchester Town Meeting, issues before the town or candidates for election to public offices; and

·      Post illegal materials.

Members using the communication channels may —

·      Re-post messages and information from non-members, including:

o   constituents; 

o   elected officials; 

o   elected or appointed members of town boards, committees and commissions; 

o   town staff; 

o   public and private organizations; and 

o   residents,

·      Provided that all re-posted messages and information:

o   comply with the TMMA’s Communications Policy;

o   are re-posted with the written permission of the non-member or are from a publicly available and cited source; and

o   identify both the member and non-member.

The contents of the TMMA communication channels, including, but not limited to, the directory, email lists, discussion board and website, may not be copied or sold in digital or print formats without the written permission of the TMMA executive board.

NON-MEMBER USE OF COMMUNICATION CHANNELS

With the approval of the TMMA Chair, the Monitor may allow the chair of a town elected or appointed board, committee or commission (or their designee) to post information to the TMMA discussion board about an article that their board, committee or commission is sponsoring for consideration at the next scheduled town meeting.  The information must be posted with the knowledge and approval of the sponsoring board, committee or commission.  Such postings may be allowed for a period of time, generally no more than a period beginning three (3) months before the first session of the town meeting and ending with the opening of the first session of the town meeting.  The chair or their designee is responsible for ensuring compliance with the Commonwealth’s Open Meeting Law (G.L. c.  30A, §§18-25) because all postings will be visible to members of their board, committee or commission, all members of the Winchester Town Meeting and the general public.  

With the approval of the TMMA Chair, the Monitor may allow the lead petitioner (or their designee) to post information to the TMMA discussion board about a petitioned article that will be considered at the next scheduled town meeting.  Such postings may be allowed for a period of time to be established by the TMMA executive board, but generally no more than a period beginning three (3) months before the first session of the town meeting and ending with the opening of the first session of the town meeting.  The lead petitioner (or their designee) is responsible for the factual accuracy of their postings, which will be visible to all town boards, committees and commissions, all members of the Winchester Town Meeting and the general public. 

EVENT NOTICES

Notice of TMMA annual meetings, general meetings, executive board meetings, information sessions, site tours and briefings, and new member orientation sessions shall be posted to the appropriate TMMA communication channels. 

Notice of non-TMMA meetings, presentations, symposia and events may be posted if they are directly related to the purposes of the TMMA, issues before the town or articles before town meeting.  Examples of acceptable postings are notices of — 

·      Town board, committee, commission, departmental and staff meetings, hearings and events addressing town policies, programs, projects, issues and articles of interest and import to TMMA members;

·      Winchester Town Meeting sessions, precinct meetings, and Winchester Town Meeting-sponsored informational events;

·      State, metropolitan and municipal events addressing issues directly relevant to Winchester Town Meeting (e.g., zoning, health, flooding, building codes, funding, etc.); and 

·      Non-partisan events that are open to the public, such as debates among candidates for election to Winchester town offices and the Winchester Town Meeting.  

Notices of political party meetings and events, political action committee meetings and events, and campaign events supporting individual candidates or slates of candidates are not allowed.  

DISCLAIMERS

The TMMA will monitor information on the TMMA’s communication channels for compliance with these guidelines; however, the TMMA shall not be responsible for or guarantee the factual accuracy of comments, questions and information posted or re-posted by any TMMA member.  

The TMMA will periodically archive copies of the contents of its communication channels; however, the TMMA does not intend to record or archive all communications, nor will the TMMA guarantee the completeness and factual accuracy of any archived materials.  

TOWN CORRESPONDENCE

Correspondence intended for the Winchester Town Meeting, the Winchester Town Meeting moderator, the Winchester town clerk, Winchester town boards, committees, commissions, the Winchester town manager, town departments or individual town staff should be sent directly to them.  Such communications should not be sent to the TMMA or posted to the TMMA communication channels.  The TMMA does not and is not authorized to maintain or manage official correspondence or records for the Town of Winchester.

TMMA CORRESPONDENCE 

Correspondence about the TMMA Communications Policy and possible violations of the Communications Policy should be addressed to the TMMA Discussion Board Monitor at Monitor@WinchesterTMMA.org and copied to TMMA Chair at Chair@WinchesterTMMA.org.  

[1] The TMMA may establish and maintain accounts on social media platforms, such as Facebook, YouTube, WhatsApp, Instagram, Threads, X (formerly Twitter), etc., if and when approved by the TMMA executive board.