APPENDIX X.
ELECTRONIC MESSAGE BOARD

RESOLUTION NO. 1462

A RESOLUTION ESTABLISHING STANDARDS AND PROCEDURES FOR USE OF THE ELECTRONIC MESSAGE BOARD

WHEREAS, the City has purchased an electronic message board to replace the manual reader board located in Benny Hubble Park; and

WHEREAS, minimal standards and procedures are required to allow staff to process an application for a message to be placed on the electronic message board; and

NOW THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the following standards and procedures are hereby adopted:

1.    Application: An application needs to be completed on the forms provided by the City.  The applications are considered on a first come–first serve basis, timeliness of the event, and on the overall community benefit as determined by Community Coordinator or his designee.

2.    Message:

a)    There is no exclusive use of the message board by the public.

b)    The City may use the electronic message board for promotion of City-sponsored activities.

c)    Events posted on the electronic message board must appeal to a wide, Cottage Grove area audience.  The event must be open to the public and not be exclusively for commercial gain.

d)    Promotion of alcohol or tobacco or any political candidate is prohibited.  Publishing any political, factional, sectarian, racist, sexist, bigoted, false, misleading or deceptive viewpoint is prohibited.

e)    The message must not imply City endorsement or approval of the event.

f)    The City reserves the right to edit, reword or condense the message.

g)    The City reserves the right to refuse to post any message.

3.    Duration of Message: No message may be advertised more than fourteen (14) days prior to the event.  The City reserves the right to reduce the time period and determine the frequency that the message appears in any 24-hour period in order to accommodate as many events as possible. Messages will be posted in a timely manner, but not necessarily immediately upon submission.

4.    Priority Use: The City shall determine the priority of messages.  Emergency messages authorized by the City Manager, Chief of Police or Emergency Program Manager have priority over all other messages.

5.    Approval/Denial Process: The Community Coordinator or designee shall approve or deny the application within three (3) working days of receipt of the application.  Denial may be appealed to the City Manager who shall make a decision on the denial within five (5) working days.  Appeal of the City Manager’s denial shall be to City Council.  In order to appeal to City Council an appeal shall be filed in writing three (3) working days after the date of denial by the City Manager.  The appeal shall be submitted to the City Recorder and forwarded to the next regular scheduled meeting.  The decision of City Council shall be final.  There is a $10 fee for an appeal to the City Manager.  There is no charge to appeal the City Manager’s decision to the City Council.

6.    Fee: There shall be no fee for an application, however donations are encouraged to help offset the cost of maintaining the electronic message board.

NOW, THEREFORE BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that this resolution shall take effect immediately upon adoption.

PASSED BY THE CITY COUNCIL AND APPROVED BY THE MAYOR THIS 24th DAY OF MARCH 2003.

ATTEST:

/s/

Richard Meyers, City Manager

Date:      March 26, 2003

APPROVED:

Gary Williams, Mayor

Date:    3-25-03