Attachment 1
POLICY AND PROCEDURE
Subject:
Use of Titles after the Term has Concluded and Use of City Seal for Official City Business Only Index: City Council
Number:
1201-14
Effective Date:
January 15, 2025
Prepared City Clerk
By:
Supersedes:
None.
Approved By:
City Council
PURPOSE:
To establish a policy prohibiting the use of the titles of Mayor and Mayor Pro Tempore (and Commission or Committee Chair and Vice Chair) after the terms for the same have concluded, and prohibiting the use of the City seal except in connection with official City business. When one does not concurrently and legitimately hold the position of Mayor or Mayor Pro Tempore, the policy set forth below prohibits misappropriating to the public in any way the title, when they have not been bestowed with it. This conduct may mislead the public and constitutes unethical behavior. It in effect steals the honor, dignity and esteem of the office to which they are not accredited.
ORGANIZATIONS AFFECTED:
City Council
City Commissions and Committees*
*Note: Except as otherwise noted throughout this Policy, this Policy shall a/so apply to the City's Commissions and Committees. In applying this Policy to City Commissions and Committees, the term "City Council" shall be interpreted to mean the name of the City Commission or Committee, the term "Mayor" shall be interpreted to mean "Chairperson", the term "Mayor Pro Tempore” shall be interpreted to mean "Vice Chair”.
POLICY:
Use of the Title of Mayor and Mayor Pro Tempore Once the Term has Concluded In the City of San Clemente, there is only one Mayor and Mayor Pro Tempore at a time. Protocol hereby established prescribes that addressing an individual as Mayor is reserved only for the current office holder to reduce confusion for anyone not familiar with the structure of the City Council.
The Mayor, Mayor Pro Tempore and Councilmembers speaking as private citizens at a public meeting or in any public setting shall identify themselves as private citizens and state that they are not representing the City in an official capacity when the City has not officially taken a position. The prohibition of this section shall not prevent anyone speaking in public from accurately communicating any title which has been properly bestowed upon them.
3.1.3 The Mayor, Mayor Pro Tempore and Councilmembers shall not wear their City nametag or City seal on clothing or use it in any manner other than in connection with official City engagements or when performing official City business.
3.1.4 All persons other than the current Mayor are prohibited from using the title of Mayor. All persons other than the current Mayor Pro Tempore are prohibited from using the title of Mayor Pro Tempore. Such prohibitions apply to the use of such titles verbally, in print, in electronic format or in any other form and apply immediately upon leaving office.
3.1.5 The only appropriate use of City titles following leaving office would be to refer to oneself as a “Former Mayor” or “Former Mayor Pro Tempore”.
3.1.6 No Mayor or Mayor Pro Tempore, when seeking election to public office, shall use a ballot designation which will appear on an election ballot on a date when the title has not been previously and officially enacted to be in effect on the date of the election.
3.1.7 This policy shall relate to public representations of any sort, including non-city related endeavors such as communications of all sorts during political campaigns, obtaining economic gain, seeking to avoid traffic tickets or to impede criminal investigations.
FAILURE TO COMPLY WITH POLICY:
Failure to Comply with the Policy. Penalties for failing to comply with this policy may include:
4.1.1 The City Council holding a censure hearing and censuring an official that is currently holding an elected office.
4.1.2 Removal of the title of Mayor or Mayor Pro Tem, until 2026, at which time the Mayor becomes elected at large.
4.1.2 Failure of a City Commission or Committee member to comply with this may result in removal from the Commission or Committee by a majority City Council vote.