From:
To: City Council
Subject: Public Comment opposing agenda item number 16: Discussion of media press contact procedures Date: Monday, March 3, 2025 1:14:53 PM
To the Sebastopol City Council,
As a long-time resident of Sebastopol I am writing with concern about the City's proposed changes to the media press contact policy. These changes would slow council members' ability to respond to reporters' questions, have a chilling effect on council members willingness to speak their minds, give them the feeling that they were being observed by the mayor, city staff, and other council members, limit the ways in which the press can contact council members, and slow the rate of response which could lead to delays in breaking news to city residence.
This issue was brought to my attention by the reporting in the Sebastopol Times newsletter, which I have subscribed to for about six months and rely upon for information regarding the City Council, among other topics. This coverage, which is prompt and accurate, is crucial for keeping residents in the loop about City Council actions, especially for folks who are unable to attend the sometimes hours-long meetings.
I am strongly opposed to these proposed changes and as a voting resident will be watching carefully to see how councilmembers react to public pushback on this topic.
Thank you for your consideration,
Jojo Sanders