The majority of this week’s poll takers (Feb. 16, 2012) feel that the use of electronic devices such as iPads and smart phones needs to be regulated and public policies developed to monitor their use during public meetings.
More than half (66 percent) of the respondents supported having public policies in place about where and when public officials should be using electronic devices. Thirty-two percent said that no public policies were necessary and 2 percent were not sure.
Forty percent of the respondents were not at all concerned about how public officials might use electronic devices to circumvent public meeting laws. Twenty-six percent were very concerned.
Here are some of the comments by those who responded to the survey:
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“A vast majority of the time the councilmember has already made up their mind on any given agenda item anyway and creating laws/regulations to curb the use of electronic devices is a waste of time.”
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“City officials should be focused on the topic at hand during public meetings. It is offensive to the public when public officials are distracted and disengaged. If related documents, maps, or laws are reviewed electronically rather than on paper — I don’t have a problem with them having electronic devices in these meetings.”
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“For more than a hundred years public meetings have been held ‘without electronic devices’. We can continue that successfully if we choose.”
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“Use the devices for reading docs and reports only, which are also available to the public (as required by law). Prohibit any online or cell-based communications during any legislative or quasi-judicial processes. All communications (digital, voice, paper, fax) are part of the legal public record, and are searchable under California Public Record Act requests.”
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“Allow their iPads or computers to be shown on a screen in front of them on the dais. That would show that they are only using it for official business.”
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“Get in the 21st Centutry.”
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“Elected Officials take an oath of office and should be trusted to not misuse electronic devices during a meeting of any sort.”
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“It is 2012 after all! Stop wasting paper.”
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“There are laws regarding the conduct of public meetings which should be followed so the meetings are above board and give the public some measure of confidence in the City leaders. Electronic devices, eventhough helpful and trendy, take away the level of concentration the City leaders need to give to the issues before them. It’s like texting when you drive. Its dangerous to those around you.”
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“Today we waste huge resources and a staff person delivers documents to the council members’ home. How dumb is that? Not to mention huge security risks.”
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“We should be able to trust our city leaders not to abuse the electronic device policy. They have nothing to gain and everything to lose.”
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“I guarantee that using these devices during public meetings is not always business and it just looks too disrespectful. They can be checking game scores, dinner reservations or playing Words with Friends — and that makes me angrier than Angry Birds!’”