City departments on Facebook

By MICHAEL WHITNEY EVERETT The city is slowly rolling out Facebook pages for most of its departments. The Police Department, Fire Department, Everett Transit and Everett Library all have Facebook pages. The Public Works Departments Facebook page launched late last month. The Police Department posts crime blotter highlights to its Facebook page made public last week. The Facebook pages are meant to communicate targeted information, city spokeswoman Kate Reardon said previously. The city is working to develop Facebook pages for the Carl Gipson Senior Center, the Everett Animal Shelter, Parks and Recreation Department and other outward-facing departments, Reardon said. Some departmental pages allow people to comment publicly, however, one resident says his comment concerning a storm drain on the public works page was deleted. Reardon didnt know why that happened. City ofcials are instructed not to delete anything from the Facebook pages, Reardon said. But in the citys 11-page social media policy document, comments can be deleted from Facebook but must be retained as a public record. The parameters for deleting comments include if the comment is obscene, libelous or political. I simply said I hoped Public Works responded to postings on FB about citizens issues because they do not respond to repeated e-mails and calls. I went on to say that I had contacted them repeatedly about a storm water grate that is sinking and I hope they respond to me about it...Then, magically, my posting was deleted.... the resident told the Tribune over Facebook. The policy also says elected ofcials and appointed commissioners are not to comment on the citys social media sites without a waiver from Reardon. The ban is to avoid creating a public meeting violation in case more than half of a board or council posts in an online conversation. Each departments Facebook page has a department member managing the Facebook page.