Public Communication and Community Engagement
This domain tests how the clerk informs the public lawfully and accessibly: required notices, accessible formats, social media as a record, media relations, and participation channels. Items usually combine a legal requirement (notice, accessibility, records retention) with a communication choice.
Notice is a legal act
Statutory notice often requires a newspaper of general circulation, physical posting at a specified location, or both, with a defined number of days before the meeting or hearing. A website post is an addition, never a substitute unless the statute says so. Confirm the method, location, and counting rule for each notice type and keep an affidavit of publication or posting.
Accessibility and language access
ADA effective-communication rules require auxiliary aids on request; public meetings should be held in accessible facilities. Websites should meet recognized accessibility guidelines (WCAG 2.1 AA is the common benchmark), which means tagged PDFs, alt text, and readable contrast. Where a significant share of residents speaks another language, translated notices and interpreters reduce both legal risk and exclusion.
Social media and records
Official accounts are public records. Posts, comments, and messages must be captured under the retention schedule. Moderation policies must be viewpoint-neutral and applied consistently; deleting critical comments while leaving supportive ones invites a First Amendment claim.
Crisis and routine communication
Prepare a protocol: one spokesperson, verified facts only, a timeline for updates, and coordination with public safety. Never speculate about causes or casualties, and never promise outcomes you cannot control.
Worked example
A budget hearing requires publication in a newspaper 10 days in advance. The clerk places the notice on the website and social media but the newspaper deadline is missed. The hearing cannot be held as noticed; the clerk renotices and reschedules. The website post is retained as a record, but it does not cure the statutory defect.
Traps that cost marks
Treating the website as a substitute for required publication; deleting hostile social media comments under a vague policy; posting untagged, image-only PDFs; promising a decision outcome; failing to retain official social media posts.