Wording in terms of reference for select city committees is outdated when it comes to restrictions placed on members speaking to media, White Rock Mayor Catherine Ferguson has said.
Ferguson raised the issue Monday, during a meeting of the city’s governance and legislation committee in which policies for the various committees’ terms were endorsed.
Ferguson pointed specifically to a general term that states “members of the committee are not permitted to speak directly with the media on behalf of the committee, without prior approval from the city manager.”
A motion to remove the clause was carried, following word from city manager Peggy Clark it was not new.
“Then it’s long overdue to be removed,” Ferguson said.
Clark noted “the operative phrase is ‘speaking on behalf of the committee.'”
In supporting Ferguson’s motion, Coun. Helen Fathers suggested the phrase be removed from all the committees’ terms of reference, a point Clark said would be addressed by removing it from the general terms.
Committee members supported the motion unanimously.
