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C. No personal attacks of any kind, under any circumstance. Council Members should be <br />aware that their body language and tone of voice, as well as the words they use, can appear to be <br />intimidating or aggressive. <br />D. Follow parliamentary procedure in conducting public meetings. The City Attorney serves <br />as advisory parliamentarian for the City and is available to answer questions or interpret situations <br />according to parliamentary procedures. Final rulings on parliamentary procedure are made by the <br />Mayor, subject to the appeal of the full Council. <br />6.3.2 In Unofficial Settings <br />A. Make no promises on behalf of the Council. Council Members will frequently be asked to <br />explain a Council action or to give their opinion about an issue as they meet and talk with constituents in <br />the community. It is appropriate to give a brief overview of City policy and to refer to City staff for <br />further information. It is inappropriate to overtly or implicitly promise Council action, or to promise City <br />staff will do something specific (fix a pothole, plow a specific street, plant new flowers in the median, <br />etc.). <br />B. Make no personal comments about other Council Members. It is acceptable to publicly <br />disagree about an issue, but it is unacceptable to make derogatory comments about other Council <br />Members, their opinions and actions. <br />C. Council Members are constantly being observed by the community every day that they <br />serve in office. Their behaviors and comments serve as models for proper conduct in the City of <br />Brooklyn Park. Honesty and respect for the dignity of each individual should be reflected in every word, <br />communication, (whether in social media or otherwise), and action taken by Council Members, 24 hours <br />a day, seven days a week. It is a serious and continuous responsibility. <br />6.4 Council Conduct with the Media Council Members may be contacted by the media for <br />background and quotes. <br />A. The Mayor is the official spokesperson for the representative on City position. The <br />Mayor is the designated representative of the Council to present and speak on the official City position. <br />If an individual Council Member is contacted by the media, the Council Member should be clear about <br />whether their comments represent the official City position or a personal viewpoint. <br />B. Choose words carefully and cautiously. Comments taken out of context can cause <br />problems. Be especially cautious about humor, sardonic asides, sarcasm, or word play. It is never <br />appropriate to use personal slurs or swear words when talking with the media. <br />C. The best advice for dealing with the media is to never go "off the record." <br />D. Inform the City Manager or Communications Manager. If contacted by the media, the <br />City Manager or Communications Manager should be informed. When possible the City Manager or <br />Communications Manager should be consulted before communicating to the media. <br />6.5 Council Conduct with Other Public Agencies Be clear about representing the City or personal <br />interests. If a Council Member appears before another governmental agency or organization to give a <br />statement on an issue, the Council Member must clearly state: 1) If his or her statement reflects <br />14