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Conduct Keep political support away from public forums Board and commission members may offer political support to a Councilmember, but not in a public forum while conducting official duties. Conversely, Councilmembers may support board and commission members who are running for elective office,but not in an official forum in their capacity as a Councilmember. 7. Elected and Appointed Officials' Conduct with the Media Board and commission members are not authorized to represent the City outside of official board/commission meetings unless specifically authorized to do so. Councilmembers are frequently contacted by the media for background and quotes. The best advice.for dealing with the media is to never go "off the record" Most members of the media follow journalistic ethics and can be trusted to keep their word. But one bad experience can be catastrophic. Words that are not said cannot be quoted. The Mayor is the official spokesperson.for the City on City positions. The Mayor is the designated representative of the City Council to present and speak on the official City position. If an individual Councilmember is contacted by the media, the Councilmember should direct the requester to the Mayor. If the Councilmember chooses to engage with the requester, they should be clear about whether their comments represent the official City position or a personal .� viewpoint. Choose words carefully and cautiously Comments taken out of context can cause problems. Be especially cautious about humor, sarcasm,or word play. It is never appropriate to use personal slurs or swear words when talking with the media. C. SANCTIONS Model of'Excellence City Councilmembers, board and commission members, and Council appointees who do not sign the Model of Excellence (Appendix A) shall be ineligible for intergovernmental assignments or Council subcommittees. Ethics Training for Public Officials City Councilmembers, board and commission members, and Council appointees who are out of compliance with State- or City-mandated requirements for ethics training shall not represent the City on intergovernmental assignments or Council sub-committees, and may be subject to sanctions. Public Disruption Members of the public who do not follow proper conduct after a warning in a public hearing may be barred from further testimony at that meeting or removed from the Council Chambers/meeting room. .OUN For ease of reference in the Code of Ethics and Conduct, the term ".Member"refers to any member of the Sunnyvale City Council or the City's boards and commissions established by the City Charter-, City Ordinance or Council policy. Nage 12 of 15 Approved by City Council on 2/14/2023