CLEARLAKE, Calif. – In the midst of the fall election season, the Clearlake City Council on Thursday night approved a policy on candidates’ forums that use the council chambers and are broadcast on cable access television.

City Manager Joan Phillipe brought to the council the updated policy affecting not just forums in the chambers but those that are broadcast on TV8, the cable access station housed in city hall.

City Attorney Malathy Subramanian originally had drafted the proposed policy in 2010, but it hadn’t previously made it to the council, according to Phillipe.

Phillipe was advised of the policy after she joined the city last October. At that time, she was told the Public Education Government (PEG) Board had addressed concerns about forums.

However, Phillipe said recently the city received a request for the use of the council chambers for a forum. She said it was not at all clear to the staffer processing the request that all of the requirements for holding such an event had been met.

As a result, Phillipe reviewed the policy, which she wanted the council to approve.

She said the city is responsible not only for what happens in the chambers but for what appears on the PEG Channel, and it can be held liable and face possible litigation if the events aren’t fair. It’s important for the city to be neutral, she added.

The use of the council chambers and the television station both quality as expenditures of public funds, Phillipe said.

Council member Judy Thein said all candidates at such events should be given the same questions to ensure fairness. She said the format of the forums also should be approved by the city manager.

Council member Joyce Overton, who chairs the PEG Board, said that all candidates have to be invited to forums, which must be moderated by an unbiased person, with each candidate getting the same questions.

She said the PEG Board was in support of the policy and wanted to include it in the station’s manual.

Mayor Joey Luiz said the proposed policy wasn’t a reactive item, and that he hasn’t seen problems with the forums he’s been in involved in or which have taken during the current election cycle. Rather, he said it’s “good housekeeping” to have something in place.

Overton moved to adopt the policy, including Thein’s proposals to have all candidates receive the same questions with the city manager’s approval of the format.

The council approved the policy 5-0.

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