No More Partisan Posts on County Facebook Page
- Erie County Executive Brenton Davis highlights the work done with Erie County Gaming Revenue Authority on the investment in child care in Erie County.
- A potential ban on political attacks on the Erie County government’s official Facebook page could be enacted through a local ordinance.
- Erie County Council is set to vote on March 11 on a measure designed to prevent the use of county resources, including official social media accounts adn websites,...
Erie County Considers Ordinance to Curb Political Posts on Official Facebook Page
Table of Contents
- Erie County Considers Ordinance to Curb Political Posts on Official Facebook Page
- Erie County Facebook Ordinance: Yoru Questions Answered
- What is the proposed ordinance in Erie County about?
- Why is Erie County considering this ordinance?
- Who is Brenton Davis and what is his role in this situation?
- How did Brenton Davis gain control of the Erie County Facebook page?
- What changes has Brenton Davis made to the Erie County Facebook page?
- What are Council Democrats saying about the Facebook page?
- What is the Davis administration’s response to these concerns?
- What happens if the ordinance is violated?
- What is the argument against having multiple Facebook pages for Erie County government?
- Who supports the proposed ordinance?
- What are the core arguments for and against the proposed ordinance?
- What is the importance of the Facebook page being classified as both a government organization and an elected official page?
- What is highly likely to happen next?
Erie County,EGCRA plan early childhood investment
Erie County Executive Brenton Davis highlights the work done with Erie County Gaming Revenue Authority on the investment in child care in Erie County.
Key Points
- Council Democrats suggest Davis should use personal Facebook for political views.
- Davis now controls the county’s official Facebook page after the Public Information Officer’s departure.
A potential ban on political attacks on the Erie County government’s official Facebook page could be enacted through a local ordinance.
Erie County Council is set to vote on March 11 on a measure designed to prevent the use of county resources, including official social media accounts adn websites, for political activities.
This action follows county Executive Brenton Davis’s use of the county’s Facebook page in February to criticize council Democrats. One post blamed them for the “mismanagement” of Pleasant Ridge Manor, alleging they “continue to waste more of your tax dollars on lawsuits and threats of audits.” Another post accused them of “political game-playing.”
Council Democrats, including Chairman Terry Scutella, have argued that Davis should express his political opinions on his personal or campaign facebook page.
The davis management has defended these posts as a means of providing openness.
According to a statement from Delilah Kuhn, executive assistant to the county executive, “It is proper for the county executive, in his official capacity, to inform the public of what is occurring in the operation of county business and the obstacles he encounters in administering county government.”
Davis has ‘taken over all operation’ of county Facebook page
The county government’s official Facebook page was established in 2015 as a government organization page.
While Facebook guidelines don’t specifically address partisan activity on such pages, the general expectation is non-partisanship, which has been reflected in the county’s page content over the past decade. This content typically includes job postings, event announcements, and general county business.
However, Davis has the potential to alter this approach moving forward.
According to a Feb. 25 email, County Director of Administration Joe Sinnott stated that Davis has “taken over all operation” of the official Facebook page since the departure of former Public Information Officer Chris Carroll in early February. Carroll’s position was eliminated in the 2025 budget.
Recent changes indicate a more direct management of the page by Davis.
The page has been renamed the “Official Facebook page of The Office of Erie County Executive,” a shift from its previous title, “Official Facebook page of erie County, Pennsylvania, government.”
Additionally, the page is now classified as both a government organization and an elected official page.
Sinnott explained that these changes were made “so that there will be no confusion as to the source and scope of the content.”
Kuhn’s statement reiterated that Davis ”will continue to use (the official page) and othre resources to keep the public informed on such critical matters.”
Administration: Council should create its own page
Sinnott suggested in his email that elected officials and other branches of government should maintain their own social media pages,ensuring their content “does not come under the scrutiny of or is subject to editing by the administration.”
“It would be in County Council’s best interest to develop their own social media platform,” Sinnott said.
Erie County Clerk Karen Chillcott, who also serves as clerk of elections, argued that this arrangement would place an unnecessary burden on residents and voters who would have to navigate multiple pages to access county information.
“There should be one place where people go for county information,” she said.
Councilman Rock Copeland stated that the county page, as a government organization page, does not belong to Davis or the administration. Instead, it should serve as a platform for all county entities and elected officials to share information with residents. He noted that the official page has over 6,500 followers.
“This is just another instance of Brenton davis refusing to collaborate with anyone and making it all about him,” said Copeland.
The proposed council measure aims to limit communications made on behalf of Erie County using county resources to official government business, public service announcements, and community information.
Violations of the ordinance would be considered an ethics violation and could be referred to the Pennsylvania State Ethics Commission if the violation involves the misuse of public office for personal or political gain.
All five council Democrats have voiced their support for the measure.
Copeland acknowledged his frustration with addressing a facebook-related issue.
“It feels like really vapid to talk about Facebook posts,” he said.”But I mean this is where we are right now. To establish decorum amongst one another, we have to create a new rule that didn’t exist before.”
Erie County Facebook Ordinance: Yoru Questions Answered
Erie County is facing a potential shift in how its official Facebook page is used, sparking debate and a proposed ordinance. HereS a breakdown of what’s happening and what it means for residents.
What is the proposed ordinance in Erie County about?
The proposed ordinance aims to limit the use of Erie County resources, specifically the official Facebook page and website, for political activities. It seeks to ensure that these platforms are used for official government buisness, public service announcements, and community information, maintaining a non-partisan presence.
Why is Erie County considering this ordinance?
The ordinance is a response to Erie County Executive Brenton Davis’s use of the county’s official Facebook page to criticize council Democrats. These posts were perceived as political attacks, leading to concerns about the appropriate use of county resources. One such post blamed the council for “mismanagement” of Pleasant Ridge Manor.
Who is Brenton Davis and what is his role in this situation?
Brenton Davis is the Erie County Executive. He has been using the official county Facebook page, now under his direct control, to express his views on county matters, which some perceive as political.He defends this as providing openness and informing the public.
How did Brenton Davis gain control of the Erie County Facebook page?
Following the departure of the former Public information Officer Chris Carroll, whose position was eliminated in the 2025 budget, County Executive brenton Davis “took over all operation” of the official Facebook page, according to an email from County Director of Governance Joe Sinnott.
What changes has Brenton Davis made to the Erie County Facebook page?
Davis has made several key changes, including:
Renaming the page to “Official facebook page of The Office of Erie County Executive,” from “Official Facebook page of Erie County, Pennsylvania, government.”
Classifying the page as both a government association and an elected official page.
These changes,according to Sinnott,were made to clarify the source and scope of the content.
What are Council Democrats saying about the Facebook page?
council Democrats, including chairman Terry Scutella, believe that County Executive Davis should use his personal or campaign Facebook page to express political opinions, rather than the official county page.
What is the Davis administration’s response to these concerns?
The Davis administration, through Delilah Kuhn, executive assistant to the county executive, defends the posts as a means of providing openness and informing the public about county business and potential obstacles.
What happens if the ordinance is violated?
Violations of the ordinance would be considered ethics violations and could be referred to the Pennsylvania State Ethics Commission if the misuse of public office for personal or political gain is involved.
What is the argument against having multiple Facebook pages for Erie County government?
Erie County Clerk Karen Chillcott argues that having separate social media pages for different branches of the government would burden residents and voters,who would then have to navigate multiple pages to access county information. She believes there should be a single, central source for all county-related information.
Who supports the proposed ordinance?
All five Erie County Council Democrats have voiced their support for the proposed ordinance.
What are the core arguments for and against the proposed ordinance?
The arguments can be summarized as follows:
| Argument Category | For the Ordinance | against the Ordinance |
| ———————– | ——————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————— | ——————————————————————————————————————————————————— |
| Use of Resources | County resources should not be used for political purposes. The official page should remain neutral and informative. | The County Executive should have the versatility to use official channels to inform the public, even if it addresses political realities. |
| Public Access | A single, centralized page provides easier access to information for residents. Multiple pages create confusion. | Separate pages allow different branches of government to communicate without administrative oversight or censorship. |
| Ethical Concerns | Prevents potential ethics violations related to misuse of public office. | Restricting communication could be seen as limiting clarity and the ability of the County Executive to address critical issues. |
| Collaboration | Promotes collaboration and ensures all county entities can share information. | Maintaining a clear distinction between official government information and political posts helps avoid confusion and potential bias.|
| Neutrality/Partisanship | Keeps official communications objective and avoids alienating residents with differing political views. | The County Executibe has the right and duty to the people of Erie County to use any means as they see fit to communicate important messages to them. |
What is the importance of the Facebook page being classified as both a government organization and an elected official page?
This dual classification blurs the lines between official government communications and the political activities of an elected official. This shift is viewed by some as a way for the County Executive to control the narrative and potentially promote his political agenda using county resources.
What is highly likely to happen next?
erie County Council is scheduled to vote on the proposed ordinance, and the outcome will determine the future of how the county’s official Facebook page is managed and used.