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CITY OF PALO ALTO OFFICE OF THE CITY ATTORNEY <br />July 12, 2011 <br />The Honorable City Council <br />Palo Alto, California <br />Follow Up Questions Regarding Recommendation for Approval of an <br />Electronic Packet for Council <br />Background <br />On June 14, 2011, the Policy & Services Committee reviewed the City Clerk's <br />recommendation to implement a paperless packet that Council Members could <br />access electronically on iPads or similar devices. At that meeting, the committee <br />voted to recommend Option A (City purchase of iPads for council members), <br />subject to follow -up information addressing; <br />a. The City Attorney's evaluation on whether any revisions to Council policy <br />are needed to address transparency issues that might be heightened as a <br />result of increased use of iPads and similar electronic devices at the dais; <br />and <br />b. Recommendations on what, if any, non -city uses of these devices would be <br />available to council members. <br />Discussion <br />a. Council Policy Regarding Wireless Communications <br />Policy revisions are not legally required. As discussed in the June 14 staff report, <br />the City does not currently have a policy specifically addressing electronic <br />communications (or other uses of electronic devices) during Council meetings. <br />There are two legal issues related to the use of these devices during meetings. <br />First, the Brown Act prohibits any kind of communication used to develop a <br />collective concurrence on an item before the council. Thus, Council Members <br />could not use electronic devices to communicate with a majority of members in a <br />18 <br />