Phone ban heads to Stockton council after closed session leak concerns

A ban on communication devices in confidential Stockton city council meetings, urged by a grand jury after an apparent illegal leak last year, is headed toward a council vote following a committee recommendation.

The ban would require councilmembers to leave phones, smart watches and all other electronic devices outside the room when the council discusses city business the law deems confidential, according to the Legislation and Environmental Committee’s discussion at city hall Wednesday.

Will no-phones rule change? Despite ban, some Stockton City Council members text on the dais

Such business includes city employee performance reviews and pending lawsuits, according to the Brown Act.

“I would like to be a little more stern on the cell phone use for closed sessions,” District 6 Councilmember Kimberly Warmsley said.

The San Joaquin County Grand Jury recommended the device ban in its June report after finding that someone leaked details of the council’s March 2023 review of City Manager Harry Black's performance.

As a result, the 209 Times — a social media platform owned by a political consultant, and which has campaigned regularly against Black online — allegedly harassed a councilmember who supported Black’s continued employment, The Record reported .

The grand jury report found the 209 Times "consistently attempted to undermine the local democratic process by misleading the Stockton electorate.”

On Wednesday, all three Legislation Committee members — District 3 Councilmember Michael Blower, District 4 Councilmember Susan Lenz and Warmsley — agreed the ban should keep devices out of the closed session room entirely. A prior version would have required they be turned off, a draft policy shows.

The proposed ban will likely be on a council meeting agenda “coming up very soon,” Interim City Clerk Katherine Roland said Thursday.

On Wednesday, committee members also proposed adding a pledge to keep closed sessions secret to the council’s creed, echoing state law. They further recommended applying the creed, and the council's Code of Conduct, to appointed commissioners in addition to councilmembers.

Committee members also proposed exceptions to a ban on councilmembers using cell phones in open meetings, to allow use during family or business emergencies. They told the city attorney's and interim clerk's staff to prepare all three items for council review.

This article originally appeared on The Record: Phone ban heads to Stockton council after closed session leak concerns