EL PASO, Texas (KTSM) — A proposal to prohibit El Paso City Council members’ work or personal cell phones or electronic devices during work sessions and council meetings has been shot down on Tuesday, July 21.
City Representative Lily Limon introduced a proposal to limit cell phone use during city council meetings. This move came after photos of City Attorney Karla Nieman using her phone during public comments, when residents were speaking out against the META data center project, went viral on social media.
El Paso rep. proposes ban on phones during council meetings
Photos of City Attorney Karla Nieman on a cell phone, appearing to scroll social media, during heated public comment on June 9 over the Meta project.
The photos sparked online criticism and concerns were raised during Tuesday’s City Council meeting.
One resident said, “You should not be allowed to have your cell phones over here while you’re listening to us. You are our servants.”
City spokesperson Laura Cruz-Acosta reached out to KTSM 9 News, saying that the agenda item pertained only to the mayor and City Council members, not city staff such as the city attorney.
Additionally, the agenda item was intended to support compliance with the Texas Open Meetings Act. Those rules state that city reps. should not use their cell phones or personal computers while council is in session, and if they need to take a call, they should step away from the dais.
It was noted by Acosta that Nieman was “reviewing work-related information” when the photos were taken of her.
“City staff throughout the council meetings are actually working on items that are being discussed during all of the meetings. And so they’re on their phones and/or on their equipment that’s in front of them, working on actual items,” Acosta said during the meeting.
Limon says the concerns raised by residents prompted her to bring forward the item that would prohibit the mayor and city representatives from using personal or city-issued cell phones during council meetings.
“We do have rules. We haven’t been following them, and it’s evident by the public that has commented on this repeatedly. The use of, city and personal cell phones and personal electronic devices is an item that should not be allowed while we’re on the dais,” she said.
Mayor Renard Johnson said the city already has ruled in place regarding cell phone use, and believed those rules are enough.
“We’re all adults and we should be professional while we’re sitting on the dais and paying attention to the public as they come up to speak. Now, start paying more attention to the use of cell phones on the dais,” he said.
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