ASK ELi: Who Is Behind 'Rumors and Trending Topics'?

Image: Two of the vacant and blighted properties along Grand River Avenue, subjects of the most recent "Rumors & Trending Topics" page.

A reader asked ELi to investigate who is behind the City of East Lansing’s “Rumors & Trending Topics” page. Here’s what we have been able to ascertain.

History: This page is relatively new, having begun at the City’s website in early December, 2014. It was first called “Rumor or Reality,” and the first few entries specifically named and addressed a “rumor.” For example, the first entry was entitled, “RUMOR: It seems like the City’s enforcement of snow removal is inequitable.”

The name was later changed to “Rumors & Trending Topics,” apparently because the dichotomy of “rumor or reality” was determined to be a false dichotomy.

Mayor Nathan Triplett announced the new page at the City Council meeting of December 2, 2014, the same day the page launched. Here’s what he said then about it:

You may have seen today on the City’s social media, Facebook and Twitter, the announcement of a new page on the City’s brand new website, called “Rumor or Reality.” This is an idea brought to us by our City Manager, Mr. Lahanas, from a conference….It’ll be an opportunity on the City’s website to take information that often gets out there in the ether in the community and provide some accurate facts about some situations….This’ll be a great one-stop-shop to come find accurate information about issues that are percolating out there in the community.

Who writes the columns: I used the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) to request internal communication on three columns at this site. The internal communications did not reveal much—just some back and forth between various staff on what appear to be relatively late drafts of those columns. None of the correspondence provided revealed who originated the ideas for the columns, for example.

It is likely much of the discussion about these pages occurs verbally, for example, in discussions between individual Councilmembers and staff, or among staff members. FOIA can only capture that which was recorded. (You can read more about FOIA in East Lansing.)

This past week, I asked City staff to answer some questions about the column this week. Megan Clark, Assistant to the City Manager, provided answers.

Who suggests topics for the column? Who decides what will run? According to Clark, “Staff can suggest, but many topics will come from communications received by Council or the City Manager or topics that arise at a City Council meeting. Topics may also come from comments on social media or e-Town Hall. The topics are typically chosen because there is often misinformation or misunderstandings or just general interest about a trending topic in the community. Additionally, many of the topics may be related to something on a Council agenda or a Council decision and the topic is intended to provide an explanation of the Council decision.”

Thus, the column is sometimes used to help (certain) Councilmembers explain contentious political decisions via the City website. One entry from December, 2014, for example, is “RUMOR: I keep hearing that the City wants to give private developers tax payer money through something called TIF or brownfield.” (The “answer” says that TIF helps East Lansing by reimbursing developers for eligible expenses of redevelopment projects.) Other topics have included the closing of the Bailey daycare center and the shift of control of SCENE Metrospace, both of which caused blowback for some Councilmembers.

The page is also used to position stories according to the interests of the City Manager, which is perhaps not surprising. For example, when earlier this year the City Manager wanted a Charter Amendment passed by voters to make it easier for the City to sell publicly-owned land, a February 2015 "Rumor" entry warned voters that "failed land sales have had [negative] financial implications for the City of East Lansing."

That entry from the City also told voters, "The last four land sales on City of East Lansing election ballots have had a majority of votes, but did not pass because of the 3/5 charter requirement." True, but as ELi reported, the three land sale votes immediately before those four did pass under the 3/5 charter requirement; to learn that fuller information, you'd have to click on a link and go to another page--a link that I believe was added after ELi's inquiry to the City about the longer history of land sales. (Our report on the longer history of land sales happened specifically because a reader had questioned whether the City Manager was cherry-picking data on land sales to sway voters.)

Clark says, “Most any topic that staff determines should be addressed is addressed.”

Who writes the text for entries? Who edits the text?

According to Clark, “Text can be written by applicable staff members, but most are written by me (Megan) and Mikell [Frey, City Staff Liaison] as a joint effort. The text is then edited by the staff members that are the experts on the topic and in some cases the City Attorney.” Clark says that the fact-checking is done by “staff.” She says, “each post is a joint effort among numerous members of staff.”

Approximately how much staff time goes into an entry? What’s the least, the most, and what would you say is average in terms of hours?

Says, Clark, “It would depend on the complexity of the topic. Some may take 20-30 minutes and others up to a couple hours. Some of the more technical topics (i.e., waste water improvements) take a bit more time to understand and gather information in order to accurately write the initial draft.”

Does someone have the ultimate “sign off” authority on these? If so, who?

Clark says there is “no official ‘sign off’ authority. However, the relevant departments and the City Manager will review prior to posting topics.”

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