First, some definitions for this month’s letter.

All across America, there is a great deal of discussion about misinformation and disinformation. At the national level, the Biden Administration had planned to roll out a Disinformation Governance Board, but scrapped that plan after an outcry from across the spectrum of politics. Neither side was supportive of the federal government attempting to formally control “the truth.” Elon Musk has also jumped into the fray with his effort to take over Twitter in an attempt to combat misinformation/disinformation with more free speech - not less. His move has been met with both celebration and anger. Free speech and the spread of information is a hot topic in politics, our culture and our communities.

A couple of months ago, I joined the Washington City/County Managers Association and delivered a keynote on addressing misinformation as local government agencies. The audience was deeply interested in the subject, and the Q&A portion went on for a while. City managers are engaged in this issue and are seeing the consequences of misinformation/disinformation in their communities. The issue can create paranoia, derail long-planned initiatives or send an organization into a tailspin while attempting to respond to an avalanche of criticisms rooted in falsehoods. It is frustrating.

At the local level, the politics of addressing community misinformation/disinformation is less partisan. Partly, this is because the issues cities address are generally less divisive. There is no such thing as a Republican or Democrat pothole - it’s just a pothole. Additionally, our clients are acutely aware of an axiom Tripepi Smith has been espousing for several years: “Information abhors a vacuum.” In other words, if an organization is not actively working to tell its story or to disseminate accurate information, then other forces, perhaps those with political intent and a disinterest in facts, may move first and tell your organization’s story for you. That can derail your success - it’s costly in political terms and slows down project momentum.

Informing your communities is crucial to the success of your organization. Speak consistently with your communities. Tell the truth. Declare facts. Be transparent. Recognize policy tradeoffs. Listen to public comments and identify inaccurate information early. Swiftly and respectfully correct misinformation when you see or hear it. It takes a lot of work, but falling victim to misinformation/disinformation will create even more work in the long run.

Onward,