Almost a year ago, the City of Rochester made some changes to its social media policies. Today, that topic is still top of mind for many. One community member has written a letter about Rochester's lack of inclusive community engagement.
Before I get to the open letter, here's a reminder of what happened. On July 24th, 2024, the City of Rochester, Minnesota posted the following note that upset quite a few individuals in our community:
In an effort to support a welcoming and inclusive community, commenting on City of Rochester social media channels, across all departmental pages, will be disabled, starting today, July 24, 2024.
That specific Facebook post by The City of Rochester had over 280 reactions to the post - over 57 liked it, more than 12 gave an angry emoji, and 80+ clicked on the laughing emoji.
The social media post also included a link to a page on the City of Rochester website that went into more detail about why the decision was made to discontinue comments on social media channels.
The goal was to create an "inclusive and supportive online environment" and some people that I've spoken with are thankful for the decision. As they told me, "trolls that harass anyone and everything that is posted" were causing more harm than good.
Some individuals expressed recently that they feel like they have been silenced. A mom in our area was happy about a recent announcement posted by the City of Rochester and wanted to tell them "thank you" but when she went to hit "comment", she couldn't because it wasn't there. She wasn't going to try and find an e-mail address or a City Council member to send that message or show up at a meeting - but would have posted her appreciation online.
Gratitude, constructive criticism, feedback - all of that is unable to happen publicly on social media and community members are speaking out because they want to make sure that "all voices are heard".
Open Letter to the City of Rochester, Minnesota Regarding Comments Being Banned on Social Media Channels
Re: Rochester’s Lack of Inclusive Community Engagement
Being inclusive means fostering environments where everyone feels valued, respected, and welcomed, no matter their background. It means providing equal opportunities and ensuring all voices are heard.
Facebook Comments
I reviewed several cities across Minnesota, including Minneapolis, St. Paul, Duluth, Faribault, and Winona. Each of these cities allows their taxpaying citizens to engage with them on their official Facebook pages, regardless of the nature of the comments.
We often emphasize the importance of strong relationships between our Police Officers and the community. Rochester is fortunate to have an outstanding police department, and I believe most would agree that RPD is second to none. With that in mind, I checked the Facebook pages of these cities’ Police Departments — and, just like their city pages, they also allow comments from citizens.
But guess who doesn’t?
Rochester. (Clearly, it is a city decision, not an individual departmental one.)
This decision is disappointing...
and, frankly, an embarrassment to taxpayers. Rochester prides itself on being inclusive, yet it excludes comments from its own citizens on official city and department pages. Many residents would like to share positive feedback and engage constructively — whether it’s to praise our city’s first responders, utility crews, or other public service teams. Of course, there will be occasional negative comments. That’s part of life. But more often than not, the feedback is constructive and supportive.
It’s time for Rochester to stop shielding itself from public input.
Real inclusivity means inviting dialogue, not silencing it. The city must remove this restrictive comment policy and allow citizens to engage with their government. After all, the opportunity to voice opinions — positive or negative — is a fundamental aspect of a thriving, inclusive community.
Let’s bring back meaningful public engagement. It’s long overdue.
Regards,
Brad Trahan
Rochester, MN.
Do You Think The Comments on the City of Rochester, Minnesota Social Media Pages Should Be Turned On?
City of Minneapolis has comments turned on. City of St. Paul has Facebook comments turned on. Austin, Owatonna, Winona, Brainerd, Stewartville, Pine Island, Kasson, Bryon, Mankato, St. Louis Park...every town I searched for in Minnesota had comments still on. Even the government pages for the cities of Los Angeles, Philadelphia, Las Vegas, and New York accept comments on their posts.
Send us a note on the Y-105FM app (hit the chat button), comment on our Facebook page, or leave us a voicemail at 507-292-1053 and tell us your opinion - should the City of Rochester leave the comments off or turn them back on?
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