A. Purpose

1. The City permits the establishment of links to external websites on the City's official website solely in conformance with this policy.
2. In establishing and maintaining its official website, the City does not intend in any manner to create a forum or other means by which public discourse, exchange of opinions, or discussion on issues of any nature may occur. Rather, the sole and limited purpose of the City's website and permitted external links is to provide information of a factual nature about the City, including various services and resources available within and around the City, or as may be available from other governmental agencies. The purpose of this policy is to further this limited purpose of the City's website and permitted external links.

B. Scope

1. This policy applies to all persons or entities having the capability to establish or modify any City owned website, any website hosted by a City server, and any website purporting to represent the City maintained by City employees or agents; excluding the City library, the Peoria Economic Development Department, and the City intranet. As used herein, “website” means any document or other content transmitted to the Internet other than by e-mail.
2. Sales of the right to have an internet address posted on a City website is beyond the scope of this procedure.

C. Statement of Procedure

1. Commercial Use

a. To avoid any perception that the City endorses or provides favorable treatment to any private person or business enterprise, no corporate or commercial logos or direct links to vendor sites are allowed.

b. Exceptions may be made for organizations providing financial sponsorship of City sponsored events or programs; or for events and programs deemed beneficial to City residents as determined by the City. Such exceptions will allow display of the organization's logo or link to their website only during the event or program and the period of promotion prior to the event or program.

c. The management of the Peoria Sports Complex and the Marketing and Special Events division of the Office of Communications may choose to include logos or links to sponsors or vendors renting the Peoria Sports Complex or associated facilities. Such logos or links will be limited to the City website “events” page, or to an event-specific page created at the request of the management of those departments. Such links should target a specific page promoting the event, and not just to a sponsor's general website. Such logos or links appearing on the City’s website are not to be considered as part of the consideration for the contract for the use of the Peoria Sports Complex, the City management may choose to remove such logos or links at any time for any or no reason, and no City contract may include a promise to list such logos or links except in conformance with a City policy regarding sales of the right to have an internet address posted on a City website (if any).

2. Non-Commercial Use

 

City of Peoria Departments shall be able to request external links on their individual website and pages. Consistent with the foregoing policy, it is the City's policy to limit external links to the following kinds of entities and organizations:

a. Chambers of commerce or visitors bureaus;

b. Governmental agencies;

c. Hospitals;

d. Museums, libraries, historical organizations and similar non-profit organizations that provide cultural resources to residents and visitors of the City;

e. Public and private nonprofit educational institutions located within Maricopa County; and

f. Other non-commercial agencies which may be relevant to the business of a City department, and provide information or services to website users.

3. Requests for External Links

 

Non-City of Peoria government based entities and organizations wishing to establish external links on the City's official website must submit a request, on paper or by email, containing all information necessary to establish conformance with this policy. It shall be the sole judgment of the Web Administrator, or Webmaster, to grant or deny requests for said links, based upon this policy.

a. The City reserves the right to:

1) Deny an external link request from any person, business or organization when it is determined, following review of the request, that the entity or organization for which application is made does not meet the criteria set forth in this policy;

2) Deny an external link request from any person, business or organization that fails to provide documentation of compliance with this policy, or fails to provide truthful information;

3) Remove any external link if the nature of the organization or business to which the link relates no longer complies with the City's external link policy;

4) To revise this policy without prior notice when in the best interests of the City;

5) To place such links on the City website at any location or format the City may determine, in the City’s sole discretion.

4. City Intellectual Property

 

The City logo is a trademark of the City. Any use of the materials stored on the City's website is prohibited without the written permission of the City. The City retains all intellectual property rights including copyrights on all text, graphic images and other content. This means that the following acts or activities are prohibited without prior, written permission from the City:

a. Modify, reuse, or test images or other web content from a City server;

b. Distribute the City's web content; or

c. "Mirror" the City's information on a non-City server.

5. Warranty Disclaimer

 

The materials and information contained on or obtained from any City website are distributed and transmitted "as is" without warranties of any kind, either express or implied; including, without limitation, warranties of title or implied warranties of merchantability or fitness for a particular purpose. Information contained on any City website, including information obtained from external links thereon, is provided without any representation of any kind as to accuracy and should be verified by the user. The City is not responsible for any special, indirect, incidental, or consequential damages that may arise from the use of, or the inability to use any City’s website or the materials contained on any City’s website whether the materials contained on such City website are provided by the City or by a third party.

APPROVED: /S/ Terrence L. Ellis, City Manager
APPROVED AS TO FORM: /S/ Stephen M. Kemp, City Attorney
Copy Provided to Council: 10/07/05,
Issued: 10/17/05 [Prior Numbering: AP 05-05]