Title
Consider an ordinance amending the Code of Ordinances Chapter 2, Administration, by adding Article VI, Ethics.
Summary
DATE: September 21, 2021
TO: Kent Cagle, City Manager
FROM: Traci Briggs, City Attorney
SUBJECT: Adoption of an Ethics Ordinance
BACKGROUND AND FINDINGS:
At the request of a Councilmember, the City Council discussed adopting an ethics ordinance, which the City currently does not have. The City Council gave staff direction to draft an ethics ordinance based on consensus reached on several key issues. On September 7, 2021, staff presented a draft ordinance. The City Council was given an opportunity to provide input to the City Attorney before the final ordinance was presented for consideration.
The attached ordinance reflects City Council changes to the draft made at its September 7 work session, including: 1) removal of the municipal court judges from those covered by the ethics ordinance; 2) deleting the proposed language on gifts and outside employment; and 3) clarifying that a relative of a city official as defined in the ordinance cannot serve on the Ethics Review Board.
Staff received comments back from Councilmembers since the September 7 work session, to include:
? excluding the City Manager and City Auditor from the ethics ordinance
? eliminating the creation of an Ethics Review Board
? consolidating all current ethics policies and codes of conduct into the ethics ordinance
? covering all staff with the ethics ordinance
? conducting background checks for committee members
? allowing a complainant to be unnamed and not required to testify if the complaint can be proven without the complainant testifying
? re-wording the section regarding frivolous complaints (2-177 in the attached draft) to app...
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