Muncie Ethics Commission names fifth member, elects officers and sets timeline for complaints

The newly formed Muncie Ethics Commission appointed Sandra Whitaker as its fifth member and elected officers while moving quickly to set meeting schedules and rules to accept and process ethics complaints.

The commission — created by a recent city ordinance that established a city code of ethics, an enforcement process and a transparency portal — appointed Whitaker and elected Charles “Chip” Taylor chair, Susan Dillon vice chair and James Lowe secretary. The commission also voted to hold regular meetings on the second and fourth Wednesdays at 6 p.m. in the City Hall Auditorium and set a goal to have complaint intake procedures in place before March 1 so the commission can begin accepting filings.

Why this matters: The commission will review alleged ethics violations by current and former city elected and appointed officials and certain city employees, issue advisory opinions, investigate complaints and recommend corrective action or referrals. The ordinance and the commission’s implementing rules will determine how complaints are protected, when they become public records and what whistleblower protections are available.

At the meeting, Sandra Whitaker described her…