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Madison Plan Commission recommends council adopt updated code of conduct for elected and appointed officials
Summary
The Madison Plan Commission voted unanimously to recommend that the Common Council adopt a resolution updating the city's code of ethical conduct for elected and appointed officials, after a presentation from the council's chief of staff and brief commissioner discussion.
The Madison Plan Commission voted unanimously May 12 to recommend that the Common Council approve an updated elected and appointed official code of ethical conduct.
Karen Kapusta Popal, chief of staff to the Common Council, presented the draft updates and responded to commission questions. She told the commission the code was originally adopted by the council in January 2023, with a harassment appendix added in July 2024, and that city staff are governed by separate administrative procedure memoranda (APM 3-5 and APM 2-33).
The proposed updates expand general conduct expectations, add a section on conduct toward city staff, include guidance on interactions with the public and the media, provide more detail on using points of order during meetings, and add a fuller conflict-resolution process. The draft also outlines a more detailed hearing-style process for council censure than the existing practice of treating censure as a standard resolution.
Commissioners and alders asked procedural and logistical questions and were invited to submit comments by email. Alder Figueroa Cole offered to help commission members who want to review the draft in more detail. Alder Duncan, who referred the draft to boards and commissions, said the referral was intended to let BCC members and alders propose additions or deletions before the council considers the resolution.
Megan (staff) corrected one procedural point during discussion: the measure will be adopted by council action via resolution, not as an ordinance change. After discussion, Alder Ugare moved to recommend adoption to the Common Council; Commissioner Heck seconded. The motion passed without objection and was recorded as a unanimous recommendation to the Common Council.
The council staff said they expect the Common Council to consider the resolution for adoption in August and invited further written feedback from commissioners and alders before then.
The presentation and the draft policy documents remain available as attachments to the council's referral materials for commissioners who want to submit more specific comments before final council action.
