Council raises civility concerns, urges broader code of conduct enforcement

Council members reviewed the council code of conduct after an exchange at a prior meeting in which one member told another they did not need to attend a session if they disagreed with a vote. Several members said the remark was “completely uncalled for” and that the body should insist on respectful behavior. One member said, “Everybody has a right to be in that room. Everybody has a right to listen,” and urged that council members be civil to one another and to outside presenters. The president asked whether the code of conduct should be applied beyond council members to outside presenters; members acknowledged limits on controlling public comment but suggested civility standards for those who present to the council. A council member said she would draft suggested amendments on the code of civility for council consideration, and members said they would bring forward smaller, targeted charter or code fixes as appropriate rather than proposing an entire Home Rule Charter rewrite at this time. No formal disciplinary actions or new rules were adopted in the meeting; members agreed to circulate proposed amendments and discuss them at a future session.