Board of Ethics approves March minutes; schedules May agenda items including sanctions, council engagement

The Denton Board of Ethics approved its meeting minutes from March 10, 2025, and identified several agenda items to consider at its May meeting, including sanctions and how city council members should interact with ethics-board members.

At the start of the April 14 meeting the board considered agenda item BOE25-017, approval of minutes from the March meeting. A board member moved to accept the minutes as presented; Andrea (first name only) moved and Zeltner seconded. Chair called for the vote and “Aye” was recorded; Chair declared the minutes approved and “the minutes stand as written.”

Later in the meeting members reviewed potential future meeting topics. Madison (staff) confirmed that the sanctions discussion the board requested previously is set to return in May. Board members expressed interest in several items for future consideration: a discussion about rules of engagement for how city council members may contact or approach board of ethics members; pursuing a joint meeting between the board and city council to clarify expectations and communication; and revisiting monetary limits and other sanctions language that council members had previously questioned.

Madison noted the board’s March proposals are on the city council agenda for adoption the following day; those proposals include items the board prioritized previously. Board members agreed to prioritize the sanctions discussion and to schedule time at the May meeting to discuss how council members should approach ethics-board members. Staff said it could prepare a management report with options for scheduling a joint meeting and any existing council guidance on communications with boards and commissions.