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Trophy Club council approves updated HR package; removes elected-official language from conduct, clarifies AI policy
Summary
The Trophy Club Town Council approved an updated human resources package Oct. 27 after removing references to elected officials from the code-of-conduct and confidentiality sections and accepting a desk amendment to the town I policy clarifying compliance with state law.
Trophy Club —ouncil on Oct. 27 approved an updated human resources policy package, removing references to "elected officials" from the code-of-conduct and confidentiality sections and adopting a desk revision clarifying that the town's artificial intelligence policy will not be more restrictive than state law.
The changes were approved after the council removed the HR package from the consent agenda for separate consideration. Town Manager Brandon Wright told the council staff had "added some language ... specifically around police department AI efforts" to ensure the town's policy does not conflict with state law and to clarify that tools used in criminal investigations that are permitted by statute remain available to the police department.
The debate that followed focused on which municipal documents should govern council members' conduct and how enforcement should work. Councilmember Dennis argued council members should not be subject to enforcement through HR staff, saying elected officials "should not be under that" and pointing to the town's ethics ordinance as the body that establishes enforcement and remedies.
Other councilmembers and staff agreed the charter assigns the council authority to govern itself. Dean (councilmember) summarized the structural point by citing the charter's division of duties: "one of the town manager's duties is to implement the directives and policies established by the council," and council-level enforcement of member conduct remains a council responsibility.
After discussion, a councilmember moved to approve the HR package as presented with the deletion of references to elected officials in the code-of-conduct and confidentiality sections. A second was recorded and the motion carried by voice/hand vote.
Councilmembers also discussed how to handle council-specific rules going forward. Staff said it would bring a revision to the council's rules and procedures manual to incorporate council-targeted conduct language (rather than leave those provisions solely in the HR manual) so expectations and enforcement mechanisms are clearer to both staff and elected officials.
The town manager told the council the AI-policy wording in the packet was replaced by the version on the council desks to make explicit that the town policy is not more restrictive than state law; the council did not remove or alter the clarified AI language beyond accepting the desk revision.
The action directs staff to publish the adopted HR policy document with the deletions and to return to the council with proposed amendments to the rules and procedures manual to address council-specific conduct and confidentiality expectations.
