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Wayne County ethics task force launches ordinance rewrite, seeks written public input by May 23
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Summary
The Wayne County Ethics Task Force opened a review of the county ethics ordinance preamble, asked staff to draft mandatory training language and set a May 23, 2026 deadline for written public submissions; county ethics counsel urged adding investigative and subpoena authority.
The Wayne County Ethics Task Force opened a working session to strengthen the county's ethics ordinance, recite its current preamble and ask staff to draft language for mandatory ethics training, the panel said at a meeting where a May 23, 2026 deadline for written public input was announced.
Chair Wilson read the existing Section 40-2 preamble and said the group's objective is to make the language "strong enough where it can, hopefully, deter some, maybe, inappropriate actions" and to ensure officials operate in "an environment that's free of violations." He emphasized the committee's charge to produce a revised draft for review and a final vote later in the process.
The task force asked staff to group ordinance sections into reviewable clusters (roughly 10 groups) and to prepare suggested revisions for commissioners to consider at future meetings. County counsel Felicia Johnson said legal would compile the section-level changes and present a consolidated revised ordinance at the end of the review period: "As we go through each section, we'll know all of the changes...at the very end, I will present you with a revised ordinance for you to review and then vote on at the very end," she said.
Wilson announced a public-comment deadline: written proposals, recommendations or supporting material must be submitted by May 23, 2026, to be considered during the drafting process. He said the deadline applies to members of the public, elected officials and county staff.
Under new business the panel reviewed Section 40-9 (the ethics statement) and discussed adding training requirements. Examples discussed included signing an acknowledgement prior to attending a first official meeting after election or appointment and annual training for officials and employees, provided either by the county administration or a qualified outside vendor. Counsel and staff will consult with human resources on module options and potential budget needs; commissioners asked staff to draft suggested mandatory training language for inclusion in the ordinance.
In public comment, Charles Longstreet II, attorney for the Wayne County Ethics Board, urged stronger enforcement powers. "When I first came on...this was kinda like a paper tiger," Longstreet said, adding that recent draft changes include investigative and subpoena powers to help the ethics board investigate complaints and make enforceable determinations.
Votes at a glance: The task force approved the minutes of the April 23, 2026 meeting by voice vote and subsequently adjourned by voice vote; the record shows motions were moved and supported and the chair closed the meeting.
Next steps: staff will prepare grouped section drafts and proposed training language for the task force to review; counsel will compile a consolidated revised ordinance for a future meeting where the panel may vote on formal changes.
