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Washington council tightens procurement and ethics procedures, shortens ethics hearing timeline
Summary
The City of Washington amended its code to require council approval for change orders and shortened the ethics investigation/hearing timeline from 60 to 30 days; both motions passed unanimously Aug. 12.
At its Aug. 12 meeting the City of Washington council approved code changes intended to increase oversight of contracts and speed ethics hearings.
Councilman Nathaniel Cullars moved and Maceo Mahoney seconded an amendment to Section 2-69-11 (Powers and Duties) preventing change orders on projects without prior council approval; the motion passed unanimously. Councilmembers said the change was to ensure the council reviews project modifications before additional spending occurs.
Separately, Councilman Maceo Mahoney moved, with a second by Nathaniel Cullars, to amend the code of ethics (Section 2-234B) by reducing the investigation and hearing timeline from 60 days to 30 days; the motion also passed unanimously. The council characterized the change as a procedural reform to speed resolution of ethics matters.
Both motions were recorded in the meeting minutes as approved by unanimous vote; the transcript does not include roll-call vote counts. The council did not discuss amendments to the substance of the code of ethics beyond the timeline change in the recorded remarks.
The changes take effect according to the city’s ordinance-adoption procedures; the transcript does not provide specific effective dates or implementation steps for staff beyond the council’s approval.
