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Committee advances proposed ethics‑ordinance change to full council after solicitor review
Summary
City solicitor presented an ethics‑code amendment that would impose a 120‑day deadline for the ethics board to issue advisory opinions and require council action within 30 days of receiving an advisory opinion; the committee voted to move the ordinance to full council for consideration and public comment at second reading.
City solicitor Dave Suchics reviewed a draft ethics‑ordinance amendment crafted by Councilor Falloon that would add two principal components: a 120‑day deadline for the ethics board to complete advisory opinions after a council referral (with council-granted extensions) and a required council procedure to handle the board's opinion within 30 days.
Suchics outlined council options after an advisory opinion: vote to take no further action (if the board found no violation) but provide a written rationale to the public; deliberate and vote that a violation occurred; or open a council investigation with defined parameters. If the ethics board found a violation, the draft lists potential penalties the council could impose, including formal censure, removal from committee assignments, civil fines (authorized elsewhere in the code), mandated training, or other lawful actions.
Councilors debated whether to circulate the draft to the ethics board for comment before sending it to full council. Several members supported providing the draft to the board’s chair or solicitor for input to avoid delaying the ordinance, and others said a formal referral to the ethics board could add clarity but might take about a month to return due to scheduling.
Councilor Falloon said the intent was to tighten the timeline so community members know the matter is being addressed; he had originally proposed 60 days, and after discussion the period was set at 120 days to be workable for the ethics board.
The committee voted to move the proposed ordinance to the next full council meeting so the ordinance can receive two readings and public comment at the second reading.
