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Council reaffirms code of ethics but directs staff to draft engagement policy for member disputes
Summary
Christiansburg council unanimously reaffirmed its code of ethics after members expressed concern about enforcement and asked the town manager and attorney to prepare an engagement/complaint process; the reaffirmation passed with a majority vote and staff will research best practices.
The Christiansburg Town Council on Jan. 13 reaffirmed its town council code of ethics but asked the town manager and town attorney to draft a formal engagement policy that would clarify how members raise and resolve complaints about colleague conduct.
A council member (speaker 6) said she supports the code but wants a clear, written mechanism for addressing another member’s behavior. “If I had a problem with another council member’s behavior, how exactly I would address it,” she asked during the discussion, arguing for a level playing field and an engagement process that avoids confrontational public exchanges.
Other members said the code’s principles are sound but agreed the council would benefit from a written process. Town manager Kim Eagle responded that she would work with staff and the town attorney to research examples from other Virginia localities and return recommended language; Eagle said she was "willing to work with staff and do some research and see what other localities in Virginia may have in place."
Council then voted to reaffirm the code of ethics; the recorded result reflected a majority in favor (the motion carried). The council’s action also included direction to staff to draft an engagement or complaint policy for future consideration so members would have a clear, agreed procedure for raising interpersonal or conduct concerns.
The council’s discussion also touched on ensuring any process respects due process and state rules for public bodies. The item concluded with staff and the town attorney tasked to prepare a proposal and return it to council.
