HomeMy WebLinkAbout09/01/2009 04B Minutes 08-25-2009 Council Rules and Procedures Committee Yakima City Council Committee' Meeting ,Minutes r x
RULES AND PROCEDURES COMMITTEE
Tuesday, August 25 2009
3:30 p.m.
City Manager's Conference Room — 1 Floor, City Hall
Committee Members Present Staff Present
Sonia Rodriguez - Chair Dave Zabell, Asst. City Manager
Bill Lover Jim Mitchell, Asst. City Attorney
Micah Cawley Randy Beehler, Comm. Relations Manager
Debbie Moore, City Clerk
The meeting convened at 3:35 pm.
Agenda
1. Discussion re: proposed Yakima City Council Code of Ethics
Assistant City Attorney Jim Mitchell presented drafts of a Yakima City Council Code of
Ethics and accompanying Code of Ethics Preamble. Mitchell noted that, as he had
been directed by the committee during its August 17 meeting, he had prepared a
simplified, easy -to -read draft Code of Ethics that incorporates concepts included in
examples previously provided to the committee and the full City Council.
Mitchell also briefly discussed a "values- based" code of ethics he had come across that
was adopted by the city of Santa Clara, California.
The committee discussed specific elements of individual provisions of the draft Yakima 111
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City Council Code of Ethics and Preamble that Mitchell had prepared, and agreed on
revisions, additions, and deletions.
While the committee generally liked the Santa Clara "values- based" code, the
consensus of the members was that the simplified, easy -to -read version that Mitchell
had prepared was preferable.
The committee discussed options for the initial review and ultimate adjudication of
alleged violations of a Yakima City Council Code of Ethics. The committee confirmed
that, as it had preliminarily agreed during its August 17 meeting, alleged violations
should first be reviewed by the full City Council during an executive session. Following
such executive session, the Council would decide in an open public meeting what
action to take regarding an alleged violation, which could include dismissal of the
allegation(s), issuance by the Council of some form of reprimand or admonition, the
enlisting of an independent investigator to further examine the allegation(s), or
forwarding of the allegation(s) to appropriate legal authorities.
The committee agreed by consensus that language should be added to the code to
reference penalties provided for in local, state, and federal law regarding false and /or
unfounded allegations made against a public official.
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Sonia Rodriguez, Chair
The meeting adjourned at 3:29 p.m.
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