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An Ethics Emergency in Corpus Christi?
Thursday, May 14th, 2009
Robert Wechsler
Update below
An ethics emergency was declared in Corpus Christi on Tuesday, according to an article on the KIII TV website. During the final meeting of the council before the council membership changes post-election, the lame-duck council declared an ethics emergency in order to amend the ethics code (click and go to pages 47ff) in order to prevent council members, senior officials (the city manager and staff, and department heads) and immediate family from entering into contracts with the city.
When the ethics commission chair complained that the commission had not been consulted, one council member chided the commission for not having made any recommendations. The EC chair wondered aloud if there was some sort of secret agenda behind pushing this amendment through so quickly, a hint that future council members' families may have or seek contracts with the city (Sect. 2-311(15) of the ethics code (in document with amendment, with link above (follows the amendment) or click and go to Chapter 2, Article 5 of the Code of Ordinances) already makes it a violation for council members themselves to have contracts with the city; and employees are similarly excluded.).
It's always bad to rush into any ordinance, unless there is a clear emergency (I don't think the end of a term qualifies as an emergency). This is especially true with ethics codes, which should, as much or more than any other ordinance, be open to public hearing, and input especially from the ethics commission, and from affected officials and employees. One thing that could use some fixing, for example, is the definition of "direct family member," which does not include parents or stepfamily.
What occurred in Corpus Christi gives the impression that the ethics code is being used to make it appear that the new council is unethical. I don't think this is a legitimate goal of ethics reform.
Update (5/26/09): According to an article on the kiiitv.com website, the new city council immediately suspended the amendments to the ethics ordinance, pending review by the ethics commission and a closer look by the council, as well.
Robert Wechsler
Director of Research-Retired, City Ethics
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An ethics emergency was declared in Corpus Christi on Tuesday, according to an article on the KIII TV website. During the final meeting of the council before the council membership changes post-election, the lame-duck council declared an ethics emergency in order to amend the ethics code (click and go to pages 47ff) in order to prevent council members, senior officials (the city manager and staff, and department heads) and immediate family from entering into contracts with the city.
When the ethics commission chair complained that the commission had not been consulted, one council member chided the commission for not having made any recommendations. The EC chair wondered aloud if there was some sort of secret agenda behind pushing this amendment through so quickly, a hint that future council members' families may have or seek contracts with the city (Sect. 2-311(15) of the ethics code (in document with amendment, with link above (follows the amendment) or click and go to Chapter 2, Article 5 of the Code of Ordinances) already makes it a violation for council members themselves to have contracts with the city; and employees are similarly excluded.).
It's always bad to rush into any ordinance, unless there is a clear emergency (I don't think the end of a term qualifies as an emergency). This is especially true with ethics codes, which should, as much or more than any other ordinance, be open to public hearing, and input especially from the ethics commission, and from affected officials and employees. One thing that could use some fixing, for example, is the definition of "direct family member," which does not include parents or stepfamily.
What occurred in Corpus Christi gives the impression that the ethics code is being used to make it appear that the new council is unethical. I don't think this is a legitimate goal of ethics reform.
Update (5/26/09): According to an article on the kiiitv.com website, the new city council immediately suspended the amendments to the ethics ordinance, pending review by the ethics commission and a closer look by the council, as well.
Robert Wechsler
Director of Research-Retired, City Ethics
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