CHAPADOS: Council members must maintain highest ethical standards

On Tuesday, Nov. 5, 2013, the Maricopa City Council unanimously approved a City Council Ethics Code as brought forward by the City Council Ethics Task Force. The code takes effect in 30 days.

The Ethics Task Force, consisting of Mayor Christian Price, Councilwoman Julia Gusse and myself, met seven times totaling over 20 hours since January in order to create this Code of Ethics based on research, best practices from other municipalities, and past experiences.

Council never questioned the need for an Ethics Code. The goal of the Ethics Task Force was to craft and implement the city’s first code of ethics, which includes not only ethical guidelines but a process for evaluating violations and assessing sanctions as agreed upon by council.

I believe that council members must maintain the highest ethical standards. They should be held accountable if they violate the code. There also needs to be proportional sanctions that council can, and should, impose.

Council now has a process that will hold council members to an approved standard they are committed to, which we affirmed by a unanimous vote. Additionally, both current as well as newly elected members of council will be expected to sign an acknowledgment stating that they agree to abide by the code.

This requirement clearly conveys council's objectives. When you take the oath of office for city council, you also agree to comply with the provisions of the ethics code. It demonstrates to our residents the expectation that every member of council will execute their duties responsibly and ethically.