Palmer continues council code of ethics discussion

PALMER — After a long road through numerous meetings, the Palmer City Council completed editing their Council Code of Conduct during a committee on the whole on the code of ethics at their Sept. 8 meeting. The committee on the whole had been requested by Mayor Edna DeVries on May 26 after numerous requests from individual council members to examine council conduct legislation.

“I really liked this,” said Councilwoman Sabrena Combs. “I thought it was really thorough and a really great draft and incorporated a lot of the things we talked about in the last couple discussions.”

The committee on the whole discussion for the council code of ethics was scheduled and then postponed at the Council meetings on June 9 and on June 23. The council discussed a draft of a code of ethics from Belmont, California, at committee on the whole discussions in July and the matter came before the council for final edits in early September. The major issue left to be determined by the council was what exactly they wanted to use as a definition for “substantial financial interest,” regarding conflicts of interest. Councilwoman Julie Berberich proposed that no council members shall use their official positions to influence government decisions in which they have a substantial financial interest that equals 10 percent of a business.

“I think I don’t look at this as a detriment or hazy, to me it really helps us just define,” said Councilwoman Jill Valerius.

Councilman Richard Best asked about the specifics of contacting members of city boards and commissions, which he believed was prohibited under the document. Councilman Steve Carrington clarified that the document goes on to specify that council members are not permitted to lobby members of boards and commissions where a financial interest is involved.

“I just want to make sure that council members are not losing their voice as citizens to go in to discuss positions with members of different boards,” said Best.

Other clarifying edits were pointed out to change vice mayor to deputy mayor and align the document from Belmont with the current Palmer code. The motion to approve the amendments passed unanimously.

“I think that it can come off to one of those commissioners as us trying to coerce them and we’re in a position of power and I’m not really sure that it would be appropriate to do that so I agree with the way that it’s written,” said Combs.

The committee on the whole discussion did not result in a time certain set for a vote on adoption of the policy. The Palmer Council is scheduled to meet to certify their election on Oct. 12 and again on Oct. 13. Meetings on Oct. 27, Nov. 3 and Nov. 10 are specified for the introduction and discussion of the budget.

Additionally, council members asked City Clerk Norma Alley and City Attorney Michael Gatti to clarify how exactly ‘council members’ is defined in the document, and if the definition of council members includes the mayor in all circumstances. Following approval from the Clerk and Attorney, the policy will reappear in front of the Council this fall. Deputy Mayor Linda Combs spoke up near the end of the discussion to clarify how the policy would be enacted if passed by the council.

“I’ve got no problem with using the word policy as long as we’re 100 percent in agreement that that means like a resolution, something that’s a working living document which this really needs to be that fluid in my opinion rather than put it into code,” said Linda Combs.