City Council ignores charter requirements on ethics

When a city official has a conflict of interest, whether personal or financial, the city charter requires him to “excuse himself from the proceedings and refrain from voting’ or participating in discussion of the issue.
It also mandates that within seven days after citing his conflict, he “shall file written disclosure” of it with the city clerk.
Though the requirement has been part of the charter for years, City Clerk Therese Pac said nobody has ever filed any written disclosure.
“No one has ever done it,” said James Donovan, chairman of the city’s Ethics Board.
Another part of the charter’s conflict of interest section requires the City Council to “establish a policy for disclosure of financial or personal interests of elected and appointed officials and employees,” including a list of offices or positions that require disclosure of potential conflicts.
That, too, has never been done. Click here for the full story.


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