AgdaPkt 2004-09-13 - Laserfiche WebLink

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� � �g CITY OF WATSONVILLE 101NS ETHICS CODE HALL OF FAME On August 10, 2004, Watsonville became the • Include in every council packet latest city to adopt a positive, values-based code of ethics. In so doing, the council joined a number • Post in Council Chambers lobby (framed, of other cities in California. The council decided to poster size) use the process recommended by the Institute for Local Self Government (ILSG), the League's non- • Post in Council office (framed, poster size) profit research arm, in the Institute's guide on adopting ethics codes. • Display on Channel 70 periodically A major premise of the code adoption process • Include in council protocol binder is that the complex set of ethics laws that govern local officials' conduct create a floor—but not a ceiling—for ethical conduct for public officials. A ' Include as a link on council webpage on values-based code of ethics enables public city website officials to define the kinds of conduct to which they aspire in their public service. It also provides In addition, the council directed that the code the public with a standard against which to mea- should become a part of the orientation for new sure the degree to which public officials attain their council members. The council also suggested the aspirations. Another premise is that one-size does city newsletter include an article on the Council's not fit all communities in the area of ethics codes. adoption ofthe code. In Watsonville, the city council participated in Boards and Commissions. The code will be two, three-hour workshops, facilitated by staff added to the agenda of each board and commis- from the Institute for Local Self Government. At sion for approval; the code will also become part the first workshop, the council agreed to have of the orientation for board and commission Watsonville's code focus on four core values: members. responsibility, fairness, respect and honesty. The council also preliminarily identified a number of Staff. The city manager will initiate a conver- ways those values applied to public service by sation with staff about how the values adopted by elected officials and those that serve on the city's the council apply to their work on behalf of the city boards and commissions. To inform the process and report back to the council. of drafting a preamble for the code, the council discussed its goals in adopting a code. The Watsonville council committed to review- ing and evaluating the code annually, as part of its At the second workshop, the council reviewed strategic planning process. and refined the code (preamble, values and For more information about codes of ethics— expressions of values) to assure it met including materials relating to Watsonville's pro- Watsonville's needs. The council discussed ways to disseminate the code and heard from the city cess— please visit the Institute's website at manager about his plans to engage staff in a �•�IsQ.orp/trust (click on the "Ethics Code" tab). dialogue on how the values adopted by the council apply to staff's work in service to the community. Implementation Strategies For more information on this and other ILSG issues, G enexalD ieseai izati�n. The city is making VISIt W1NW.I�S9 the code available in Spanish and English and will disseminate it in the following ways: PAGE 2/PRIORITY FOCUS Visit the League's Official Web Site--www.cacities.org