21-Deliberate and possibly act on adoption of a code of ethics for City Council, boards, commissions and committees

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minority opinion of the board/commission to which they belong. The chair shall represent the majority view of the board or commission, but may report on any minority views as well, including his or her own. When an official board or commission position differs from staff's recommendation on a particular policy issue, then at the Mayor's discretion additional time may be provided to the chair of the board or commission (or his/her designee) to explain the position of the board/commission or to rebut statements made by staff or the public. If new information is brought to light during a public hearing which was not shared previously with the board or commission, the Mayor may allow the board or commission chair to respond. If the Council deems the new information sufficient to warrant additional study, then by majority vote Council may remand the issue back to the board or commission for further study prior to taking other action itself. Individual opinions and positions may be expressed by board and commission members regarding items that have not come before the particular board/commission to which they belong. When presenting their individual opinions and positions, members shall explicitly state they do not represent their body or the City of Sunnyvale, nor will they allow the inference that they do. Although a board or commission may disagree with the final decision the Council makes, the board or commission shall not act in any manner contrary to the established policy adopted by the Council. 1(b). In Private Encounters Continue respectful behavior in private The same level of respect and consideration of differing points of view that is deemed appropriate for public discussions should be maintained in private conversations. Be aware of the insecurity of written notes, voicemail messages, and E-mail Technology allows words written or said without much forethought to be distributed wide and far. Would you feel comfortable to have this note faxed to others? How would you feel if this voicemail message were played on a speaker phone in a full office? What would happen if this E-mail message were forwarded to others? Written notes, voicemail messages and e-mail should be treated as potentially "public" communication. Even private conversations can have a public presence Elected and appointed officials are always on display - their actions, mannerisms, and language are monitored by people around them that they may not know. Lunch table conversations will be eavesdropped upon, parking lot debates will be watched, and casual comments between individuals before and after public meetings noted. In private, board and commission members may communicate at any time and on any subject with the City Council, and may express to Council individual viewpoints and opinions. 2 Elected and Appointed Officials' Conduct with Citv Staff "Never let a problem become an excuse. " Robert Schuller Governance of a City relies on the cooperative efforts of elected officials, who set policy, appointed officials who advise the elected, and City staff who implements and administers the Council's policies. Therefore, every effort should be made to be cooperative and show mutual respect for the contributions made by each individual for the good of the community. Treat all staff as professionals Clear, honest communication that respects the abilities, experience, and dignity of each individual is expected. Poor behavior towards staff is not acceptable.