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Model Code - Introduction I CityEthics.org CityEthics.org n---~~~~~ci-em-nl mo,zPtn-W Forums Home Services Successes Model Code Hame Model Code - Introduction s~~ 20013 ,,-,z,:>,P in Motlel Code Send to friend Draft Model Municipal Ethics Code CLICK HERE: Full text of the Model Ethics Code Foreword - The City Ethics Model Code Project To discuss the Model Code Prqecl, click here. Our goal in putting online this drafl model ethics code is to spark discussion of the many fundamental and specific issues surrounding the creation, improvement, and implementation of ethics programs in municipal government, Such a discussion will include not only issues and language, but also best and worst practices (successes and problems with various approaches). City Ethics asks municipal ethics practitioners and academics to share their experiences and ideas, to make comments and ask questions, and to get involved in a discussion of the elements of an effective ethics code, the process of creating or improving one, and an ethics code's place in a city's ethics program and environment. Using the technology and ease of discussion provided by the Internet will lead to a different sort of model code that will be of great help to cities and towns, many of which are trying to recreate the wheel or tuming for mspiration to the mediocre codes of neighbonng towns The discussions in the forums on this site will themselves provide excellent information and guidance to municipalifies across the country. And based on these discussions, we will put together a model code that will not only include tested approaches to and elements of municipal ethics programs, but will also contain arguments to be made in favor of, as well as against, various approaches and elements. That is, the model code's guidance will involve not only provisions, forms, and enforcement mechanisms, but also the information and rationales, along with the legitimacy, to allow politicians and citizens to show both the need for and the way to improving their cities' ethics programs or crealing programs where there is none or next to none. At the beginning of each forum (there are forums tor each subject area, either one provision or group of provisions), and in some of the Comments sedions, we ask specifically for information about certain issues and experiences. But please share your knowledge and ideas regarding any provision, as well as provisions not inGuded or mentioned in this draft. And please respond to what others have said and questions others have asked. Introduction To discuss Ihe Intratluction, click here. Since most cities already have an ethics code, why is there a need for a model code? Because, as Mark Davies has so effectively argued, a poor ethics code, one that seems to be something it is not, is worse than no ethics code at all. One need not begin with a comprehensive, perfected ethics code, but a code that is lacking one or more essential elements will likely not fulfill the goals of creating a code and will mislead people into thinking their town has an effective ethics program. Formulating a poor or mediocre ethics code, especially when its purpose and provisions are not openly and honestly discussed, is unethical. The essential elements of a municipal ethics code are: t that it be clear and comprehensive, providing clear guidance to city officials, employees, coMractors, and citizens: 2. that it provide for three kmds of sensible disclosure of interests: an annual disclosure statement, disclosure when a conflict arises (transactional disclosure), and disclosure when someone bids for business or requests a permit (applicant disclosure); disclosure is the democratic way of letting people know about possible conflids of interest; Page 1 of 3 Links H out Contact Us Search Search Naviga n blogs catego es forums Glossa Recen osts compo tips model de project introd tion torum scussion areas US St e ethics http://cityethics.com/mc/introduction ~ 29 4/16/2010