REPORT TO COUNCIL
SUBJECT
Title
Annual Review and Approval of City’s Code of Ethics and Conduct for Elected and Appointed Officials
Report
DISCUSSION
This report represents Council’s annual opportunity to review and revise the City’s Code of Ethics and Conduct for Elected and Appointed Officials (hereafter referred to as “the Code”).
The Code contains a section on ethical standards and a section on conduct which describes the way officials should treat one another, City staff, constituents, and others with whom they may come in contact with while representing the City.
No changes to the Code are proposed by staff. The City’s boards and commissions that meet on a regular basis completed their annual review of the Code during the months of November and December of 2018, and January 2019. The Board of Building Code Appeals and the Personnel Board, which meet only on an as-needed basis, will review the Code at a future meeting yet to be scheduled.
The Planning Commission made the following recommendation by unanimous approval:
Vice Chair Simons moved and Commissioner Howe seconded the motion to approve the Annual Review of the Code of Ethics and Conduct for Elected and Appointed Officials (Code of Ethics) with a recommendation to shorten the document to no more than three pages and include an addendum of errata.
No other specific suggestions from Boards and Commissions were made to revise the Code.
ENVIRONMENTAL REVIEW
The action being considered does not constitute a “project” within the meaning of the California Environmental Quality Act (“CEQA”) pursuant to CEQA Guidelines section 15378 (b) (5) in that it is a governmental organizational or administrative activity that will not result in direct or indirect changes in the environment.
EXISTING POLICY
2018 Code of Ethics and Conduct for Elected and Appointed Officials
FISCAL IMPACT
There is no fiscal impact associated with this report.
PUBLIC CONTACT
Public contact was made by posting the Council agenda on the City's official-notice bulletin board outside City Hall, at the Sunnyvale Senior Center, Community Center and Department of Public Safety; and by making the agenda and report available at the Sunnyvale Public Library, the Office of the City Clerk and on the City's website.
RECOMMENDATION
Recommendation
Review and approve the 2019 Code of Ethics and Conduct for Elected and Appointed Officials with no changes from the 2018 Code as set forth in Attachment 1 of the report.
Staff
Prepared by: Kathleen Franco Simmons, City Clerk
Reviewed by: Teri Silva, Assistant City Manager
Approved by: Kent Steffens, City Manager
ATTACHMENT
1. Proposed 2019 Code of Ethics and Conduct for Elected and Appointed Officials
2. Excerpt of Arts Commission Minutes
3. Excerpt of Bicycle and Pedestrian Advisory Commission (BPAC) Minutes
4. Excerpt of Board of Library Trustees Minutes
5. Excerpt of Heritage Preservation Commission Minutes
6. Excerpt of Housing and Human Services Commission Minutes
7. Excerpt of Parks and Recreation Commission Minutes
8. Excerpt of Personnel Board Minutes
9. Excerpt of Planning Commission Minutes
10. Excerpt of Sustainability Commission Minutes