News
2006-01-20
Spokane city
council adopts new ethics policy after mayor's ouster
A month after
former mayor James E. West was recalled from office for a
City Hall gay sex scandal, the Spokane city co
A month after
former mayor James E. West was recalled from office for a
City Hall gay sex scandal, the Spokane city council adopted
a new ethics policy covering top officials.
By an unanimous 6–0 vote, with one member
absent, the council on Tuesday adopted an 18-page
policy that creates an ethics commission covering the
mayor and council as well as about three dozen top city
employees and members of city boards and commissions.
"It's a good document. It's not a perfect document,"
council president Joe Shogan said after the ordinance
passed after weeks of debate.
The ordinance is similar to ones already in
effect in Seattle, King County, and other several
other Washington cities and counties. It prohibits the
use of a city position for personal benefit, the conduct
that snared West after the Spokane newspaper The
Spokesman-Review reported he had offered City Hall
jobs and other perks to young men he met in a gay Internet
chat room.
West was recalled in a special election December
6 for misusing his office.
The new ordinance also bans improper use of city
property or personnel and prohibits having a
personal interest in a contract involving the city or
seeking to influence a contract selection while having a
personal involvement in a company or person seeking
the contract. It requires disclosure of relationships
that would benefit from legislation or a contract.
Also banned are representing a private person at
a city proceeding; holding a private job that is
incompatible with public service; disclosing
confidential information; and accepting or giving gifts of
more than nominal value. The ethics law bars officials or
employees who leave their jobs from working in the
private sector for one year on matters with which they
were directly involved while working for the city. (AP)
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