The Fairfax City Council voted last week to adopt a formal code of ethics that would allow members to impose sanctions such as a formal censure or loss of seniority for violations.
The new 18-point code of ethics lays out standards for personal and professional behavior applicable to council members, the mayor, and appointed members of boards, committees, and commissions. Broadly speaking, it covers aspects of members’ relationships with one another, conduct in private and in public, and emphasizes their responsibility to act as stewards of the public interest, independent of personal gain.
With little discussion, the motion to adopt the largely self-enforcing measure passed by a unanimous vote on Sept. 8.
“I think this makes sense as a common-sense thing to do,” said Councilmember Anthony Amos.
While previous councils had kicked around the idea for years, there was never a consensus before that the document was necessary. However, the move to adopt a code gained momentum this spring.
“To reiterate previous discussions: municipal bodies that have adopted codes of ethics or equivalent documents have recognized that in many respects, governing bodies operate similarly to boards of directors of companies,” City Manager Dan Alexander said in a staff report for the council.
“While there are legal requirements governing certain behavior and permissible and prohibited acts by elected officials, those typically relate to bright-line rules of conduct. However, as some bodies have discovered, even the appearance of wrongdoing or inappropriate acts can create issues for elected officials and the bodies on which they serve.”
Codes of ethics, Alexander continued, function as “a set of aspirational guidelines and statements of common beliefs regarding principled conduct” that reduce misunderstandings or points of ethical confusion.
The newly adopted code states that a member has “the primary responsibility” to make sure that ethical standards are met, and if they become aware that their conduct violates the code, or that a member has violated it, they must make the violation known to the body they serve on.
The mayor and chairs of city boards, commissions, or committees have an additional responsibility to intervene when violations are brought to their attention.
Possible sanctions from the city council include a reprimand, formal censure, and/or the loss of seniority or assignment on a committee, and other undefined actions that may be permitted by law.
“I just want to highlight that part of the proposed code of ethics that states all members shall also perform their duties to the very best of their abilities, treating the public and each other in a courteous, impartial, fair, and equitable manner, which is something that I strongly agree with,” said Billy Bates, who was the only other councilmember to speak.
“And to me, that means conducting ourselves with honesty and transparency, and not surprising each other at the dais.”
The code, he added, is worth a try, to “improve the process of governing the city.”
