The City Council [Tracy] unanimously approved a new ordinance Tuesday prohibiting elected and appointed representatives from benefiting from city contracts.
City Attorney Tom Watson briefed the council on just what is included in the law. When it goes into effect, Tracy Municipal Code 2.04.050 will apply to any elected leaders, people who are appointed to city commissions, the city manager and the city attorney. It will also apply to any of those people’s immediate family members, which was defined as spouse, partner or adult children who live in their home.
Those listed in the ordinance will not be able to financially benefit from any city contract or subcontract. City Council members must recuse themselves from votes on memorandums of understanding with unions or organizations contracting with the city.
The law does not forbid elected or appointed officials from holding volunteer positions within local groups or service organizations.
Watson said the ordinance was a direct response to a county civil grand jury finding released in March that stated that the city’s lack of an ethics policy had “resulted in conflict, mistrust, and allegations of misconduct.” The grand jury recommended adopting a policy that covered elected and appointed positions by Oct. 31.
Mayor Robert Rickman and other council members thanked Watson for his work to craft the new law.
The City Council also approved creating an ad hoc subcommittee, Mayor Pro Tem Veronica Vargas and Councilwoman Nancy Young, to flesh out a full ethics policy.
Young protested the characterization that discussion of ethics guidelines came about as a response to recent events, saying she had been calling for years for the adoption of ethics guidelines.
She also asked why Watson he had not set up a workshop for the full council to discuss ethics instead of recommending a smaller subcommittee. Watson said he would be able to craft the policy more efficiently with just two council members.
“There’s no legal impediment,” he responded. “There’s simply the divisive nature of the council as it sits here today and coming up with specific language.”
The ordinance governing city contracts will be given a second reading at the next City Council meeting and, if approved, will go into effect 30 days later.
Watson will work with Vargas and Young on a full ethics policy in the coming weeks.
August 27, 2018
Tracy Press
Press staff report
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