03-25-2010 Agenda and Packet - Laserfiche WebLink

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1/1 M E M O R A N D U MM E M O R A N D U MM E M O R A N D U MM E M O R A N D U M TO: PARKS AND RECREATION AND FORESTRY COMMISSIONERS FROM: NICK DEBAR | PUBLIC WORKS DIRECTOR DATE: MARCH 25, 2010 RE: CITY CODE OF CONDUCT AND STATEMENT OF VALUES POLICIES The Mounds View City Council passed Resolution 7588 on March 8, 2010 approving the City of Mounds View Code of Conduct and Statement of Values policies. The policies apply to the City Council, Commission and Committee members, and City employees and are required to be distributed to all of the above. Last year, the League of Minnesota Cities (LMC) established a ten-member ethics advisory panel to work toward a product that would promote high standards of ethical behavior while providing a helpful framework to city officials who deal with such issues. The panel, which included Mounds View Council Member Carol Mueller, produced two model documents—a code of conduct and a statement of values. The Code of Conduct is a “law-based” document, incorporating very specific standards of behavior that are already written into state statute or that have been handed down by court rulings. The Code of Conduct also offers legal methods for dealing with infractions. By adopting this code at the municipal level, a city council can take self-initiated action to see that these standards are upheld in the community, rather than having to wait on civil litigation initiated by citizens or criminal prosecution by the county attorney. The Statement of Values is an aspirational document, intended to provide a framework for ethical decision-making. The values it promotes can only be self-enforced, primarily by providing an ethical anchor, raising the quality of discussion and expectation among city officials and in the community, and by appealing to the conscience of the individual. It would be difficult and likely counterproductive to suggest that such values could be subject to formal review or enforcement action. Attachments: • Code of Conduct Policy • Statement of Values Policy • Resolution 7588 ITEM NO. 8A