Why Ethical Behavior Is Important

I’m always amazed by things that get twisted and taken out of context in an effort to discount or distract from the real reasons for something to happen.

Today, I learned that I’m personally pushing the new proposed ethics ordinance because I’m “mad” at a particular councilperson for disclosing information (s)he wasn’t supposed to disclose.

Me being or not being “mad” doesn’t have a darn thing to do with what the public EXPECTS from their elected officials when it comes to performing their duties in an ethical manner.  Elected officials SHOULD ALWAYS behave with the highest levels of ethical behavior, not just the minimums spelled out by law.  And the responsibility for behaving ethically doesn’t stop if you disagree with others on a particular issue.

For the record, I take allegations of unethical behavior very seriously.  But I also believe that if someone makes such an allegation it should be in writing and signed and should be investigated to determine if the allegation is or is not true.  Simply making off-handed remarks about unethical/illegal behaviors is itself irresponsible.

Below is the response I sent to the Neosho Daily Today:

The Charter of the City of Neosho already allows the city council to investigate any board or any department if we feel there is reason to do so.  Enacting this ordinance does nothing to lessen that authority or circumvent the council’s responsibilities. 

But what it does do is allow for is an impartial, unbiased board to review ethics complaints alleged against Neosho’s elected officials to determine if a violation has occurred.  The council still has the authority and the duty to determine any discipline.  The biggest change is that the council will no longer be charged with investigating themselves until an independent board determines if a potential ethics violation has occurred.

In the detail of the ordinance, we are also better defining what we consider to be ethical behavior.  That includes requiring elected officials who are provided with confidential and/or private information to keep that information private until such information is required by law to be released.

I expect ANY elected official to behave ethically.  But this ordinance will set new minimums of what we should EXPECT from our elected officials and provides for a process to deal with that unethical behavior if it does occur.

The incentive – behave ethically.  If you do, you’ll have nothing to worry about.