Our View: Council should review Code of Ethics
Wednesday, February 21, 2007
Politics has played a significant role in the ethical questions raised about City Councilman Ken Brenner.
Brenner has acquired a long list of political enemies, and everyone who has appeared before the council to question Brenner's ethics - Bob Maddox, Paul Hughes and a host of former City Council members, for example - is on that list.
Not that we feel much sympathy for Brenner. After all, Brenner publicly challenged former Councilwoman Kathy Connell's ethics, orchestrated the unceremonious and unnecessary ousting of Hughes as city manager in December 2005, and has been one of the most fervent critics of the Steamboat Springs Airport, of which Maddox is a strong supporter. It should come as no surprise, least of all to Brenner, that these individuals now are trying to discredit him. One reaps what one sows.
That said, we believe Brenner has adequately answered the ethics questions that have been raised. He has been accused of using his position as City Council president to seek a season ski pass from Steamboat Ski and Resort Corp. and to seek free rounds of golf at Haymaker Golf Course for himself and other city officials.
Brenner has ample evidence his ski pass was related to his volunteer work as a coach and ski racing volunteer. As other council members noted, he could have and should have disclosed that he received a pass. His decision to return the pass, we believe, was the right one.
Apparently, Brenner is not the first city official to inquire about favorable rates or passes at the city-owned Haymaker. Bottom line? Golf passes are not something we believe the City Council president should lobby for, and we support the Golf Committee's decision not to give such rates or passes. Beyond that, the matter should be closed.
Steamboat Springs is a small town. Using the six degrees of separation philosophy, just about any elected official can be connected to almost any issue. We certainly would not want the council to engage in such silliness.
We hope City Council members - not just Brenner - will use this recent episode to review the city's Code of Ethics and consider their own actions within the context of that policy. Council members are introduced to the code when they take office. Some highlights of the code:
n Council members not only must avoid conflicts of interest but also the appearance of a conflict of interest.
n Council members must not accept gifts from a person or persons with an interest in a matter pending before the council.
n Council members are prohibited from using information obtained by virtue of their public positions to further a personal interest.
Some have suggested this latest flap has less to do with Brenner than it does with the November City Council election. There may be truth to that. But at least it gives the council an ethics refresher course, and there's nothing wrong with that.
Comments
Gadfly 6 years, 3 months ago
All elected officials should "review" their codes of ethics, but I'd hate to see this City Council take six months and twelve meetings to decide that "we're okay with what's been happening." After all, don't all codes of ethics for public officials boil down to three things: 1) Don't take anything you haven't paid for; 2) Don't ask for favors, because the giver could ask you for favors in return; and 3) Tell the truth about everything you're doing. Maybe the "ethically challenged" among our Council members could get their tiny minds around something this simple?
WZ4EVER 6 years, 3 months ago
How about the Council commissioning an outside consultant to make that study fore them? I'll bet they can find another $250,000 laying around somewhere...
Gadfly, I'll bet you an Old Town Pub burger that no matter what, the Council will find "no problem" with anything they are doing and will feel completely justified in business as usual.
marathon 6 years, 2 months ago
Congratulations Steamboat Pilot for Your right on editorial! I disagree with one point, I do not beleive it is about political motives or the election. Ken and Loretta and group have smeared everyone who disagreed with his views or stood in the way of his own political aspirations. He smeared every idea that he din't agree with. Many of the public didn't know his ways. I think these people want the public to know the real Ken and they are upset with council's lack of action to stand up and be open ethical leaders.
dogd 6 years, 2 months ago
This is not (ducatgate) a very flattering commentary on the level of intelligence and competence common to the leadership of councils both past and present.
Get off Brenner's back about the ticket, and refocus on the harmful idiocy of so many recent decisions he has been a part of. Like the community center decision and the library configuration, which both demonstrate a lack of any future vision whatsoever regarding the logistics of transportation in a community where growth is the only truly substantial product.
Hammurabi 6 years, 2 months ago
The library and community center are political issues. Accepting and not disclosing a ski pass and asking for golf passes are ethical. I wonder if our community even understands ethics or cares, and therefore allows the council to continue to operate without creating a culture of integrity.
CindyMaddox 6 years, 2 months ago
I received my copy of the City Financial Report and find it very interesting that the airport is 3% of the general fund expenditures while the golf course is three times that, or 9%. We at the airport have obviously missed the way to do things here in Steamboat. Had we given Mr. Brenner free flights for his City Council junkets there would now be a City committee to close the golf course and turn it into affordable housing and the airport would be getting a new luxury restaurant/clubhouse.
Requires free registration
Posting comments requires a free account and verification.
Or login with:
OpenID