Deena Winter: The mystery of the tabled ethics code
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Craig Groat was once a regular at City Council meetings, almost always wearing a dark suit and carrying a briefcase full of documents.
He sounded like an attorney as he lectured the council about everything from noxious weeds to zoning to setbacks.
By summer 2002, he was regularly hammering the council to adopt an ethics code. Groat contended the City Council had long been in violation of the City Charter, which requires it to have an ethics code.
Former City Attorney Dana Roper disagreed, saying the city already had an ethics code in the city code dealing with conflicts of interest. It used to be called an ethics code, but was renamed.
Groat never bought that explanation, and took every opportunity to push the council toward action. City records show he pushed for an ethics code at council meetings a half dozen times in June and July 2002.
Week after week after week.
June 10. June 17. June 24. July 1. July 8. July 15.
On July 22, he focused on noxious weeds and other issues. Besides, progress seemed to be in the offing.
The council had an ordinance with a proposed ethics code before it at the next weekly meeting. It appeared Groat was finally going to get what he wanted. He thanked the council.
But then-Councilman Terry Werner made a motion to table the ordinance until a committee was formed to work on the code; that committee was never formed.
The ordinance has been under “pending” business on every City Council agenda since — every meeting in 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007 and every meeting so far this year.
Groat has publicly contended the whole thing was a ploy to shut him up, because council rules don’t allow people to address pending issues during the “open microphone” portion of meetings.
Specifically, he accused Councilman Jon Camp of orchestrating the muzzling. Camp denies that, saying, “He’s entitled to his opinion.”
City records show Camp had the ordinance drafted, and all but then-Councilman Glenn Friendt went along with Werner’s motion to table it. That included current Councilmen Jonathan Cook and Ken Svoboda.
If it was Camp’s — or any council member’s — goal to quiet Groat, it didn’t work. City clerk records indicate he has testified about ethics another dozen times since 2002, although in recent years, he has stopped coming to council meetings.
The last time he appeared at a meeting, he said, Roper argued against the need for an ethics code.
But Groat was back Monday because Councilman John Spatz has proposed conflict of interest legislation that includes an ethics code. He wasn’t satisfied with Spatz’s code (which Spatz admits is just a start), saying a “good, quality” code would run 30-some pages and should be drafted by a committee guided by an independent attorney.
Reach Deena Winter at 473-2642 or dwinter@journalstar.com.
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I wish more people would take an interest in City government. Instead of whining and complaining, sit in at Council meetings and speak up when it is appropriate. It is the only way to get things done. (and then sometimes, it still doesn't work, but you have to keep trying.) "
Friends, democracy IS hard work. Of COURSE, the city should have an ethics policy...so should any governing body. But, its too easy to do what is fastest, convenient and full of money sometimes to act with full integrity. This will be our community and state government's downfall if we allow politicians to continue down this "ethics lite" and sometimes "ethic-less" path and just chalk it up to "politics". Not good enough.
Craig does this on his own time, and could surely be compensated for it by other citizens or even retained as a consultant for the city. He deserves it. Kudo's to Craig and a good story that was a long time coming.
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