The city’s
The code is meant to guide city officials, employees, volunteers and contractors. It also provides an avenue for anyone to file complaints about city representatives suspected of committing impropriety or even the appearance of impropriety.
The update details a procedure on how those facing a complaint would be allowed to respond and a procedure for a hearing.
“We just wanted to make it more user-friendly,” Ethics Board Chairman Mike Todt said.
The Durango City Council will consider the revision in February in a meeting with the Ethics Board.
As part of the changes, the Ethics Board will provide the person facing a complaint with a copy of it. The subject of the complaint would be able to respond to the board in writing. The board would consider both the complaint and the response in a meeting that would not be open to the public.
After a complaint is received, the board would have the option to dismiss it, have it investigated, set it for hearings or ask the parties involved to go through mediation.
Details of the complaint would become public when the board votes on the issue.
The board added mediation to the list of possible actions as part of the update. The parties involved would be allowed to pick a mediator from a short list. If the parties could not agree on a mediator, the board would pick one for them.
Once those involved go through mediation, the board would have the option to dismiss the complaint at the request of the party who brought it forward.
The update also provides more details about the structure of a hearing in front of the board.
If the board decides to hold a hearing, the party who filed the complaint would have to prove his or her allegations.
Documents, a list of witnesses and a brief summary of all testimony would have to be submitted 15 days in advance.
The Ethics Board was created in 2014, and since then, it has provided three advisory opinions and one complaint that was dismissed after it was investigated.
Board members expressed concerns they have not received more complaints, and they planned to do more outreach and education in the coming year.
Speaking of potential whistleblowers, Katherine Burgess, a member of the Ethics Board, said, “They have the right to say something and have it go somewhere.”
mshinn@durangoherald.com
