Fiscal Note
No City appropriation required.
Title
Amending Section 3.35(12)(a) of the Madison General Ordinances related to Ethics Complaints to clarify who may submit a complaint to the Ethics Board.
Body
DRAFTER’S ANALYSIS: Elected officials of the City, all employees of the City, and all members of City boards, committees, commissions, subcommittees and ad hoc committees are “covered” by the Ethics Code which means they must follow the Ethics Code in Madison General Ordinance 3.35. Currently, the Ethics Code allows “any resident of the City” to complain to the Ethics Board about the activity of anyone covered by the Ethics Code. This amendment would allow anyone to submit a Complaint to the Ethics Board. For example, under the current code, an employee may not file an Ethics Code complaint unless they are also a resident of the City. With this amendment, even if an employee lives in a different City they could still submit an Ethics Code complaint about the activity of anyone covered by the Ethics Code.
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The Common Council of the City of Madison do hereby ordain as follows:
1. Subdivision(a) of Subsection (12) entitled “Complaints” of Section 3.35 entitled “Code of Ethics” of the Madison General Ordinances is amended as follows:
“(a) Any resident of the City person may complain to the Ethics Board about the activity of any person or entity covered by this section pursuant to rules and procedures of the Ethics Board as approved by the Common Council. If a complaint is brought under this section against any member of the Ethics Board, other than the Common Council President or designee, the Common Council Executive Committee shall hear the complaint, acting as the Ethics Board and following the same rules, procedures and precedents of the Ethics Board. If a complaint is brought under this section against the Common Council President or designee, a panel of 3 persons s...
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