HomeMy WebLinkAbout2024-08-20; City Council; ; City Council Code of Ethics and Public Service ValuesCA Review CKM
Meeting Date: Aug. 20, 2024
To: Mayor and City Council
From: Scott Chadwick, City Manager
Staff Contact: Sheila Cobian, Legislative & Constituent Services Director
sheila.cobian@carlsbadca.gov, 442-339-2917
Subject: City Council Code of Ethics and Public Service Values
Districts: All
Recommended Action
Adopt a resolution affirming the City Council Code of Ethics and Public Service Values as
proposed at the regular City Council meeting held on July 16, 2024.
Executive Summary
The City Council adopted a Code of Ethics and Public Service Values on Nov. 16, 2021. As part of
its approval, the City Council directed staff to place the code on the City Council’s agenda each
year to provide an opportunity to review and discuss and revisit the code if appropriate.
The City Council reviewed the code at a regular meeting on July 16, 2024, and voted
unanimously to approve the code as proposed, including the added language to the
Value: Responsibility to reflect guidelines relating to City Council members’ use of city
letterhead. Staff are now presenting a resolution (Exhibit 1) for the City Council to affirm the
Code of Ethics and Public Service Values.
All City Council members will be asked to sign the code following adoption of the resolution.
The code will then be made available on the city’s website.
Explanation & Analysis
Carlsbad’s City Council Code of Ethics & Public Service Values are based on the belief that public
officials must have the trust and respect of their communities they serve for democratic
institutions to be effective. The code is intended to:
•Encourage the highest standards of behavior by City of Carlsbad elected officials
•Make implicit norms of leadership and communication explicit
•Provide an ongoing source of guidance to City of Carlsbad officials in their day-to-day
service to the city
The code established four public service values for the City Council:
•Respect
•Responsibility
•Compassion and Fairness
•Integrity
Aug. 20, 2024 Item #3 Page 1 of 10
The complete statement of ethics and values is provided as Attachment A to Exhibit 1.
Fiscal Analysis
This action has no financial impact.
Next Steps
Staff will obtain the signatures of all City Council members on the Code of Ethics and make it
available on the City Council web page.
Environmental Evaluation
This action does not require environmental review because it does not constitute a project
within the meaning of the California Environmental Quality Act under California Public
Resources Code Section 21065 in that it has no potential to cause either a direct physical
change or a reasonably foreseeable indirect physical change in the environment.
Exhibits
1.City Council resolution
Aug. 20, 2024 Item #3 Page 2 of 10
RESOLUTION NO. 2024-202
A RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF CARLSBAD,
CALIFORNIA, AFFIRMING THE CITY COUNCIL CODE OF ETHICS AND PUBLIC
SERVICE VALUES AS PROPOSED AT THE REGULAR CITY COUNCIL MEETING
HELD ON JULY 16, 2024
WHEREAS, on June 23, 2019, the City Council adopted Resolution No. 2019-133 creating the ad
hoc Carlsbad Municipal Code and City Council Policy Update Subcommittee (Subcommittee) to assist
staff with a comprehensive update to the Carlsbad Municipal Code; and
WHEREAS, the Subcommittee recommended that the full City Council hold a workshop to
discuss and develop a City Council Code of Ethics; and
WHEREAS, on May 6, 2021, the City Council held a facilitated workshop to discuss
communication, leadership and ethics; and
WHEREAS, on June 29, 2021, the City Council held a second facilitated workshop to finalize the
components of a City Council Code of Ethics and Public Service Values; and
WHEREAS, the City Council agreed that approving a City Council Code of Ethics and Public
Service Values would:
•Encourage the highest standards of behavior by the City of Carlsbad elected officials
•Make implicit norms of leadership and communication explicit
•Provide an ongoing source of guidance to City of Carlsbad officials in their day-to-day service
to the City of Carlsbad
WHEREAS, on Nov. 16, 2021, the City Council adopted Resolution No. 2021-253 approving a City
Council Code of Ethics and Public Service Values; and
WHEREAS, the adopted City Council Code of Ethics and Public Service Values requires annual
review by the City Council; and
WHEREAS, the City Council reviewed the City Council Code of Ethics and Public Service Values
at a regular meeting held July 16, 2024, and voted unanimously to approve the City Council Code of
Ethics and Public Service Values as presented including the proposed language added to the Value:
Responsibility to reflect guidelines relating to City Council members' use of City letterhead.
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED by the City Council of the City of Carlsbad, California, as
follows:
1.That the above recitations are true and correct.
2.That the City of Carlsbad City Council Code of Ethics and Public Service Values
(Attachment A) is affirmed and approved.
Exhibit 1
Aug. 20, 2024 Item #3 Page 3 of 10
PASSED, APPROVED AND ADOPTED at a Regular Meeting of the City Council of the City of
Carlsbad on the 20th day of August, 2024, by the following vote, to wit:
AYES:
NAYS:
ABSTAIN:
ABSENT:
BLACKBURN, BHAT-PATEL, ACOSTA, BURKHOLDER, LUNA.
NONE.
NONE.
NONE.
KEITH BLACKBURN, Mayor
SHERRY FREISINGER, City Clerk
(SEAL)
Aug. 20, 2024 Item #3 Page 4 of 10
City of Carlsbad
City Council Code of Ethics & Public Service Values
Preamble
The effective operation of democratic institutions requires that public officials have the trust and
respect of the communities they serve. Accordingly, the City Council of the City of Carlsbad has adopted
this code to:
•Encourage the highest standards of behavior by City of Carlsbad elected officials;
•Make implicit norms of leadership and communication explicit; and
•Provide an ongoing source of guidance to City of Carlsbad officials in their day-to-day service to the
City.
To this end, the City of Carlsbad City Council has adopted this code relating to values-based decision-
making. As part of their service to the City of Carlsbad, individual City Council Members agree to practice
the values described in this code in their day-to-day service to the City of Carlsbad.
The City Council further directs that this code be:
•Distributed to individual City Council Members for signature and, once signed, posted on the City
Council section of the city website;
•Included in the materials provided to candidates for City Council;
•Covered in newly elected officials’ orientation materials and training (including AB 1234 training);
and
•Agendized for discussion annually as an opportunity for City Council review, self-evaluation,
discussion, and revision, if appropriate.
Adopted by the City of Carlsbad City Council on Nov. 16, 2021.
Affirmed by the City of Carlsbad City Council on July 11, 2023.
Affirmed by the City of Carlsbad City Council on Aug. 20, 2024.
Value: Respect
1.As a leader of the community, I model civility. In practice, this means that:
•I treat my fellow officials, staff and the public politely, professionally and with an appreciation
for our common humanity, even when we disagree on what is best for the community.
•When I explain my disagreement with a colleague or City Council decision to others, I do so in
a way that focuses on the merits of an issue and recognizes that reasonable people of
differing interests and/or good intentions can disagree on what is best for our community.
•When my perspective doesn’t prevail, in discussing the outcome in the community, I frame
my colleagues’ differing positions in the spirit of moving onward from the decision and in the
same way I would want my colleagues to frame my own differing positions.
•I contribute to a culture and practice of active acknowledgement by recognizing colleagues
and persons who model values-based decision-making under challenging circumstances.
•I refer to my colleagues on the City Council by their formal city titles (for example, “Council
Member,” “Mayor,” etc.), and/or appropriate gender pronouns unless an individual has
expressed a preference for an alternative title (for example, “Reverend,” “Dr.,” etc.)
Attachment A
Aug. 20, 2024 Item #3 Page 5 of 10
Carlsbad City Council Code of Ethics & Public Service Values
Aug. 20, 2024
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2.I invite and respect public input to inform my sense of what is in the community’s best interests
and incorporate it in the decision-making process to ensure meaningful public engagement. In
practice, this means that:
•I am attentive and engaged in meetings.
•I welcome diverse perspectives and consider them in my decision-making.
•I act in ways that help people feel valued when they participate in our city’s decision-making
processes.
•As an elected official, I gather public input and information to make the best decision with a
spirit of curiosity and inquiry.
•I involve all appropriate stakeholders and the public in general in meetings affecting city
decisions.
•I strive to make people feel heard, by listening carefully, sharing what I think I have heard,
asking clarifying questions, and seeking to understand the interests underlying their
positions.
3.My actions reflect the belief that elected officials, city staff and others who serve the agency
are on the same team in service to the community, even though we have different roles. In
practice, this means that:
•I act on the understanding that staff’s role is to provide objective information and analysis to
inform the decision-making process within the resources that they have available, even if this
information and analysis don’t support the decision I believe is best.
•When I know I will be asking one or more questions on an agenda item, I alert the City
Manager or City Attorney as appropriate in advance so staff can be prepared to provide the
most complete answer to inform both the City Council and the public.
•I ask questions to authentically deepen my understanding of staff analysis and its factual
underpinnings, as well as inform the public; I argue the merits of decisions with my fellow
City Council Members.
•I communicate any concerns I have about city functions, staff analyses or individual staff
performance to and through the city manager.
•I act on the understanding that I am part of a group decision-making process and that staff
take direction from City Council collective action.
Value: Responsibility
1.I model and promote clear communication. In practice, this means that:
•I support defining important words, terms, and context, avoiding jargon (including use of
acronyms) and using examples.
•I ask questions to test any inferences and assumptions I may be inclined to make based on
what I am hearing people say; I support others doing likewise.
Aug. 20, 2024 Item #3 Page 6 of 10
Carlsbad City Council Code of Ethics & Public Service Values
Aug. 20, 2024
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•I am direct and transparent in explaining my reasoning, interests, goals and intentions to help
others understand what I am saying and why. I contribute to an interpersonal environment
that supports such transparency and forthrightness from others to help move conversations
forward with the goals of finding common ground and maximizing the public’s best interests.
•I verify (fact check) statements reportedly made by a colleague directly with that colleague.
•I make myself available for one-on-one conversations about the values in this code.
•I am transparent and publicly disclose relevant information.
2.I work collaboratively to improve our community’s quality of life and promote the public’s best
interests. In practice, this means that:
•I gain value from diverse perspectives and consider them in my decision-making.
•I recognize that I am an agent for the democratic process, not the owner of authority.
•I seek information from community members and my colleagues about what qualities an
acceptable solution might have to a problem (their interests), in addition to hearing what
their positions are.
3.I consider the larger picture in my decision-making and actions. In practice, this means that:
•I consider the short-, medium-, and long-term effects of my decisions and actions.
•I strive to foster effective relationships with state, regional and other public agencies and
their officials.
4.I am accountable for my actions and words. In practice, this means that:
•I am prepared to make unpopular decisions when my sense of the public’s best interests
requires it.
•I take responsibility for my actions, even when it is uncomfortable to do so. This includes
apologizing when I realize that my behavior has fallen short of the aspirational standards in
this code.
•As part of my commitment to growth and learning, I am open to constructive feedback from
my colleagues and others—ideally first expressed on a human-to- human (one-on-one) basis–
when they think I may have acted in a way that falls short of my goal of the values-based
decision-making and the behaviors described in this code.
•I keep open communication with my fellow City Council members when speaking or making
presentations in other City Council members’ districts.
•I will review these code provisions with my colleagues at least annually, looking for
opportunities to refine, improve and/or update the provisions given current developments
and dynamics.
5.I adhere to the following guidelines for using city-issued letterhead:
•I will be issued city letterhead for my use in my position as an elected official.
Aug. 20, 2024 Item #3 Page 7 of 10
Carlsbad City Council Code of Ethics & Public Service Values
Aug. 20, 2024
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•If I use city letterhead to speak on a topic that is not consistent with the city’s legislative
position, I shall indicate clearly and conspicuously that I am speaking on my own behalf and
not on behalf of the city.
•Staff review of my correspondence is optional.
•If I am using city letterhead to speak on my own behalf, I will be responsible for sending out
my own correspondence.
•I may use my city-issued letterhead to issue congratulatory letters.
•I may not use city-issued letterhead for political or personal purposes.
•I am responsible for self-policing adherence to these guidelines.
Values: Compassion and Fairness
1.I am empathetic and care about the needs of the public, my colleagues and staff. In practice, this
means that:
•When interacting with others, I put myself in others’ shoes, understanding that people have
different lived experiences.
•I am sensitive that those interacting with public officials, whether staff or community
members, can be intimidated by public officials and public agency processes. I try to make
interactions with the City Council as stress-free as possible.
•My actions reflect an awareness that people respond to both verbal (including tone of voice)
and non-verbal cues; I also recognize that some people, including me, can interpret verbal
and non-verbal cues differently, depending on the attributes of the source.
•I use active listening techniques (repeating back, follow-up questions, taking notes as
appropriate, and other verbal and non-verbal cues) to demonstrate that I am hearing and
listening to what people are saying.
•I carefully consider all colleague’s and public’s perspectives and input when making decisions.
•I value the personal experiences that contribute to my colleagues’ and the public’s views on a
given matter.
•I initiate one-on-one conversations with those who have different positions on issues to
better understand those positions; I look for opportunities to identify shared values and
interests.
•I view the opportunity to provide feedback to my colleagues relating to values-based
decision-making—ideally first on a human-to-human (one-on-one) basis—as opportunities
for mutual understanding, growth and learning.
•I understand that everyone makes mistakes and, in the spirit of collegiality, I accept apologies
when they are offered. I set aside grudges that may be tempting to hold.
•I look for opportunities to celebrate generative, positive examples of the application of this
code.
2.I embrace our community’s and city team’s diversity. In practice, this means that:
•I consider the diversity, equity and inclusion implications of policy decisions I make.
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Carlsbad City Council Code of Ethics & Public Service Values
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•I participate in regular educational activities to enhance my insights into a wide variety of
diversity, equity and inclusion issues.
3.I promote fair and consistent processes. In practice, this means that:
•I make decisions on policies, hiring and contracting prioritizing merit and value to the
community and equitable practices rather than favoritism and/or family or personal
relationships.
•I honor the law’s and the public’s expectation that city policies will be applied consistently.
•I am impartial in my decision-making and do not favor those who either have helped me (or
are in a position to do so) and disfavor those who have not (or are not).
•I make it a practice to communicate equitably with members of the community, irrespective
of their influence, power or campaign donations.
•I make a conscious effort to avoid favoritism or bias (including unintended bias) in my
actions and decisions.
Value: Integrity
1.I am truthful with my colleagues, the public and others. In practice, this means that:
•I carefully consider any promise I make and then I keep it; I make only promises I believe
are realistic.
•I treat information I receive with a spirit of inquiry and presumed positive intent; I fact-
check information as necessary with colleagues, staff and others.
•I honor commitments I and my agency make.
•I credit others’ contributions to moving our community’s interests forward.
•I only disclose confidential information when I am authorized to do so.
•I explain the official positions of the city to the best of my ability when I am authorized to
do so. I am clear in stating my own views that these views may or may not represent the
city’s position.
2.My actions are consistent with my words. In practice, this means that:
•I follow through on the commitments I make.
•Building and maintaining trust is an ongoing process. I act in ways that promote the public’s
trust in both 1) the city as an expression of community democratic processes and 2) my
own role as a member of the city’s governing body.
3. I comply with both the letter and the spirit of laws that are designed to promote public trust and
confidence in our agency’s decision-making. In practice, this means that:
•I demonstrate, by my actions and my words, that I am a guardian of the public’s trust and
confidence in the city, its elected officials and staff.
•I use public resources for public purposes, not for private benefit or political purposes.
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Carlsbad City Council Code of Ethics & Public Service Values
Aug. 20, 2024
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•I decline and do not seek gifts, favors, and other special treatment.
•I make decisions based on my sense of the public’s best interests. In so doing, I am mindful
of the nonpartisan nature of city, county, school and judicial offices provided for in
California’s Constitution.
City Council Member Signatures:
Mayor Blackburn
City Council Member Bhat-Patel
City Council Member Acosta
City Council Member Burkholder
City Council Member Luna
Aug. 20, 2024 Item #3 Page 10 of 10