A controversy-plagued Vau-ghan City Council has finally approved in principle a code of conduct that prohibits — among other things — consuming alcohol on the taxpayer’s tab and offering office-expense contracts to relatives.
The newly drafted 31-page code, complete with commentary on each of the 21 rules, replaces a skimpy two-page document that dates to 1996.
Councillors hope the code assembled by new integrity commissioner Suzanne Craig will provide some clarity on how councillors should conduct themselves and put an end to the controversies that have dogged council.
The code will be open to community input over the summer before final adoption sometime in fall.
One hot potato that emerged at yesterday’s council meeting was the question of tracking donations councillors solicit for community events from businesses, including lobbyists and developers with business before the city.
Such fundraising currently falls outside of city policies and election finance rules. Clauses regulating it were included, but removed before it came before council.
