Half Moon Bay City Council to Sign Code of Responsible Practices

The Half Moon Bay City Council is poised to sign its first-ever Code of Responsible Practices at a special meeting tonight, according to city officials.

The two-page City Council Code of Responsible Practices is designed as a guide for Half Moon Bay's publicly elected officials to practice ethical conduct in their daily duties. All elected officials will be required to sign the code upon taking office and annually thereafter.

The draft code was developed earlier this year by Half Moon Bay city staff after they reviewed responsible practice documents adopted by other city councils, according to a city staff report.

The City Council then reviewed the draft on Feb. 15 and provided comments on the document which staff incorporated into a subsequent draft, the report said.

The code — which will be posted in a public location after its adoption tonight — includes the following elements:

• Refraining from using position for improper influence on decisions of City staff, boards, commissions or committees

• Refraining from abusive conduct, verbal attacks upon the character or motives of other councilmembers, boards, commissions, staff or the public

• Working for the common good for the residents of Half Moon Bay and not for private or personal interest

• Refraining from using official position to influence governmental decisions in which a personal or financial relationship would present a conflict of interest under California state law

• Refraining from accepting gifts, favors or promises of future benefits that might compromise independence of judgement or action or give the appearance of being compromised

• Actively keeping in mind the proper use of public resources and consideration of the financial impact and social stability of Half Moon Bay residents

• Making decisions after prudent consideration of financial impact, taking into account the long-term financial needs of the city

The code does not replace or supplant Half Moon Bay city councilmembers' legal and ethical responsibilities to abide by all regulations of the California Government Code, the Brown Act, the City of Half Moon Bay Municipal Code and the California Fair Political Practices Commission.

To read the full City Council Code of Responsible Practices, click on the PDF document attached to the media box at right. The code can be found on page 100-101.

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