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HomeMy WebLinkAboutItem 5.5 Adoption of the City of Dublin Code of Ethics and Conduct for Elected and Appointed Officials Agenda Item 5.5 STAFF REPORT CITY COUNCIL Page 1 of 2 DATE: September 15, 2026 TO: Honorable Mayor and City Councilmembers FROM: Colleen Tribby, City Manager SUBJECT: Adoption of the City of Dublin Code of Ethics and Conduct for Elected and Appointed Officials Prepared by: Colleen Tribby, City Manager EXECUTIVE SUMMARY: The City Council will consider adopting the Code of Ethics and Conduct for Elected and Appointed Officials. The City Council reviewed the draft Code on August 18 and September 1, 2026 and provided feedback that has been incorporated into the final document. STAFF RECOMMENDATION: Adopt the Resolution Adopting the City of Dublin Code of Ethics and Conduct for Elected and Appointed Officials. FINANCIAL IMPACT: None. DESCRIPTION: At the August 18, 2026 meeting, the City Council reviewed and provided feedback on a draft Code of Ethics and Conduct for Elected and Appointed Officials. At the September 1, 2026 meeting, the City Council revised the draft Code a second time, made several adjustments, and asked for the final Code to be brought back on the Consent Calendar. In accordance with the City Council’s direction, Staff made the following changes to the Co de (deletions shown in strikethrough; additions shown in red):  In Section B(1): Ethics, Guiding Principles c) Conduct of Officials. The professional and personal conduct of Officials must be above reproach and avoid even the appearance of impropriety. Officials shall refrain from abusive conduct, personal charges, or verbal attacks upon the character or 36 Page 2 of 2 motives of other members of the Council, committees and commissions, City staff, and/or the public. In addition, Officials shall respect the decisions of past and present Councils, committees, and commissions.  In Section D(5): Compliance and Enforcement, Investigation b) The investigation shall be completed within as soon as possible but no later than 90 days and shall result in a written report addressing whether the evidence supports a finding that this Code was violated, and whether a hearing is warranted. A minor change was also made to Section D(2) to correct a reference to another section of the document. Upon adoption of the Code, Staff will distribute the Model of Excellence for signature by all current elected and appointed officials, and will incorporate it into the handbooks for future officials. STRATEGIC PLAN INITIATIVE: None. NOTICING REQUIREMENTS/PUBLIC OUTREACH: The City Council Agenda was posted. ATTACHMENTS: 1) Resolution Adopting the City of Dublin Code of Ethics and Conduct for Elected and Appointed Officials 2) Exhibit A to the Resolution – City of Dublin Code of Ethics and Conduct for Elected and Appointed Officials 37 Attachment 1 Reso. No. XX-26, Item X.X, Adopted XX/XX/2026 Page 1 of 1 RESOLUTION NO. XX – 26 A RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF DUBLIN ADOPTING THE CITY OF DUBLIN CODE OF ETHICS AND CONDUCT FOR ELECTED AND APPOINTED OFFICIALS WHEREAS, the City Council desires to establish clear, written standards of ethical conduct for members of the City Council and of the City's commissions and committees that promote transparency, mutual respect, and civility in the conduct of City business; and WHEREAS, a written code of ethics and conduct provides officials with guidance in performing their duties, informs the public of the standards to which its officials are held, and thereby strengthens public confidence in the decisions of the City; and WHEREAS, a code of ethics and conduct is intended to supplement, and not to supersede or replace, applicable federal and state law governing the conduct of public officials, including the Political Reform Act (Government Code section 81000 et seq.), Govern ment Code section 1090, the Ralph M. Brown Act (Government Code section 54950 et seq.), and the ethics training requirements of Government Code section 53235; and WHEREAS, the City Council reviewed the draft City of Dublin Code of Ethics and Conduct for Elected and Appointed Officials on August 18, 2026 and September 1, 2026. NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the City Council of the City of Dublin does hereby approve the City of Dublin Code of Ethics and Conduct for Elected and Appointed Officials, attached hereto as Exhibit A to this Resolution. PASSED, APPROVED, AND ADOPTED by the City Council of the City of Dublin this 15th day of September 2026, by the following vote: AYES: NOES: ABSENT: ABSTAIN: ______________________________ Mayor ATTEST: _________________________________ City Clerk 38 City of Dublin Code of Ethics and Conduct Page 1 of 11 Attachment 2 – Exhibit A to the Resolution City of Dublin Code of Ethics and Conduct for Elected and Appointed Officials 39 City of Dublin Code of Ethics and Conduct Page 2 of 11 A. Policy Purpose The Dublin City Council has adopted this Code of Ethics and Conduct for its members, and for the members of the City's committees and commissions, to ensure the integrity of local government and its effective, fair operation. B. Ethics The residents and businesses of Dublin are entitled to a local government that is fair, ethical, and accountable, and that has earned the public's full confidence in its integrity. The effective function of democratic government therefore requires that: ▪ public officials, both elected and appointed, comply with both the letter and the spirit of the laws and policies affecting the operations of government; ▪ public officials be independent, impartial, and fair in their judgment and actions; ▪ public office be used for the public good, not for personal gain; and ▪ public deliberations and processes be conducted openly, unless legally confidential, in an atmosphere of respect and civility. 1. Guiding Principles The following principles provide guidance on ethical decision-making for members of the City Council and appointed members of the City's committees and commissions (collectively referred to as “Officials” throughout this document). a) Act in the Public Interest. Recognizing that stewardship of the public interest must be their primary concern, Officials will work for the common good of the people of Dublin and not for any private or personal interest, and they will assure fair and equal treatment of all persons, claims, and transactions coming before the City Council, committees, and/or commissions. b) Comply with Both the Spirit and the Letter of the Law and City Policy. Officials shall comply with the laws of the United States, the State of California, and the City of Dublin in the performance of their public duties. These laws include, but are not limited to: the United States and California constitutions; the Ralph M. Brown Act; the Political Reform Act; the Dublin Municipal Code; commission and committee bylaws; the City’s Rules of the Conduct of Meetings of the City Council; the City Council Norms; the City’s Personal Devices, Personal Accounts, and Messages Policy; and laws pertaining to conflicts of interest, election campaigns, financial disclosures, and open processes of government. c) Conduct of Officials. The professional and personal conduct of Officials must be above reproach and avoid even the appearance of impropriety. Officials shall refrain from abusive conduct, personal charges, or verbal attacks upon the character or motives of other members of the Council, committees and commissions, City staff, and/or the public. In addition, Officials shall respect the decisions of past and present Councils, committees, and commissions. d) Respect for Process. Officials shall perform their duties in accordance with the processes and rules of order established by the City Council and committees and commissions governing the deliberation of public policy issues, meaningful involvement of the public, and implementation of policy decisions by City staff. e) Conduct of Public Meetings. Officials shall prepare themselves for public issues, listen courteously and attentively to all public discussion before the body, and focus on the business at hand. They shall refrain from interrupting other speakers, making personal comments not germane to the business of the body, or otherwise interfering with the orderly conduct of meetings. f) Decisions Based on Merit. Officials shall base their decisions on the merits and substance of the matter at hand, rather than on unrelated considerations. 40 City of Dublin Code of Ethics and Conduct Page 3 of 11 g) Communication and Disclosure of Outside Contacts. Officials shall publicly disclose substantive information that is relevant to a matter under consideration by the Council, or by a committee or commission, which they may have received from sources outside of the public decision-making process. When serving in a quasi-judicial capacity, Officials shall disclose the nature and substance of any such ex parte communication before the matter is acted upon, so that other parties have an opportunity to respond; disclosure alone does not disqualify a member from participating unless the member cannot remain impartial. h) Conflict of Interest. In order to assure their independence and impartiality on behalf of the common good, Officials shall not use their official positions to influence government decisions in which they have a material financial interest, or where they have an organizational responsibility or personal relationship which may give the appearance of a conflict of interest. In accordance with the law, Officials shall disclose investments, interests in real property, sources of income, and gifts, and they shall abstain from participating in deliberations and decision-making where conflicts may exist. i) Gifts and Favors. Officials shall not take any special advantage of services or opportunities for personal gain by virtue of their public office that are not available to the public in general. They shall refrain from accepting any gifts, favors, or promises of future benefits which might compromise their independence of judgment or action or give the appearance of being compromised. j) Confidential Information. Officials shall respect the confidentiality of information concerning the property, personnel, and/or affairs of the City. They shall neither disclose confidential information without proper legal authorization, nor use such information to advance their personal, financial, and/or other private interests. k) Use of Public Resources. Officials shall not use public resources not available to the public in general, such as City staff time, equipment, supplies, or facilities, for private gain or personal purposes. l) Representation of Private Interests. Members of the Council shall not appear on behalf of the private interests of third parties before the Council or any committee, commission, or proceeding of the City, nor shall members of committees and commissions appear before their own bodies or before the Council on behalf of the private interests of third parties on matters related to the areas of service of their bodies. m) Advocacy. Officials shall represent the official policies or positions of the City Council, committee, or commission to the best of their ability when designated as delegates for this purpose. When presenting their individual opinions and positions, Officials shall explicitly state that they do not represent their body or the City of Dublin, nor shall they allow the inference that they do. Councilmembers and committee and commission members have the right to endorse candidates for all Council seats or other elected offices; it is inappropriate, however, to mention or display endorsements during City Council meetings, committee and commission meetings, or other official City meetings. n) Policy Role of City Councilmembers. Councilmembers shall respect and adhere to the council- manager structure of City government as established under the Dublin Municipal Code and applicable state law. In this structure, the City Council determines the policies of the City with the advice, information, and analysis provided by the public, committees and commissions, and City staff. Councilmembers shall not interfere with the administrative functions of the City or the professional duties of City staff, nor impair the ability of staff to implement Council policy decisions. o) Independence of Committees and Commissions. Because of the value of the independent advice of committees and commissions to the public decision-making process, Councilmembers shall refrain from using their position to influence the deliberations or outcomes of committee and commission proceedings. 41 City of Dublin Code of Ethics and Conduct Page 4 of 11 p) Positive Work Environment. Officials shall support the maintenance of a positive and constructive work environment for City employees and for residents and businesses dealing with the City. Officials shall recognize their special role in dealings with City employees so as to in no way create the perception of inappropriate direction to staff. q) Commitment to Attendance. Officials recognize that regular attendance at City Council, committee, and commission meetings is essential to fulfilling their duty to represent the Dublin community and to the orderly conduct of the public's business. Officials shall make attendance at scheduled meetings a priority, and where an absence is unavoidable, shall provide timely notice consistent with the City's attendance and excusal procedures. C. Conduct This Section of the Code describes the manner in which Officials should treat one another, City staff, constituents, and others they come into contact with in representing the City of Dublin. 1. Conduct with One Another a) In Public Meetings. i. Practice civility and decorum in discussions and debate. Difficult questions, tough challenges to a particular point of view, and criticism of ideas and information are legitimate elements of a free democracy in action. This does not allow, however, Officials to make belligerent, personal, impertinent, slanderous, threatening, abusive, or disparaging comments. No shouting or physical actions that could be construed as threatening will be tolerated. ii. Honor the role of the Mayor or Chair in maintaining order. It is the responsibility of the Mayor or Chair to keep the comments of Officials on track during public meetings. Officials should honor efforts by the Mayor or Chair to focus discussion on current agenda items. Disagreement about the Mayor or Chair's actions should be voiced politely and with reason. iii. Avoid personal comments that could offend other Officials. If an Official is personally offended by the remarks of another member, the offended Official should note the actual words used and call for a “point of personal privilege” that asks the other Official to justify or apologize for the language used. The chair will maintain control of this discussion. iv. Demonstrate effective problem-solving approaches. Officials have a public stage to show how individuals with disparate points of view can find common ground and seek a compromise that benefits the community overall. Officials should raise concerns about a specific component and seek amendment before voting against an item as a whole, rather than treating one disagreement as grounds to reject a complex, significant item. b) Outside of Public Meetings. i. Continue respectful behavior in private. The same level of respect and consideration of differing points of view that is expected in public discussions should be maintained in private conversations. ii. Be aware of the insecurity of written notes, voicemail messages, email, and texts. Written notes, voicemail messages, email, texts, and other messages should be treated as potentially public communication, whether or not they are ultimately disclosable under the Public Records Act. 2. Conduct with City Staff Officials are expected to treat all staff as professionals, engaging in clear, honest communication that respects the abilities, experience, and dignity of each individual staff person. 42 City of Dublin Code of Ethics and Conduct Page 5 of 11 a) In Public Meetings. i. Keep questions related to the matter at hand. Lines of questioning during public meetings should be limited to the item(s) being considered and should not be used to evaluate or substantiate an individual staff person’s general knowledge, education, experience, or personal opinion. ii. Treat staff as members of your own team. Officials should attempt to communicate questions, corrections, and/or clarifications about reports requiring official action to staff prior to Council, committee, or commission meetings. Allowing staff to prepare for a public meeting helps avoid surprises that can be disruptive to the business of the City. iii. Do not engage in personal attacks of any kind, under any circumstance. Officials should be aware, because of the power dynamic of their roles, that their body language and tone of voice, as well as the words they use, can appear intimidating or aggressive to staff members. b) Outside of Public Meetings. i. Direct all communication to the appropriate City staff. All communications (feedback, requests for information, inquiries, etc.) from Councilmembers must be routed directly to the City Manager or designee, or to the City Attorney as necessary. Communications between appointed officials and staff can be directed to the staff assigned to the committee or commission. ii. Do not disrupt City staff from their jobs. Officials should not disrupt City staff while they are in meetings, on the phone, or engrossed in performing their job functions. iii. Do not publicly criticize an individual employee. Officials should never express concerns about the performance of a City employee in public, to the employee directly, or to the employee's manager. Comments about staff performance should only be made to the City Manager, or the City Attorney as appropriate, through private correspondence or conversation. iv. Do not get involved in certain administrative functions. Officials must not attempt to influence City staff on the making of appointments, the awarding of contracts, the selection of consultants, the processing of development applications, or the granting of City licenses and permits. v. Limit requests for staff support. Routine secretarial support (e.g., scheduling events for the City Council as a whole, making travel arrangements, creating certificates of recognition, etc.) is provided to all Councilmembers. Requests for additional staff support — even in high-priority or emergency situations — should be made to the City Manager, and/or City Attorney, as appropriate, who are responsible for allocating City resources to maintain a professional, well- run City government. vi. Do not solicit political support from staff. Elected and appointed officials should not solicit any type of political support (e.g., financial contributions, display of posters or lawn signs, name on a support list, etc.) from City staff. City staff may, as private residents with constitutional rights, support political candidates, but all such activities must be conducted away from the workplace and after working hours. 3. Conduct with the Public a) In Public Meetings. i. Be welcoming to speakers and treat them with care. Making the public feel welcome is an important part of the democratic process. No signs of partiality, prejudice, or disrespect should 43 City of Dublin Code of Ethics and Conduct Page 6 of 11 be evident on the part of individual members toward anyone participating in a public forum. While clarifying questions may be asked, an Official's primary role during public testimony is to listen. ii. Be fair and equitable in allocating public comment time to individual speakers. The Mayor or Chair will announce limits on speakers at the start of the public comment process. After the close of public comment, no more public testimony will be accepted unless the chair reopens the public comment period for a limited and specific purpose, and with the consensus of the City Council, committee, or commission. iii. Maintain an open mind. Members of the public deserve an opportunity to influence the thinking of elected and appointed officials. Expressing an opinion or passing judgment prior to the close of public comment casts doubt on a member's ability to conduct a fair review of the issue, particularly when officials are serving in a quasi-judicial capacity. iv. Ask for clarification, but avoid debate and argument with the public. Questions by Officials to public speakers should seek only to clarify or expand information; it is never appropriate to belligerently challenge or belittle a speaker. Officials' personal opinions or inclinations about upcoming votes should not be revealed until after the public comment period is closed. v. Do not engage in personal attacks of any kind, under any circumstance. Officials should be aware that their body language and tone of voice, as well as the words they use, can appear intimidating or aggressive. b) Outside of Public Meetings. i. Make no promises on behalf of the City Council, committee, commission, or City. Officials will frequently be asked to explain a Council, committee, commission action, or to give their opinion about an issue, as they meet and talk with constituents in the community. It is appropriate to give a brief overview of City policy and to refer constituents to City staff for further information. It is inappropriate to overtly or implicitly promise City Council, committee, or commission action, or to promise that City staff will do something specific. ii. Make no personal comments about other Officials. It is acceptable to publicly disagree about an issue, but it is unacceptable to make derogatory comments about other Officials, their opinions, and their actions. 4. Conduct with Other Public Agencies a) Be clear about representing the governing or advisory body versus personal interests. When representing the City, a committee, or a commission before another public agency, an Official must support and advocate the official body’s position on an issue, not a personal viewpoint. Otherwise, an Official who chooses to comment publicly on a matter must be clear that they are expressing a personal opinion, not an official City, committee, or commission position. When representing another organization whose position differs from the City's, the Official should be clear about which organization they represent and should inform the rest of the City Council (or their committee and commission) of that involvement. A Councilmember representing an outside organization should withdraw from voting on a related item if doing so significantly impacts or is detrimental to the City's interest. b) Correspondence should also be clear about representation. City letterhead may be used when a Councilmember is representing the City and the City's official position. City letterhead should not be used for non-City business, nor for correspondence representing a dissenting point of view from an official Council position. 5. Conduct Between City Council and Appointed Officials 44 City of Dublin Code of Ethics and Conduct Page 7 of 11 a) Limit attendance at committee or commission meetings. Councilmembers should be sensitive to how their participation — especially on behalf of an individual, business, or developer — could be viewed as unfairly affecting the process. Individual Councilmembers should not influence commission and committee members and are discouraged from attending commission and committee meetings. b) Limit contact with committee and commission members to questions of clarification. It is inappropriate for a Councilmember to contact a committee or commission member to lobby on behalf of an individual, business, or developer, and vice versa. c) Remember that committees and commissions serve the community, not individual Councilmembers. Committee and commission members do not report to individual Councilmembers, nor should Councilmembers feel they have the power or right to threaten committee or commission members with removal because of disagreement over an issue. Appointment and re-appointment to a committee or commission should be based on criteria such as expertise, ability to work with staff and the public, and commitment to fulfilling official duties; a committee or commission appointment should not be used as a political “reward.” d) Be respectful of diverse opinions. The primary role of committees and commissions is to represent many points of view in the community and to provide the City Council with advice based on a full spectrum of concerns and perspectives. Councilmembers must be fair and respectful of all residents serving on committees and commissions. e) Keep political support away from public forums. Committee and commission members may offer political support to a Councilmember, but not in a public forum while conducting official duties. Councilmembers may support committee and commission members who are running for office, but not in an official forum in their capacity as a Councilmember. 6. Conduct with the Media a) Be clear about whether you are expressing an official or personal opinion. In practice, the Mayor is the designated representative of the Council to present and speak on an official City position. However, if an individual Councilmember is contacted by the media, the Councilmember should be clear about whether their comments represent the official City position or a personal viewpoint. b) Never go “off the record.” Most members of the media represent the highest levels of journalistic integrity and ethics and can be trusted to keep their word. However, one bad experience can be difficult to undo. Words that are not said cannot be quoted. D. Compliance and Enforcement This Code expresses standards of ethical conduct expected of members of the City Council, committees, and commissions. Officials themselves have the primary responsibility to ensure that ethical standards are understood and met. The Mayor (or Vice Mayor, as applicable) and the chairs of committees and commissions have the additional responsibility to intervene when actions that appear to violate this Code are brought to their attention. 1. Purpose and General Principle This Section establishes the process for addressing an alleged violation of this Code by an Official. Officials themselves have the primary responsibility to ensure ethical standards are understood and met. Nothing in this Section limits the City's separate legal obligations, or the separate rights of any person, under state law. 45 City of Dublin Code of Ethics and Conduct Page 8 of 11 2. Raising a Concern a) An Official who believes another Official has violated this Code should, where appropriate and safe to do so, raise the concern directly with that Official first. b) A City staff member with a concern about an Official's conduct toward them may report it to the City Manager, or to the City Attorney if the concern involves the City Manager. c) The City Manager's own reporting path for a concern involving a Councilmember follows Section 3(c), below. 3. Formal Complaint a) If informal resolution does not resolve the concern, or is not appropriate, a formal complaint may be submitted in writing to the City Clerk. b) A complaint against a Councilmember must be jointly submitted by at least two members of the City Council, or initiated by the Mayor (or Vice Mayor, if the complaint concerns the Mayor). A complaint against a committee or commission member may be submitted by the Mayor, a Councilmember, the chair of the member's own body, or the City Manager. c) A complaint involving the City Manager should be submitted to the Mayor, or the Vice Mayor if the Mayor is involved, or directly to the City Attorney if the concern involves a majority of the Council or internal reporting would not be effective. d) The City Clerk shall provide the Official named in the complaint ("the Responding Official") with written notice, including a copy of the complaint, within 10 days. 4. Threshold Review Before a full investigation begins, the City Council (for a complaint against a Councilmember) or the Mayor (for a complaint against a committee or commission member) shall determine whether the complaint, if true, would constitute a violation of this Code. A complaint that does not meet this threshold shall be dismissed without further proceedings, and the outcome documented by the City Clerk. This review shall occur at a noticed public meeting if it concerns a Councilmember. 5. Investigation a) If the threshold is met, the matter shall be investigated by an ad hoc committee of Councilmembers (excluding the Responding Official and any complainant), the City Manager, the City Attorney, or an independent investigator, as appropriate and free of conflicts. b) The investigation shall be completed as soon as possible but no later than 90 days and shall result in a written report addressing whether the evidence supports a finding that this Code was violated, and whether a hearing is warranted. 6. Hearing If a hearing is warranted, it shall be scheduled within 30 days of the investigative report, at a noticed public meeting if the Responding Official is a Councilmember. The Responding Official shall receive reasonable advance access to the evidence and a meaningful opportunity to respond and be heard before any determination is made. 7. Findings and Determination A finding that this Code was violated must be based on written findings supported by substantial evidence, and requires a majority vote of the members eligible to vote. The Responding Official shall not vote on their own matter. 46 City of Dublin Code of Ethics and Conduct Page 9 of 11 8. Available Sanctions Upon a sustained finding, the following sanctions are available, calibrated to the severity and nature of the violation: a) For a Councilmember: informal counseling; reprimand; formal censure (statement via a resolution); reassignment or loss of committee, subcommittee, or intergovernmental assignments; restriction of City-funded travel; restriction of direct communication with staff. Because a Councilmember is an elected official, removal from office through this Code is not available; removal can occur only through recall by the voters or, where applicable, through the process described in Government Code § 36513 (forfeiture for unexcused absence). b) For a committee or commission member: counseling, verbal reprimand, or written warning (which may be kept confidential to the extent the law allows); formal censure; suspension; or removal from office, by majority vote of the Council at a noticed public meeting. 9. Non-Retaliation No Official shall retaliate against any person for raising a good-faith concern or participating in a proceeding under this Section. Retaliation is itself a violation of this Code, evaluated under this same procedure. 10. Public Meeting Requirements Nothing in this Section alters the City's obligations under the Ralph M. Brown Act. Initial, informal steps under Section D.2 may remain confidential, but any formal Council determination or sanction concerning a Councilmember must occur at a noticed public meeting, consistent with Government Code § 54957(b)(4), which excludes elected officials from the Act's closed-session personnel exception. 11. Records The City Clerk shall maintain a record of each complaint's disposition, redacted as required by the Public Records Act, sufficient to document that this procedure was followed. E. Implementation As an expression of the standards of conduct expected of its members, this Code of Ethics and Conduct is intended to be self-enforcing. It therefore becomes most effective when Officials are thoroughly familiar with it and embrace its provisions. For this reason, this document shall be included in the regular orientation for newly elected Councilmembers and appointed members of committees and commissions. Members entering office shall sign a statement (Exhibit A) affirming that they have read and understood the City of Dublin Code of Ethics and Conduct as well as other policies related to the position they hold. The City Council can, by consensus, ask to review this Code annually and consider any recommendations for updates. 47 City of Dublin Code of Ethics and Conduct Page 10 of 11 Exhibit A — Model of Excellence Member Statement MODEL OF EXCELLENCE Dublin City Council MEMBER STATEMENT As a member of the Dublin City Council, I agree to uphold the Code of Ethics and Conduct for Elected and Appointed Officials and to conduct myself according to the following model of excellence. I will: ▪ Recognize the worth of individual members and appreciate their individual talents, perspectives, and contributions; ▪ Help create an atmosphere of respect and civility where individual members, City staff, and the public are free to express their ideas and work to their full potential; ▪ Conduct my personal and public affairs with honesty, integrity, fairness, and respect for others; ▪ Respect the dignity and privacy of individuals and organizations; ▪ Keep the common good as my highest purpose and focus on achieving constructive solutions for the public benefit; ▪ Avoid and discourage conduct which is divisive or harmful to the best interests of Dublin; and ▪ Treat all people with whom I come in contact in the way I wish to be treated. I affirm that I have read and understood the City of Dublin Code of Ethics and Conduct for Elected and Appointed Officials. I also affirm that I have read and understood the City of Dublin’s Rules of the Conduct of Meetings of the City Council, City Council Norms, and the Personal Devices, Personal Accounts, and Messages Policy. Signature Date 48 City of Dublin Code of Ethics and Conduct Page 11 of 11 MODEL OF EXCELLENCE Committees and Commissions MEMBER STATEMENT As a member of a City of Dublin committee or commission, I agree to uphold the Code of Ethics and Conduct for Elected and Appointed Officials and to conduct myself according to the following model of excellence. I will: ▪ Recognize the worth of individual members and appreciate their individual talents, perspectives, and contributions; ▪ Help create an atmosphere of respect and civility where individual members, City staff, and the public are free to express their ideas and work to their full potential; ▪ Conduct my personal and public affairs with honesty, integrity, fairness, and respect for others; ▪ Respect the dignity and privacy of individuals and organizations; ▪ Keep the common good as my highest purpose and focus on achieving constructive solutions for the public benefit; ▪ Avoid and discourage conduct which is divisive or harmful to the best interests of Dublin; and ▪ Treat all people with whom I come in contact in the way I wish to be treated. I affirm that I have read and understood the City of Dublin Code of Ethics and Conduct for Elected and Appointed Officials. I also affirm that I have read and understood the bylaws for the commission or committee on which I serve. Signature Date 49