HomeMy WebLinkAboutReso 83-26 Adopting the City of Dublin Code of Ethics and Conduct for Elected Officials and Appointed OfficialsRESOLUTION NO. 83 – 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
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
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.), Government 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
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.
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 to this Resolution.
by the City Council of the City of Dublin this 15th day of
September 2026, by the following vote:
: Councilmembers Josey, McCorriston, Morada, Qaadri and Mayor Hu
:
:
:
______________________________
Mayor
:
_________________________________
Deputy City Clerk
Reso. No. 83-26, Item 5.5, Adopted 09/15/2026 Page 1 of 1
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City of Dublin Code of Ethics and Conduct
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City of Dublin
Code of Ethics and Conduct for
Elected and Appointed Officials
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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.
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.
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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.
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.
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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.
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.
In Public Meetings.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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,
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support political candidates, but all such activities must be conducted away from the workplace
and after working hours.
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 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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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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.
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.
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.
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.
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.”
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.
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.
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.
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
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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.
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.
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.
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.
The City Manager's own reporting path for a concern involving a Councilmember follows Section 3(c),
below.
If informal resolution does not resolve the concern, or is not appropriate, a formal complaint may be
submitted in writing to the City Clerk.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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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.
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.
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.
Upon a sustained finding, the following sanctions are available, calibrated to the severity and nature of the
violation:
For a : 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).
For a : 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.
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.
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.
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.
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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.
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Exhibit A — Model of Excellence Member Statement
MODEL OF EXCELLENCE
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.
Signature Date
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MODEL OF EXCELLENCE
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.
Signature Date
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