Delaware County Council considering creating code of conduct

The Delaware County Council has voted to sit a committee to create a “code of conduct” for council members.  As IPR’s Stephanie Wiechmann reports, some council members have concerns about what that code will include.

County council president Jessica Piper told council members she’s had “multiple people” reach out to her about making a code of conduct for the council.  She says she’s not opposed to it and asked for volunteers to serve on a committee that would create it.

“We have a code of ethics and such in the county handbook.  It’s there, but as elected officials, it doesn’t necessarily pertain to us, because it isn’t enforceable.  This is more just an ‘optics to the public’ saying, ‘Look, this is how we’re going to conduct business.’”

Eugene Whitehead, Bill Hughes, and Dan Flanagan volunteered to form the committee.

And council member Ryan Webb talked about his apprehension over what such a code would regulate.

“I am the most outspoken elected official in the entire county, and I have very strong opinions that I openly speak out about.”

In April, several individuals and a student group from a local high school called for Webb to resign after saying on social media that he identified as a woman of color and as a lesbian.  In the same announcement, he also said he’d retain his first name and his male pronouns.  Community members said he was insulting transgender Hoosiers.

At Tuesday’s meeting, Webb said he’d approve of a code that talked about conducting official business and creating conflict of interest and nepotism rules.

“But it we’re talking about code of conduct for personal opinions – you know, I’m very very vocal.  I believe in two genders.  I don’t believe a man can be a woman, a woman can be a man, and I’m open about that.  That could be offensive to someone and they think that’s a violation of code of conduct.  And I’m not going to filter myself and my opinion, when I’m speaking in reality and truth, based off of a committee.”

Council attorney Ben Freeman says the council has “very limited authority to actually remove or expel a member,” and that would require a breach of official duties.

The Muncie City Council has created a similar committee to consider what an ethics commission or new code of ethics should look like for Muncie elected officials and public employees.  That committee has more than a year to do its work.

Stephanie Wiechmann is our Managing Editor and “All Things Considered” Host.  Contact her at slwiechmann@bsu.edu.