Muncie City Council adopts ethics code for city employees and elected officials
After a process that took more than a year, the Muncie City Council has adopted a code of ethics for elected officials and city employees. As IPR’s Stephanie Wiechmann reports, it was crafted by a community council appointed last year.
At several city council meetings, both officials and the public said that Muncie citizens have wanted this ethics code for a long time. Muncie made national headlines for years after an FBI investigation into city government corruption sent several city officials into federal court on such charges – including the sitting mayor at the time, the building commissioner, and the head of the Muncie Sanitary District.
Chip Taylor chaired the community committee appointed to create the ethics code.
“This ordinance is more about Muncie’s future than it is the past or the present. Whatever the situation is, people will know there’s one place they can go report this, and it’ll get dealt with appropriately.”
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The 18-page ethics code details rules on issues like gifts or favors, political activity and contributions, required attendance at meetings, nepotism, and contracts with employee-owned businesses. It requires ethics training for all employees.
It creates the Muncie Ethics Commission, with appointees by the mayor and city council, to hear and rule on ethics concerns in meetings open to the public. The commission can’t fire or sanction someone, but it can recommend actions and forward ethics violations to law enforcement.
And it creates an online “transparency portal” to make ethics-related documents public. That includes bids, proposals, and contracts when the city buys anything worth more than $5,000.
Read the code of ethics as introduced (before some amendments December 2)
Mikah Wilson is Muncie’s former personnel director. She left that job last April, and she told the city council on Monday night it was over ethics concerns. She approved of the new code of ethics.
“And when we talk about ethics, it’s what’s best for everybody. It’s not what’s best for one person or their friends.” She continued, “I was honest. And I did the right thing. But I won’t work for people who don’t.”
After making some amendments suggested by the city council attorney, a city council vote to adopt was unanimous. The council then received applause from the audience.
Stephanie Wiechmann is our Managing Editor and “All Things Considered” Host. Contact her at slwiechmann@bsu.edu.
