Members of the Strategic Planning Commission may be removed for cause by the City Council, including violation of the rules stated below.
(A) Faithful attendance at all Commission meetings and conscientious performance of the duties required of Commission members shall be considered a prerequisite of continuing membership on the Commission.
(B) Each member of the Commission shall be familiar with all statutes, laws, ordinances and rules of procedure relating to the Commission as time and circumstances permit.
(C) It shall be the duty of every Commission member to avoid even the appearance of conflict of interest. Therefore, no member shall vote on, discuss, debate, advocate, influence, or otherwise participate before the Commission in any matter that would substantially affect, directly or indirectly, his or her personal financial interests or the financial interests of a member of his household. This prohibition includes formal or informal consideration of the matter by the Commission, whether conducted in public or private. This provision does not prohibit participation in advisory decisions that will have a similar effect on all citizens of the Eden planning area or in which the financial interest is so insignificant or remote that it is unlikely to affect the member’s official action in any way. In applying this rule, the following procedure shall govern:
(1) A member who has a conflict of interest shall disqualify himself and withdraw from participation in the matter. The member shall not sit with the Commission during the consideration and discussion of that matter.
(2) Withdrawal from participation in any matter is necessary only in those specific cases in which a conflict arises. There shall be no attempt to exclude entire categories of consideration because of the business or profession with which a member is associated.
(3) Any Commission member may seek an opinion from the City Attorney as to the applicability of this section to a particular decision or set of facts. The response to such a request shall be made to the member making the request, and a copy shall be provided to the chairman of the Commission. By majority vote, the Commission may seek the opinion of the City Attorney as to the applicability of this section to a particular decision or set of facts.
(4) If an opinion is received from the City Attorney that a member has an impermissible conflict of interest pursuant to a particular decision or set of facts and the member does not disqualify himself or herself, the commission may, by majority vote (not considering the vote of the member with the alleged conflict) disqualify that member from all participation in the matter involved.
(D) Members of the Commission shall not commit themselves on any question scheduled to be considered by the Commission prior to the consideration of the matter at a duly authorized meeting. Members shall use discretion in discussing with individuals scheduled agenda items which are later to be voted on by the Commission.
(Renamed: Am. Ord. passed 10-20-20, effective 1-1-21)