(A) Council members should conduct the affairs of the Council in an open and public manner. They should comply with all applicable laws governing open meetings and public records, recognizing that doing so is an important way to be worthy of the public’s trust. They should remember when they meet that they are conducting the public’s business. They should also remember that local government records belong to the public and not to Council members or their employees.
(B) In order to ensure strict compliance with the laws concerning openness, Council members should make clear that an environment of transparency and candor is to be maintained at all times in the governmental unit. They should prohibit unjustified delay in fulfilling public records requests. They should take deliberate steps to make certain that any closed sessions held by the Council are lawfully conducted and that such sessions do not stray from the purposes for which they are called.
(Ord. passed 12-9-2013)