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She wanted a local version of the State statute. Speaking to the definitions in ORS of a business with which a <br />person was associated, Ms. Bettman said that the stock ownership figure of $100,000 seemed high to her. She <br />suggested a lower figure that reflected local values. She wanted to include department heads and division <br />managers in the Citys ordinance. Ms. Bettman also questioned whether any City ordinance addressed the <br />= <br />issue of conflict of interest as it related to nonprofit organizations, and requested more information on that <br />topic. <br /> <br />Ms. Bettman said the Citys charter amendment on the topic referred to the council making a finding of <br />= <br />intentional violation, meaning that the ultimate decision was with the council. She thought that part of the <br />code of ethics should include a process through which ethics complaints were first examined by either the <br />lawyers or a committee and then adjudicated. <br /> <br />Mr. Meisner agreed that the State law was a good basis for beginning. He said he was not interested in a local <br />ethics commission. He was concerned about independent City reporting and the potential of two separate <br />forms with minor or subtle variations. He indicated he would include executive managers in the ordinance; he <br />was unsure about division managers. <br /> <br />Mr. Meisner did not want non-use of the Citys domestic partner registry to be a way for individuals to avoid <br />= <br />the provisions of the ordinance. Mr. Klein said that he had given that issue some thought, and in the absence <br />of the registry or a public declaration, he could not see another option outside going to ones house and looking <br />= <br />inside to see what was going on. Mr. Meisner encouraged staff to give the issue further consideration. <br /> <br />Mr. Papé determined from Mr. Klein that the City already had to comply with ORS Chapter 244. He <br />questioned whether the City wanted to duplicate that law. He proposed that the Planning Commission and <br />Budget Committee could also be included in any City ethics ordinance. Mr. Klein suggested that the council <br />keep in mind that all those officials and all City employees were already subject to ORS Chapter 244. Unless <br />the City was to create additional requirements above those in ORS Chapter 244, who was included would have <br />more political significance than legal significance. <br /> <br />Ms. Solomon thought that ORS Chapter 244 was sufficient to address any issues that had arose. She said that <br />the ordinance appeared to be make-work to her. She was unaware of any ethical violations that had come up <br />on the part of the council, and asked to be enlightened. <br /> <br />Speaking to Ms. Solomons remarks, Mr. Kelly said the council was taking action because of the voters <br />== <br />passage of the charter amendment. He believed that adoption of the ordinance made a philosophical statement <br />that local concerns over ethics was very important to the council. He said that it was more of a philosophical <br />exercise than a legal exercise. <br /> <br />Mr. Kelly agreed with other councilors that ORS Chapter 244 was a reasonable place to start, and suggested <br />that the exercise was one of putting the relevant provisions in code. He noted that Salem extensively cross- <br />referenced Chapter 244 in its ordinance, and that could be appropriate in Eugene as well. He thanked Mr. <br />Klein for his answers to his questions and concurred with his assessment of what should be adopted from <br />Chapter 244. <br /> <br />Mr. Kelly also supported the inclusion of executive managers as a philosophical statement. <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br />MINUTESEugene City Council March 10, 2003 Page 6 <br />C <br /> Work Session <br /> <br />