ICMA's Senior Advisor program offers invaluable guidance to #localgov managers. Hear from Pam Brangaccio on how the ICMA Code of Ethics is a cornerstone of professional integrity, helping members navigate challenging situations and maintain a strong ethical foundation. Share how has the ICMA Code of Ethics shaped your professional journey?
True story when I was an ICMA member. Also encouraged me to not be an ICMA member. You can research the US Department of Justice RLUIPA investigation into the Village of Berkeley, IL and the Albanian Islamic Cultural Center's zoning permits for proposed mosque expansion. DOJ's letter is addressed to me dated August 9, 2007. Happy anniversary. I started working there as Village Administrator on March 29, 2007. In so many words, the elected leadership encourage me to withhold documents requested as part of the investigation. "we don't have to tell 'em" was the quote. I will spare you the anti-Islamic bigoted language around village hall at the time. So, I called the regional ICMA advisor who in no uncertain terms threatened me with a potential ICMA two-year requirement code of ethics investigation. My brother, a career prosecutor, advised me to both leave my employment and questioned if ICMA understood the impact of a DOJ investigation on a career. I resigned from Berkeley on March 25, 2009. And never really respected ICMA since then. Hope this helps. (Note - Profile viewers can scroll down to read the actual USDOJ letter.) https://www.justice.gov/crt/religious-freedom-focus-volume-32
As ICMA's Director of Advocacy, I have the privilege of speaking with communities around the country as they. wrestle with determining how to structure government to best serve the people. Having a professional administrator bound to the ICMA Code of Ethics is always a valued consideration. An elected mayor has no ethical obligations in how they conduct themselves in public service. Likewise, community can choose to hire a manager/administrator who is not bound to the Code of Ethics. That's not to say they are unethical nor unable to lead effectively. But when communities know the principles to which their manager will live by, and that their peers hold them accountable as a profession, there is far greater public trust. There is also consistency in how we, as a profession, operate as public servants. This always strengthens our argument for the value of professional managers in council-manager v. mayor-council debates. Without the Code of Ethics the ability to defend against concerns of accountability is greatly diminished!
Host of City Manager Unfiltered podcast | Founder of the American Association of Municipal Executives | Have largest and most engaged audience of city/county managers | Proud father of a United States Marine & Sailor
2moTrue or false: Are members of the executive board and staff who are members of the ICMA actually held to the standards of the Code of Ethics? I have been told that there is a belief that actions undertaken in the capacity of serving as a board member are not subject to the Code of Ethics enforcement. Perhaps, this explains how two members of the executive board can call a fellow manager a "douche" and talk about wanting to "punch him in the face" at his public censure appeal hearing and nothing comes of it even though it is a clear Tenet 3 violation. Perhaps, this explains why numerous members of the executive board had to be compelled by a judge to turn over documents during discovery in the James Freed lawsuit because they refused to do so. And yet -- nothing ever came of that. And perhaps, it explains why CEO Marc Ott's Chief of Staff can make campaign contributions to Democrats and Democratic PACs for 15+ years while employed for the City of Austin and the ICMA -- and nothing ever comes of it. North Star -- or falling star? ICMA = rules for thee but not for me #ICMAlawsuit