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MUNI-DETROIT COUNTYlocal legislationNew Business

Request for Ethics Board Opinion on Member Political Activity

Original title: Council Member Scott Benson submitting memorandum requesting the Board of Ethics provide a legal opinion on the ability of Board of Ethics members to support(REFERRED TO THE PUBLIC HEALTH & SAFETY STANDING COMMITTEE ON 3-13-17)

March 13, 2017

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The Frame

What this does

This request seeks to clarify the rules governing the political involvement of individuals tasked with overseeing ethics in local government, which could impact the future eligibility or conduct of Board of Ethics members.

Who is mentioned in the record

Potentially affected actors named in the source documents. Mention is not a position.

Board of Ethics members

The legal opinion requested would define the scope of their permitted political activities.

Scott Benson

As the sponsor of the memorandum, he is seeking clarification on ethics policy.

What changed

Last recorded activity March 13, 2017.

What's next

Next step not available in the current record.

Summary

Council Member Scott Benson has requested a formal from the Board of Ethics regarding whether members of the Board of Ethics are permitted to support political candidates or causes.

Key Facts

  • Council Member Scott Benson submitted a memorandum requesting a legal opinion from the Board of Ethics.
  • The requested opinion concerns the ability of Board of Ethics members to support political candidates or causes.
  • The matter was referred to the Public Health & Safety Standing Committee on March 13, 2017.
  • The document file number is 15-5779.
  • The document was introduced on April 28, 2017.

Why It Matters

This request seeks to clarify the rules governing the political involvement of individuals tasked with overseeing ethics in local government, which could impact the future eligibility or conduct of Board of Ethics members.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the purpose of this request?
To determine if members of the Board of Ethics are allowed to engage in political support activities.
Who is reviewing this request?
The request was to the Public Health & Safety Standing Committee.

News Coverage

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Sponsors

Discoveries

Patterns POLISCOPE noticed across the record. These are observations to investigate, not conclusions.

policy shift80% confidence

Clarification of Ethics Standards

The request indicates a potential ambiguity in existing rules regarding the political participation of ethics board members.

Connected Entities

organizationBoard of EthicsThe body requested to provide a legal opinion.Map →
organizationPublic Health & Safety Standing CommitteeThe committee to which the request was referred.Map →
personScott BensonCouncil Member who submitted the memorandum.Map →

Sources

Open source document

webapi.legistar.com

Analysis Score

0–100
  • Significance40
    How much this matters to a regular citizen
  • Controversy30
    Intensity of disagreement among stakeholders
  • Entertainment10
    Compellingness for a non-policy-wonk reader
  • Buzz15
    Current news / social attention level

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