by Joe Wilhelm Jr.
Staff Writer
The apologies were made months ago, and now the case is officially closed.
After a shade meeting Monday, the City’s Ethics Commission released the findings of its investigation into an ethics hot line complaint involving City Council Vice President Stephen Joost and past Council President Richard Clark leaving an August City Council meeting early to attend a steak dinner at Ruth’s Chris Steak House.
The Ethics Commission investigation found the council members did nothing to violate state ethics laws.
Both council members stated no city business was discussed and they paid for their own dinners, which also was attended by local attorney and lobbyist Paul Harden.
Though both council members believed there was no impropriety by attending the dinner, they both apologized at the following City Council meeting for a lack of good judgment.
The Ethics Commission investigation revealed that there was “no probable cause for violation of any offense under state or local ethics laws.”
Council President Jack Webb has instructed council members that requests for absences should be limited and reserved to illness or other necessary matters.
“The ethics commission did its job. The case is closed. Let’s move on,” said Webb, after hearing about the results of the investigation.
Shade meetings include limited attorney-client litigation strategy sessions, in this case the commission and the Office of General Counsel. Once the commission accepts the findings and concludes the investigation, the information becomes public.
Webb also plans to follow up on returning the City Ethics Code to the City Charter. He plans discussions with City Ethics Officer Carla Miller on how the details of the charter amendment will be structured, including civil penalties for ethics violations and the investigation tools available to the commission.
The Ethics Commission also approved the recommendations of its nominating subcommittee, appointing James Young to fill the seat vacated by Scott Shine, who resigned to pursue other interests. Former vice chair of the Ethics Commission Braxton Gillam was appointed as 2011 chair and Helen Ludwig was appointed vice chair. Ethics Commission member Rhonda Peoples-Waters was reappointed to the commission.
“One of our priorities for the next year will be to define the procedures on how the commission deals with complaints that are presented to the commission and not the hot line,” said Gillam.
“We are working with Jon Phillips of the Office of General Counsel to establish those procedures,” he said.
Shine may have stepped down from the commission, but the award that he developed will continue. The Ethics Commission presented its inaugural City of Jacksonville Ethics Commission Annual Award for Excellence in Ethics a year ago to journalist Marvin Edwards and City Council member Clay Yarborough.
The commission is again seeking nominations for the award. It is presented to a member of the community whose work provides an example of superior ethical practices, who labors to advance the culture of ethics and who provides inspiration to others in the ongoing journey of ethical practices.
The award can be presented to anyone within the local community, including citizens, public officials and City employees. Current members of the Ethics Commission are excluded.
“It worked out well last year that we had both private and public nominees, and we hope to have the same this year,” said Gillam.
The next Ethics Commission meeting is scheduled for 5 p.m. Feb. 7 at City Hall.
356-2466