The Scio Township Board of Trustees adopted a code of conduct at its January 27 meeting that will set standards for township officials and staff to follow.
The code of conduct was presented by township treasurer Ryan Yaple, who told the Sun Times News (STN) he put forth the code of conduct to set a standard for how the board and staff members treat each other; as well as members of the public. He cited other local municipalities such as the City of Chelsea (whom he credits as the source for the Code of Conduct) and the City of Saline (CITY COUNCIL CODE OF ETHICS POLICY) who have also adopted conduct standards.
The decision to adopt a code of conduct followed up the Jan. 13 township board meeting where a resolution was put forth stating in part that township supervisor Jillian Kerry’s behavior violated a respectful, calm working environment for the staff of the Township. No action was taken on that resolution then, which was also presented by Yaple, and it was not on the meeting agenda for the 27th. No findings of wrongdoing had been made, and the Jan. 13th resolution represented allegations and proposed action, not a disciplinary determination.
After the meeting on the 27th, Yaple told STN, “I will continue working with Supervisor Kerry and the full Board to identify strategies that promote collaboration and collegial decision-making.”
“I hope the code sets clear expectations for conduct so the Township can continue moving its work forward in a constructive and professional manner,” Yaple said.
The Code
Here is the Code of Conduct for Scio Township Officials and Staff:
“Public servants shall treat public office as a public trust, using the powers and resources of public office only to advance public interests, and not to attain personal benefits or pursue any private interest incompatible with the public good.”
“Public servants shall employ independent, objective judgment in performing their duties, deciding all matters on the merits, free from conflicts of interest and apparent improper influences.”
“Public servants shall assure that government is conducted openly, efficiently, equitably and honorably in a manner that permits the citizenry to make informed judgments and to hold government officials accountable.”
“Public servants shall honor and respect the principles and spirit of representative democracy and set a positive example of good citizenship by scrupulously observing the letter and spirit of laws and rules.”
“Public servants shall safeguard public confidence in the integrity of government by being honest, fair, caring and respectful and by avoiding conduct which creates the appearance of impropriety.”
Supervisor Kerry’s Response
STN followed up with Kerry to ask about whether the resolution pertaining to her has been put aside.
“At the January 13th meeting, which I attended via Zoom due to illness, the Board elected to table the matter until I could be present in person,” she said. “The resolution was notably absent from the January 27th meeting agenda. Based on my subsequent rebuttal, which cited relevant statute and case law clarifying that the Board does not have the authority to prohibit another elected official from Township Hall, it appears the decision was made not to proceed at that time.”
STN asked Kerry what are her views on all of this.
She said, “The ongoing effort to undermine an elected official is a misuse of time and energy. If that effort were instead focused on serving residents, building a stronger community, and supporting the backbone of the Township—our dedicated staff—we could create a place where people would be proud to live, work, and play.”
STN asked Kerry about moving forward and she said, “I am hopeful that the Board will approve engaging an independent outside firm, such as Humanergy, as recommended by resident Ian Hubert, or a similar organization, to conduct a comprehensive review of the culture of the Scio Township Board and work environment. The goal would be to better understand existing challenges and to identify ways to strengthen collaboration, communication, and leadership in order to foster a healthier and more effective workplace.”
To read the article about the Jan. 13 meeting, go to this link: https://dev1.thesuntimesnews.com/resolution-before-scio-township-board-raises-questions-about-workplace-conduct-and-authority/
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