Port Townsend: City Council approves code of ethics to handle such complaints close to home

PORT TOWNSEND — Port Townsend will soon have a code of ethics that far stricter than current state law, but not as strict as some City Council members want.

The council unanimously approved the measure Monday night after a long discussion on several amendments proposed by Councilman Allen Frank.

Council members approved three of Frank’s four amendments, each of which gave more bite to local ethics violations.

But they rejected a far-reaching provision modeled on Seattle’s city ethics code. The section as drafted by City Attorney John Watts, at Frank’s request, would have required council members, employees and advisory committee members to file financial disclosure statements, including interests in corporations, partnerships, firms, trusts or other entities.

Frank proposed the rules be limited to just City Council members. But the motion failed by a 2-5 vote.

The rest of this story appears in today’s Jefferson County edition of the Peninsula Daily News. Click on “Subscribe” to get the PDN delivered to your home or office.

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