HomeMy WebLinkAboutDecember 7, 2015 AgendaCity f Denton City Hall
Y 215 E. McKinney St.
Denton, Texas 76201
ttu�Rltl www.cityofdenton.com
Dt�NT N Meeting Agenda
City Council
Monday, December 7, 2015 11:30 AM Work Session Room
After determining that a quorum is present, the City Council of the City of Denton, Texas will convene
in a Work Session on Monday, December 7, 2015 at 11:30 a.m. in the Council Work Session Room at
City Hall, 215 E. McKinney Street, Denton, Texas at which the following items will be considered:
NOTE: A Work Session is used to explore matters of interest to one or more City Council Members or
the City Manager for the purpose of giving staff direction into whether or not such matters should be
placed on a future regular or special meeting of the Council for citizen input, City Council deliberation
and formal City action. At a Work Session, the City Council generally receives informal and
preliminary reports and information from City staff, officials, members of City committees, and the
individual or organization proposing council action, if invited by City Council or City Manager to
participate in the session. Participation by individuals and members of organizations invited to speak
ceases when the Mayor announces the session is being closed to public input. Although Work Sessions
are public meetings, and citizens have a legal right to attend, they are not public hearings, so citizens are
not allowed to participate in the session unless invited to do so by the Mayor. Any citizen may supply
to the City Council, prior to the beginning of the session, a written report regarding the citizen's opinion
on the matter being explored. Should the Council direct the matter be placed on a regular meeting
agenda, the staff will generally prepare a final report defining the proposed action, which will be made
available to all citizens prior to the regular meeting at which citizen input is sought. The purpose of this
procedure is to allow citizens attending the regular meeting the opportunity to hear the views of their
fellow citizens without having to attend two meetings.
1. Work Session Reports
A. ID 15 -1239 Receive a report, hold a discussion, and give staff direction regarding issues with
homeless individuals, panhandling, graffiti, and litter in the greater downtown area.
Attachments: Exhibit 1 - Social Service Center Map
Exhibit 2 - Downtown Social Service Centers Map
Exhibit 3 - Transient Arrest Map
Exhibit 4 - Homeless Issues PowerPoint
B. ID 15 -1298 Receive a report, hold a discussion, and provide staff direction concerning City of
Denton Ethics provisions, and state and federal law, regulations, and policy related
to ethics issues and regulation of the conduct of public officials.
Attachments: Exhibit 1 - Copy of Res R2006 -003
Exhibit 2 - City Charter Sec. 14.04 (Personal Interest) and 14.05 (Nepotism)
Exhibit 3 - Code of Ordinances Sec. 2 -30 (Confidential Information)
2. Concluding Items
City ofDenton Page I Printed on 121,312015
City Council Meeting Agenda December 7, 2015
A. Under Section 551.042 of the Texas Open Meetings Act, respond to inquiries from the City
Council or the public with specific factual information or recitation of policy, or accept a proposal
to place the matter on the agenda for an upcoming meeting AND Under Section 551.0415 of the
Texas Open Meetings Act, provide reports about items of community interest regarding which no
action will be taken, to include: expressions of thanks, congratulations, or condolence; information
regarding holiday schedules; an honorary or salutary recognition of a public official, public
employee, or other citizen; a reminder about an upcoming event organized or sponsored by the
governing body; information regarding a social, ceremonial, or community event organized or
sponsored by an entity other than the governing body that was attended or is scheduled to be
attended by a member of the governing body or an official or employee of the municipality; or an
announcement involving an imminent threat to the public health and safety of people in the
municipality that has arisen after the posting of the agenda.
NOTE: The City Council reserves the right to adjourn into a Closed Meeting on any item on its Open
Meeting agenda consistent with Chapter 551 of the Texas Government Code, as amended, including
without limitation, Sections 551.071 - 551.086 of the Texas Open Meetings Act.
CERTIFICATE
I certify that the above notice of meeting was posted on the bulletin board at the City Hall of the City of
Denton, Texas, on the day of , 2015 at o'clock (a.m.) (p.m.)
CITY SECRETARY
NOTE: THE CITY OF DENTON CITY COUNCIL WORK SESSION ROOM IS ACCESSIBLE IN
ACCORDANCE WITH THE AMERICANS WITH DISABILITIES ACT. THE CITY WILL
PROVIDE SIGN LANGUAGE INTERPRETERS FOR THE HEARING IMPAIRED IF REQUESTED
AT LEAST 48 HOURS IN ADVANCE OF THE SCHEDULED MEETING. PLEASE CALL THE
CITY SECRETARY'S OFFICE AT 349 -8309 OR USE TELECOMMUNICATIONS DEVICES FOR
THE DEAF (TDD) BY CALLING 1- 800 - RELAY -TX SO THAT A SIGN LANGUAGE
INTERPRETER CAN BE SCHEDULED THROUGH THE CITY SECRETARY'S OFFICE.
City ofDenton Page 2 Printed on 121,312015
City Hall
City of Denton 215 E. McKinney St.
Denton, Texas 76201
www.cityofdenton.com
D EN'FON
Legislation Text
File #: ID 15 -1239, Version: 1
DEPARTMENT:
CM/ ACM:
Date:
Agenda Information Sheet
Police
John Cabrales, Jr.
December 7, 2015
SUBJECT
Receive a report, hold a discussion, and give staff direction regarding issues with homeless individuals,
panhandling, graffiti, and litter in the greater downtown area.
BACKGROUND
Over the past year, there has been an increasing level of concern being voiced about increased nuisance issues
such as panhandling, graffiti, litter, and the number of homeless people in and around the downtown area.
Some of the concern has been focused on reports of unacceptable behaviors, including public intoxication,
aggressive panhandling, and other forms of disorderly conduct. Additional concerns have been voiced about the
presence of homeless people sleeping in doorways, behind buildings, and amongst landscaped locations in the
downtown area. Other concerns deal with the "look" or aesthetics of downtown related to graffiti and litter.
Graffiti
The presence of graffiti on both public and private property has been an issue in the community for a number of
years. Graffiti can be as simple as a name spray painted on a wall or fence, and as complex as a mural -style
painting. Regardless of the complexity, graffiti is a criminal act done without the consent of the property owner.
It often fosters a negative perception of an area. When left unaddressed, graffiti attracts other "artists" to the
area who contribute additional graffiti on nearby surfaces.
Over the past three (3) years, the City's Community Improvement Services Department (CIS) has averaged
15.8 graffiti cases per month. Abatement of these cases cost in excess of $22,000. In 2009, a state law was
passed that requires all municipalities to offer private property owners the opportunity to allow the City
permission to remove any graffiti from their property at no charge. Rarely does a property owner refuse this
free City service and it is now common for a property owner to call and advise that they have been a victim and
ask that CIS come out and remove the graffiti.
In addition to continuing the removal of graffiti for private property owners, CIS began proactively removing
graffiti from City owned property for other City Departments on November 1, 2015. CIS now proactively
removes graffiti in all drainage ways, sidewalks, streets, traffic signs, traffic lights, DME poles, electric boxes,
and electric meters. The Solid Waste Department continues to perform their own graffiti removal.
On November 2, 2015, CIS performed inspections of the downtown plaza area. Those inspections generated 20
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graffiti cases that were on City property and 19 cases on private property. The cost to remove the graffiti for
those 39 case was $700.00. The majority of the graffiti cases that CIS investigates is outside of the downtown
corridor.
In effort to expedite the removal of the graffiti on private property in the downtown plaza area, CIS has
provided an information letter and permission form to all of those property owners. Those permission forms
allow CIS to immediately remove any graffiti from those properties for the next year.
In early November 2015, the Police Department arrested three individuals linked to a number of instances of
graffiti in the downtown area, on several DISD buildings, and in other parts of the City. The investigation into
these cases continues, and the Police Department anticipates filing several charges against each individual.
Litter
With the continued growth of the downtown area, and the related increase of pedestrian traffic, there has been
an increase in the number of complaints about the amount of trash and litter in the downtown area. Criminal
justice research has shown that the presence of litter, much like incidents of graffiti and other types of disorder,
contributes to the perception of lawlessness and danger in an area. People generally feel that if an area has litter
strewn about, or shows other signs that it is not maintained, the lack of attention and care are indicative of the
area being unsafe. It is also known that the presence of litter, when left unchecked, will lessen the likelihood of
other people properly discarding their trash.
The City's Parks Department handles trash collection and litter control in the downtown area. Parks
Maintenance crews empty the "Big Belly" trash units located throughout the Downtown Square every Monday
and Thursday. The crews empty the "Big Belly" recycle units every Wednesday. Contractors, partially
sponsored by Parks and Recreation Funds, perform litter control for trash, debris, leaves, etc., each Monday,
Wednesday, and Friday morning. Finally, the Parks Maintenance Landscape Crew performs maintenance
checks on all units and removes litter and other debris from all flower beds every Monday. The Parks
Department monitors issues related to litter and debris in the downtown area, and is prepared to make
adjustments to the frequency of littler control efforts, if needed.
Homeless Individuals
In general, there are two distinct categories of homeless people: sheltered and unsheltered. A "sheltered"
homeless person lives in some form of emergency shelter or transitional housing. An "unsheltered" homeless
person lives in a "place not meant for human habitation, such as cars, parks, sidewalks, abandoned buildings, or
on the street. Another categorization of homelessness is whether the status as homeless is temporary or chronic.
Approximately 12 percent of the United States homeless population is considered unsheltered and chronically
homeless. (Chamard, 2010)
Not all of the downtown concerns that have been raised are attributable to homeless people, but the presence of
the chronically homeless population does have an impact on the larger community. There is often a strong
relationship between the homeless and criminality, involving a disproportionally high arrest rate for minor
crimes, such as public intoxication, minor thefts, trespassing, panhandling, and the like. There are additional
impacts to businesses, particularly to entertainment districts where there are ample opportunities for
panhandling, open areas more suitable for sitting or sleeping, and a greater community acceptance of street
musicians and related behaviors. The presence of homeless in these areas can have the effect of presenting an
"environment of lawlessness" and can scare away business customers. (Chamard, 2010)
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As a community, Denton has a strong sense of civic duty in providing resources for the homeless. From soup
kitchens to food banks, homeless shelters to housing vouchers, Denton has a host of community groups and
organizations that provide some form of assistance to the homeless. A rough count shows at least 20 of these
groups that are currently active in Denton. In short, those who are temporarily homeless have ample resources
available to help them on a path to get back into long -term housing, including food, jobs, and other basic
necessities.
By and large, the primary community concerns with homeless people center on the chronically homeless. Many
of the chronically homeless individuals have issues with substance abuse, mental illness, criminal records, or
other conditions that prevent them from being able to use shelters, much less transition into more permanent
housing. There is also a portion of people in this category that simply choose to be homeless. While the
chronically homeless will take advantage of some community resources, they generally are not going to make
changes to their living conditions.
Factually, the number of homeless people has been in a considerable decline throughout the United States and,
particularly, in Texas since 2007. According to the 2014 Annual Homeless Assessment Report to Congress
(AHAR) published by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, the number of homeless
individuals has declined from 2007 to 2014 by 12.9 %, with the largest decline amongst individuals staying in
unsheltered locations. Texas has experienced a 22% reduction in homelessness during this same timeframe.
However, according to the 2014 -2015 Point in Time Survey, Denton experienced a 19.8% increase in the
number of homeless households, with a total homeless population of 313 individuals. The greatest areas of
increase were in the "unsheltered" category, going from 34 households to 66 households (94.1% increase) and
in households using transitional shelters, which increased 100% from 38 to 76. Among Denton's homeless
population, 26% report having a substance abuse disorder, 17 % report having a chronic physical illness, and
20% report having a serious mental illness.
Panhandling
Primary among the downtown issues is the increasing number of individuals panhandling in the area. While
this is a chief concern voiced in the downtown area, it is an issue throughout Denton. Panhandling can be
categorized into two areas: passive and aggressive. Passive panhandling typically involves an individual with a
sign and a cup or bucket to collect money. Aggressive panhandling involves more coercive measures, including
verbal confrontations, following people, leers and aggressive body language, and many other actions that can
border on being assaultive or otherwise crossing into criminal action.
Overall, the majority of community members are more tolerant of passive panhandling. Many individuals
recognize the need and willingly offer to provide change or some other donation. Passive panhandling is
accepted up to a point. In general, the more people are panhandled, the less sympathetic they are toward
panhandlers. (Scott, 2002) Aggressive panhandling, on the other hand, often invokes fear among the
community members and is far more likely to generate a call to local elected officials and /or the police
department. People report that they are more likely to avoid areas where they believe they will be panhandled.
Fortunately, studies show that aggressive panhandling is fairly rare. It is even frowned upon by other
panhandlers who recognize that this negative behavior will likely result in fewer donations and a greater level
of police attention to all panhandlers. There are several factors that affect the way panhandling is viewed by the
general public, including the time of day, the ability of the public to easily avoid the panhandlers, the location,
the presence of other people, the appearance of the panhandler, the characteristics of the person being
panhandled, and the number of panhandlers in a general area. (Scott, 2002)
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Panhandlers target locations that they feel will generate the best outcome. They tend to be attracted to areas
with a greater level of pedestrians, especially those who are most likely to have money and to give it.
Panhandling is more common in communities that provide a high level of social services to the needy, because
the same citizens who support social services are also likely to give money directly to panhandlers. Panhandlers
are drawn to communities where both free social services and generous passersby are plentiful. There are
specific factors that make areas more likely for panhandling to occur. Among these are the presence of walk -up
ATMs, near the entrances to buildings, near college campuses or areas where college students gather, near
places that provide shelter (doorways, alcoves, alleys), near restaurants and bars, and on crowded sidewalks.
(Scott, 2002)
Why Denton?
According to the information above, Downtown Denton is a prime location to draw in panhandlers. The
resurgence of the downtown area as an entertainment venue brings an influx of pedestrian traffic that increases
the number of potential donors. The high number of college -aged people are attractive to panhandlers because
people in this age group are more likely to give money. The concentration of restaurants and bars is a draw
because people going to dinner are more likely to give money to those they view as less fortunate and
"hungry ". The sidewalks and street design make it harder for people to avoid panhandlers. Finally, a number of
the downtown buildings have covered doorways, alcoves, and other areas where panhandlers can seek shelter
from weather.
Additionally, tied to both the presence of panhandlers and the homeless population, the downtown area is
central to a ring of social service providers. As shown in Exhibits A and B, the primary providers for food,
shelter, and other services are within walking distance to the downtown area. For the sheltered homeless, the
downtown area is a convenient location between shelters and food. For the unsheltered homeless, the
downtown area offers places attractive for "shelter" and is close to sources of food, services, and funding.
Similarly, panhandlers who take advantage of food or temporary shelters find the downtown area attractive for
the same reasons.
Denton has experienced an increase in the number of homeless people in and around the downtown area,
resulting in a greater awareness of related negative behaviors. It is difficult to determine whether or not these
issues are truly increasing in volume, if they are based on a "fear of crime" environment, or if there is a greater
level of attention and discussion being directed towards the issue. In Denton, arrests of individuals who
reported to be homeless made up just under 8% of the total arrests in both 2014 and 2015. Public Intoxication
arrests were the most common, totaling more than 22% of the charges filed on homeless individuals. Controlled
substance violations, trespassing, and charges related to panhandling and solicitation were also prevalent.
Exhibit C provides a look at the most common locations for arrests involving individuals who claim to be
homeless. Two clear trends in this map are the prevalence of arrests in the downtown area and the
concentration of arrests along major corridors, which are also prime locations for panhandling.
Potential Solutions
Communities across the country have tried a host of solutions to address both the homeless issue and the
presence of panhandling. In both cases, the consistent lesson is the need to balance the community's interest in
providing help to those in need, with the community's desire to feel safe. Among the most common and
successful efforts are:
Police Presence
Establishing a strong police presence in areas more likely to attract homeless and panhandlers helps to deter
criminal activity and to increase the public perception of a safe environment. In many entertainment and
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downtown areas, a consistent police presence helps to establish a base expectation by both panhandlers and
pedestrians of what is tolerated and what will be readily addressed by law enforcement. Panhandlers who might
prefer a more aggressive strategy are less likely to try such tactics in an area with a consistent police presence.
Realistically, this approach is resource - intensive, requiring a commitment of police manpower that can be
assigned to an area and remain at a consistent level during peak times.
A number of police agencies have employed an outreach strategy to assist with the homeless problem. Officers
assigned to areas with concentrations of homeless are provided with additional training in crisis intervention
and information on available resources for the homeless. The concept is for the police officers to be the first
point of contact in developing a relationship with the homeless population, determining their individual
circumstance, and pointing them towards available and appropriate resources. While not all of the homeless are
open to assistance, these officers are in a better position to have a deeper understanding of who they are dealing
with and what tactics and approaches might be the most successful.
Community Relationships
A concentrated effort to develop a strong working relationship between residents, merchants, and police
officers helps to foster a unified response to issues such as panhandling and the negative behaviors associated
with the chronic homeless population. Resolution of these issues cannot be limited to a law enforcement
response. Gaining community input and support helps to ensure a balance between the desire to help the needy
with the desire to maintain a safe environment. Specifically, community involvement is essential for addressing
environmental conditions that encourage panhandling and the presence of the homeless.
Currently, Police officers assigned to the downtown area work with residents, merchants, and property owners
to identify crime - related issues and to obtain enforcement authorizations for properties.
Enforcement Action
The use of enforcement action traditionally has less long -term impact on these issues. There have been some
benefits from enacting and enforcing some ordinances and laws related to specific negative behavior.
Enforcement of minor nature laws on public intoxication, urinating /defecating in public, trespassing, soliciting,
and disorderly conduct provide specific deterrence and help to establish clear rules of acceptable behavior.
Additional regulations on location and time of day for panhandling can be effective in curtailing the practice
and improving the perception of safety for the community. Some communities have examined the use of zoning
regulations as a way to limit or discourage panhandling /solicitation in certain areas.
Enforcement of laws and local rules provides an immediate answer, but also places a burden on the community
in terms of costs. In order to provide a heightened level of enforcement, police staffing must be increased in the
target areas. That requires a lower level of police presence in other areas, or the addition of police personnel.
The issuance of citations for minor offenses to the homeless and the panhandlers are rarely paid. The citations
result in a warrant, which is then addressed through a subsequent arrest - resulting in a cost for housing and
feeding the violator for a short period of time. Further, because many of the homeless have existing medical
and /or mental illnesses, police and fire department personnel are often tasked with assessing these issues and
transporting these individuals for treatment at local hospitals. In the end, there is little incentive for the violators
to change their behaviors, and most of them typically return to the same behavior upon release. Some
jurisdictions have experienced an increase in homeless people committing minor violations during inclement
weather for the primary purpose of being arrested and taken to jail in order to get food and a warm place to
stay.
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File #: ID 15 -1239, Version: 1
Social Services
As stated above, Denton has a strong set of social service groups that provide assistance to people in need.
Coordination of these resources is important to ensure people are being pointed towards those services that
meet their needs. The Police Department currently participates in the Denton County Homeless Coalition's
Steering Committee. There is a need to strengthen the community collaboration around common community
outcomes to reduce homelessness; better data collection and sharing; involvement of a wider audience of
stakeholders; and a more intentional effort to help educate and inform the community about solutions and
community impact efforts. The City has approved funding for a homeless coordinator positon who will provide
leadership in implementing this collaborative approach. A continued relationship between various City
departments and local service organizations will help to maintain avenues to provide assistance and to gauge
additional developing areas of need.
Crime Prevention through Environmental Design (OPTED)
Where applicable, environmental changes to both private and public properties can have a beneficial effect to
panhandling and the presence of the chronic homeless. In many jurisdictions, the installation of mid -bench arm
rests on park benches have served to discourage sleeping on park benches. Adjustments to the timing of
sprinkler systems helps to deter the presence of homeless on both public and private properties during the night
time hours. Remodeling /renovation of alcoves, inset doorways, and other structural amenities that provide
shelter to the homeless have helped to reduce the presence of homeless in areas. Similarly, the installation of
street lights, parking lot lighting, and lighting on private properties helps to deter loitering of the homeless and
to increase the public perception of safety.
The use of these concepts is often dependent on funding for public properties and on the cooperation and
funding ability for private property owners. Some jurisdictions have encountered resistance from property
owners who feel that a stronger police response would resolve the issue at a lower direct cost to the individual
property owners.
EXHIBITS
Exhibit 1 -
Social Service Centers Map
Exhibit 2 -
Downtown Social Service Centers Map
Exhibit 3 -
Transient Arrest Map
Exhibit 4 -
Homeless Issues PowerPoint
Respectfully submitted:
Lee Howell
Chief of Police
Prepared by:
Scott Fletcher
Deputy Chief, Operations
Sources
Chainard, Sharon. The Problein of Homeless Encainpinents (2010). Center for Problein- Oriented Policing.
Scott, Michael S. The Problein of Panhandling (2002). Center for Problein- Oriented Policing.
City of Denton Page 6 of 6 Printed on 12/3/2015
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City Hall
City of Denton 215 E. McKinney St.
Denton, Texas 76201
www.cityofdenton.com
D EN'FON
Legislation Text
File #: ID 15 -1298, Version: 1
Agenda Information Sheet
DEPARTMENT: Legal
CM/ ACM: Anita Burgess, City Attorney
Date: December 7, 2015
SUBJECT
Receive a report, hold a discussion, and provide staff direction concerning City of Denton Ethics provisions,
and state and federal law, regulations, and policy related to ethics issues and regulation of the conduct of public
officials.
BACKGROUND
The City of Denton Ethics Committee has met and discussed ethics issues and regulation of the conduct of
public officials. The City Council has asked for a briefing related to these matters.
EXHIBITS
1. Resolution No. R2006 -003
2. Denton City Charter § 14.04 (Personal Interest) and § 14.05 (Nepotism)
3. Denton Code of Ordinances §2 -30 (Confidential Information)
Respectfully submitted:
Anita Burgess
City Attorney
City of Denton Page 1 of 1 Printed on 12/3/2015
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RESOLUTION NO,
A RESOLUTION AMENDING THE ETHICS POLICY FOR ELECTED AND
APPOINTED OFFICIALS FOR THE CITY OF DENTON, TEXAS; AND PROVIDING
AN EFFECTIVE DATE
WHEREAS, on May 18, 2004 City Council passed Resolution R2004-025 adopting an
Ethics Policy for Elected and Appointed Officials and upon a recommendation by the Council
Ethics Sub-committee hereby approves an amendment to the policy as set forth herein; and
WHEREAS, the City Council of the City of Denton acknowledges that our government
is a representative democracy and those who are elected or appointed to serve others as
representatives accept a public trust that requires them to faithfully and diligently fulfill their
public responsibilities; and
WHEREAS, the City Council of the City of Denton recognizes the those individuals
who serve as public servants must adhere to a higher ethical standard of conduct since the
activities of government should benefit the corrununity as a whole and should never benefit the
individual interest of public decision makers; NOW, THEREFORE,
THE COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF DENTON HEREBY RESOLVES:
SECTION 1. That the following ETHICS POLICY for Elected and Appointed
Officials — City of Denton, Texas, which shall apply to all elected and appointed officials of the
City, is hereby amended to read as follows:
ETHICS POLICY for Elected and Appointed Officials - City of Denton, Texas.
This Ethics Policy has been adopted to encourage and ensure the highest standards of personal
and public conduct during tenure in office. Adherence to this Policy will maintain the
confidence and trust in the decision-makers and representatives of the City who must remain
independent, impartial, and accountable to the people they serve. hi addition, elected and
appointed officials must adhere to Texas state statues and City Charter provisions and City
Council Rules of Procedure governing their conduct. These are listed at the end of this Policy.
Thus, elected City Council Members as well as appointed members of the City's Boards and
Commissions are asked to subscribe to the Texas statutes, City of Denton Charter, Rules of
Procedures for City Boards and Commissions, and this Ethics Policy.
1. As a representative of the City of Denton, I will be ethical.
I will act with integrity and moral courage. I will be absolutely truthful. I will make impartial
decisions that are free of bribes, unlawful gifts, narrow political interests and other personal
interests that might impair my independence of judgment. I will always decide what is best for
the whole city. I will respect confidences and information designated "confidential" to the extent
. . . .......... . ........... . .. . ................. . ......... . .... . . .. . . ........ . . .. . ...... . . .... ...... ......
Policy.Amc.dmwl.DOC
permitted by law. I will use my title and city logo or letterhead only when conducting official
City business and will not exceed my authority.
2. As a representative of the City of Denton, I will be service-oriented.
I will be friendly, receptive, courteous, and respectful to everyone. I will be attuned to and care
about the needs and issues of all Denton citizens.
3. As a representative of the City of Denton, I will be fiscally responsible.
I will make prudent decisions, taking into account the long-term financial needs of the City and
its financial stability. I will make decisions that seek to promote programs and services for City
residents.
4. As a representative of the City of Denton, I will be communicative.
I will communicate that I am approachable, open-minded and willing to enter into dialog. I will
listen carefully and. my response will add value to the conversation.
5. As a representative of the City of Denton, I will be cooperative.
I will work toward consensus building and gain value from diverse opinions. I will approach
my position and relationships with a positive attitude. I will consider the broader regional and
statewide implications of decisions. I will work with the Universities, DISD, the Chambers of
Commerce, other governmental entities, and local nonprofit agencies and others as partners on
common issues.
6. As a representative of the City of Denton, I will be progressive and receptive to new
ideas.
I will promote intelligent and thoughtful innovation whenever possible. I will be sensitive to the
need for compromise, to think creatively, and improve existing models when necessary. I will
keep my knowledge of local government current and growing.
7. As a representative of the City of Denton, I will not be delinquent in paying monies
owed the City.
I will not be in arrears on any city taxes, utility service charges, or other obligations owed the
City.
Elected officials and appointed officials, boards and commissions must adhere to the following
Texas statutes:
Civil Statutes
Open Meetings Act (Tex. Govt. Code. Ann. Ch. 5 5 1)
Public Information Act/Open Records Act (Tex. Govt. Code. Ann. Ch. 552)
Conflicts of Interest (Tex. Loc. Govt. Code, Ch. 171, Ch. 212)
Official Misconduct (Tex, Penal Code, Ch. 36, Ch. 39)
Nepotism (Tex. Rev. Civ. Stat. Ann., arts. 5996a & 5996b)
Whistleblower Protection (Tex. Rev. Civ. Stat. Arm., art. 6552 -16a)
Page 2 of 3
Voa, Policy-Am,ndmIDOC
Competitive Bidding and Procurement (espec. Tex. Loc. Govt. Code, Ch. 252)
State Penal Laws
Bribery (Tex. Penal Code, § 36.02)
Coercion of Public Servant or Voter (Tex. Penal Code, § 36.03)
Improper Influence (Tex. Penal Code § 36.04)
Tampering with a Witness (Tex. Penal Code § 36.04)
Retaliation (Tex. Penal Code § 36.06)
Gifts to Public Officials (Tex. Penal Code § 36.08)
Offering Gift to Public Servant (Tex. Penal Code § 36.09)
Abuse of Office (Chapter 39)
Official Misconduct (Tex. Penal Code § 39,01)
Official Oppression (Tex. Penal. Code § 39.02)
Misuse of Official Information (Tex. Penal Code § 39.03)
City Documents
In addition, the City of Denton Charter, the City Council Rules of Procedure, House Rules and
Code of Election Ethics are applicable.
The Ethics Policy is designed as a positive guide to the behavior and decorum of Council and
board members as they represent the citizens of Denton. I will voluntarily accept reprimand
from my colleagues if I should act contrary to this policy.
SECTION 2. This resolution shall become effective immediately upon its passage and
approval.
PASSED AND APPROVED this the J—q& day of )2006.
......... .
EULINE BROCK, MAYOR
ATTEST:
JENNIFER WALTERS, CITY SECRETARY
BY: I A -)
APPROVED AS 0 LEGAL FORM:
EDWIN M. SNYD.F-Z, CITY
Page 3 of 3
DENTON CITY CHARTER
Sec. 14.04. - Personal interest.f25-
Any officer or employee of the city having a substantial interest in a business entity or
real property, as those terms are defined iD chapter 171 of the Texas Loca|Government
Code as it now reads or may hereafter be amended, shall comply with Ch apter 171 and, if
necessary, shall abstain from voting on a matter involving the business entity or real property
and file an affidavit, setting forth the substantial interest in the matter to be voted upon.
(Ord. No. 79-86, § 2, 12-1/-79, ratified Y-1g`80; Ord. No. 99-057, Amend, 0o 25,2-/6-99 ratified 5-1-99)
Sen.i4.O5.-Nep0tis[O.��'
No person shall be appointed to an office or be employed by the City of Denton who
is related to any member of the council within the second de gree of affinity or the third
degree nf consanguinity, and this shall apply to heads of departments in their respective
departments. This does not apply to a person who was appointed or employed by the city
prior to the election or appointment 0f the council member.
(Dci No, 2DO6-232, Amend. No. 23,D-25' 6,rabfi*d11'7-06) —
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