On March 19, City of Brownsville Mayor Tony Martinez and six city commissioners minus Cesar de Leon wbo had resigned his office passed a new code of ethics ordinance. (Click on graphics to enlarge)
It replaced the Brownsville’s Code of Ethics expired July 1, 2005. It laid out ethical behavior expected of elected officials and employees with standard including “ avoiding even the appearance of a conflict of interest, and exercise prudence and good judgment at all times.”
Instead of a simple revamping of the old code, the new one has been formulated to provide for "transparent government and accountability,” commissioner Ben Neece said at the time.
Central to the new code is a Section 38.69 which prohibits the "revolving door" custom of subsequent employment of commissioners for at least one year with the the city or any city entity.
This last section was aimed at quelling speculation that a majority of the Public Utilities Board was planning to hire former city commissioner De Leon as its legal counsel. In the past, former city commissioners - such as former mayor Eddie Trevino - left their elected offices and were appointed by the PUB board and placed in that lucrative position. I
In some cases, the board had been appointed by the same elected officials. Th e new code, it was understood, would prevent the PUB board, who was under intense pressure form social media sympathetic to the majority, that the new code of ethics would close that door.
But did it?
Although PUB member Tino Villarreal resigned from his position partly as a result of the pressure exerted in local blogs, there is another section in the code that appears to make it possible, and legal, for the board to ave hired De Leon, who before his departure had a hand in putting the code together with Neece after Martinez failed to submit one after eight years in office even though he had promised that it would be his first priority when he was first elected. He never did, but still took credit for it in his current campaign for reelection.
The section, under "Exceptions," reads thus:
It also prohibits elected officials interfering with the operations of city departments and requires them to communicate their concerns with the city manager.
De Leon resigned his At Large "A" position and social media had speculated that he would be appointed as PUB counsel. However, the PUB board never approved the appointment or included it in any of its meeting agendas.
It is obvious that the PUB board members couldn't stand the political heat if they had hired De Leon, but given the apparent contradictions in the code, would they have been able to if they had wanted to?
7 comments:
Your story is confusing, Momtoya.
It sounds like paranioa and hysteria. The crabs in the bucket system is in play. One lawyer jealous of another is not news. It’s bad form in the guise of “transparency.” City commissioners should be held to public intoxication standards as well as ethics.
After Tony Martinez is defeated for Mayor, let's see if P.U.B. hires him as legal counsel. Tony has done nothing in the last eight years....but he surely sees himself as a continued player. Dump Tony Martinez!!!!!
Code of ethics: good. Corruption: bad. 'Nuff said?
Someone should give a copy of the code of ethics to the mayor and some of the commissioners,does Tenaska ring a bell.
When you're in a candy store and the doc tells you not to eat candy because you are diabetic but still indulge well that, how these idiots do take the money and run. Where's the FBI???
Code of ethics? What a double standard!!!! Let's never forget the purchase of La Casa Del Nylon and countless other properties purchased well above their real value. Instead of running for office, they should be running to jail.
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