3-8-22 fdl council approves revisions to city ethics code

In the fallout of a controversial and highly emotional, ultimately failed  commercial development project at Lakeside Park,  the Fond du Lac city council has approved changes to the city’s ethics code.   The changes come after multiple ethics complaints were filed against city councilmembers regarding their actions related to the park plan.  In the end the council backed out of an alternative master plan that would have included a restaurant near the park Lighthouse and amphitheater and parking lot on Oven Island.  City manager Joe Moore says the most important change is that the Ethics Board will now be determining probable cause.  Moore says prior to the change the Ethics Board was determining probable cause and recommending punishment to the city council.  “What this change does is it puts the ethics board in a better position.  I know that for sure,”  Moore told WFDL news.  Another change would prohibit any city councilmember from issuing a contract on behalf of the city.  That was in response to councilmember Arletta Allen bringing forward a contract from Lakeside Forward to the city council regarding the controversial Lakeside Park development plan.  “We (city) have to do any kinds of contracts with the authority either given to us in the city code via the approved capital improvement plan or given to us via city council action,”  Moore said.  “There ought not be contract negotiations going on outside some of those authorities.”   Also, under the revised code,  ethics complaints could only be filed by city residents.