Dear Mayor Ohtaki,
Council members Rich Cline and Ray Mueller have recently requested that the City Council consider clear guidelines regarding the
City Council travel policy. Based on the most recent article in the Almanac, this discussion seems overdue and George Fisher's
questions deserve a formal answer.
We need clarity on the legal issues involved in accepting financial gifts pertaining to travel. We need guidelines regarding
missing Council meetings for personal travel. We also need guidelines regarding personal conduct that could appear to represent
Menlo Park, while on non-official business.
We also need to clarify the use of authorizing the use of City resources for non-City purposes.
I'm told that our City used to have an Ethics Commission. Now might be a timely moment to consider re-establishing one. A
council-appointed advisory group would minimize staff effort involved in preparing an ethics manual such as the one the LA Ethics
Commission [https://ethics.lacity.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/09/City_Officials_Handbook.pdf] prepared. I think we need this type
of explicit document in Menlo Park that also applies to staff. The entire focus of the LA document is to have explicit guidelines
to preserve the public's trust.
In addition to Council members Cline and Mueller's request, would you also consider discussing establishing an Ethics Commission
in Menlo Park? A Council appointed advisory committee could be tasked with preparing an ethics handbook for MP City officials and
staff. One is needed.
Lynne Bramlett
