THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1996, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Sunday, March 17, 1996 TAG: 9603150225
SECTION: PORTSMOUTH CURRENTS PAGE: 07 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY MIKE KNEPLER, STAFF WRITER
LENGTH: Medium: 62 lines
Is it ethical or unethical to propose an ethics review board for Portsmouth city officials?
That was one of the questions as the City Council debated and then tabled a proposal for an ethics board last Tuesday night.
Councilman Cameron C. Pitts, who favors an ethics board, asked the council to instruct the city attorney to draft legislation for the April 9 meeting.
The board, as Pitts proposed it, would have power to expose unethical deeds of elected and appointed city officials but also exonerate those who may be unfairly accused. Its purview would extend over conflict-of-interest laws, human rights issues and the state Freedom of Information act.
Pitts drew support from Vice Mayor Johnny M. Clemons and Councilman Bernard D. Griffin Sr.
But on a 4-3 vote, the council approved James C. Hawks' substitute motion to table the matter until the council had more time to study and discuss the idea.
Pitts accused Hawks of trying to delay the proposal until after the May 7 council election.
``That's the very purpose that I made the motion,'' Hawks acknowledged. He countered that Pitts' proposal was a ``pretty transparent campaign ploy'' for the election.
``I'll say it openly. It's obviously a campaign ploy. What we've seen, I think, is unethical. He's using council's time and the council forum to promote his own campaign for re-election. And that's the only thing unethical here tonight,'' Hawks said.
Councilmen P. Ward Robinett Jr. and James T. Martin said they, too, wanted to hold off seeking legislation to establish an ethics board. They argued there already are other official ways to investigate ethics issues, such as through the courts. A new board would be pushing the government's legislative branch into the judicial arena, they said.
Pitts responded: ``I understand my colleagues' avoidance of this because some just don't want somebody watching what they're doing. . . . I would think that if nobody had anything to hide, I don't see why they would be uncomfortable.''
Pitts said ethics boards have been successful in cities in other parts of the country.
Vice Mayor Clemons, meanwhile, contended that an ethics board is necessary, especially to sort out human rights issues and to offer recourse to citizens rebuffed by the council on questions about conflicts of interest.
He also predicted the council would be seeing more controversies about potential conflicts as Portsmouth moves forward with its Vision 2005 economic development plan.
``We're talking about making land available. We're talking about all kinds of things where people can have inside information,'' Clemons said. ``Once we start doing these kinds of land acquisitions, we're talking about possible conflicts of interest.''
Mayor Gloria O. Webb said she was disturbed by the tone of the proposal and innuendoes that city officials may be acting unethically or for purely political purposes. by CNB