{"id":1566,"date":"2017-04-17T13:48:58","date_gmt":"2017-04-17T18:48:58","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/truthinaddison.com\/?page_id=1566"},"modified":"2017-04-18T13:49:05","modified_gmt":"2017-04-18T18:49:05","slug":"1566-2","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"http:\/\/truthinaddison.com\/?page_id=1566","title":{"rendered":"Addison Doesn\u2019t Need Written Policies On Transparency and Ethics It Needs an Honest Mayor"},"content":{"rendered":"

Addison Doesn\u2019t Need Written Policies<\/strong>
\nOn Transparency and Ethics<\/strong>
\nIt Needs an Honest Mayor<\/strong>
\nSusan M. Halpern<\/strong>
\nFormer Addison Councilmember (1992-1999)<\/strong><\/h3>\n

Todd Meier keeps putting ethics and transparency on the council agenda, pushing for the creation of yet more written \u201cpolicies.\u201d But Addison already has guidance and standards regarding transparency and ethics.\u00a0 It doesn\u2019t need more.\u00a0 Addison\u2019s real problem is Meier, whose vicious tactics have included a remarkable willingness to ignore transparency and ethics laws and deceive residents.\u00a0 Written policies won\u2019t change that.<\/p>\n

Meier\u2019s recent push for paper is, in reality, an effort to deflect attention from his own improper conduct. It started with the AMLI development, approved by the council on February 14, 2017.\u00a0 If you haven\u2019t watched the meeting, you should.\u00a0 You\u2019ll see Meier hijack the meeting in an effort to prevent the council from voting on AMLI, all because Meier opposed the project.\u00a0 Meier repeatedly tried to table the AMLI matter, and when that didn\u2019t work, he filibustered, berating the AMLI representatives with inflammatory, argumentative and repetitive questions.\u00a0 Meier resisted efforts by other councilmembers to draw the meeting back to order, even refusing to accept a motion from Mayor Pro Tempore Bruce Arfsten.\u00a0 It was embarrassing and unprofessional.<\/p>\n

Meier clearly understood that his conduct was indefensible, so he embarked on a campaign of misinformation, deflection and diversion. At the next council meeting, Meier attacked the efforts of other councilmembers to draw the AMLI matter back to order, accusing them of interrupting him and claiming that the council now needed to examine council decorum, ethics and transparency.\u00a0 It\u2019s been all smoke and mirrors from Meier to avoid scrutiny of his outrageous conduct in connection with the AMLI discussion.<\/p>\n

Now that we understand why Meier keeps putting ethics and transparency on the agenda, let\u2019s talk about why I say Addison doesn\u2019t need more written policies relating to these matters.<\/p>\n

First and foremost, Addison is bound by state law, and that includes the Open Records Act and the Open Meetings Act. These laws exist to require transparency from ALL governmental bodies in Texas, including Addison\u2019s council.\u00a0 Addison can\u2019t opt out, so whether it\u2019s written or not, Addison must comply.\u00a0 That means that Addison already has \u201cpolicies\u201d relating to transparency and ethics, because these laws prescribe minimum standards of conduct that are imposed on politicians like Meier.<\/p>\n

And that\u2019s before you consider Addison\u2019s Ethics Ordinance and state law prohibiting the use of Addison resources to attack or support officeholders, candidates and issues. Again, these laws establish standards of conduct without any need for additional action.\u00a0 In addition to all that, Addison\u2019s Charter imposes limitations on the conduct of all councilmembers, including Meier, prohibiting them from directing the activities of any member of Addison\u2019s staff, save and except<\/em> for when the COUNCIL as a whole votes to direct the CITY MANAGER.<\/p>\n

All of which tells us that Addison has plenty of laws and policies and standards relating to conduct, transparency and ethics.<\/p>\n

So let\u2019s deal with the proverbial \u201celephant in the room:\u201d Addison\u2019s problem isn\u2019t an absence of standards. Addison\u2019s problem is Meier.\u00a0 Meier is a brazen politician who has repeatedly ignored these important laws as has been convenient to suit the purpose of the moment.\u00a0 And, who has been willing to undermine and subvert the process of the council as necessary to achieve his personal goals, as he did with respect to the AMLI matter on February 14, 2017.\u00a0 All of which is aided by Meier\u2019s ample acting talent, which is often Oscar-worthy, even as he inflicts harm on Addison, its residents and other councilmembers.<\/p>\n

It\u2019s all there in so many examples. Consider last year\u2019s Kanter fiasco.\u00a0 We know that a key document \u2013 Lea Dunn\u2019s memo \u2013 was improperly withheld, clearly in violation of the Open Records Act.\u00a0 That concealment made Meier\u2019s 2016 campaign of lies possible.\u00a0 The Kanter debacle also brought us Secret Addendum 1, which purported to cloak information that was clearly discoverable under the Open Records Act with the attorney-client privilege.\u00a0 Secret Addendum 1 employed the utter fiction<\/em> that Kanter was really hired by Addison\u2019s attorneys, something that never happened.\u00a0 As well, Secret Addendum 1 was concealed<\/em> from the council, the city manager, the staff and the public.\u00a0 It was inaccurately<\/em> described in the council Consent Agenda, which stated only that Kanter\u2019s contract was being increased to $37,500.\u00a0 Such secrecy clearly violated the Open Meetings Act.<\/p>\n

There is so much more to consider; so many examples of Meier\u2019s lawless conduct. But, just looking at the fiasco of Kanter, Secret Addendum 1 and the improperly withheld Lea Dunn memo, tells you all you need to know for purposes of this discussion.\u00a0 Addison\u2019s problem isn\u2019t the absence of policies or procedures.\u00a0 Addison\u2019s problem is a brazen politician who has been willing to ignore the laws that do exist to protect all of us.<\/p>\n

Which tells us that we don\u2019t need more policies or more procedures. We have plenty of laws and the standards they describe are clear. Addison doesn\u2019t need more laws, nor does it need more work sessions or meetings at which the real issue of Meier\u2019s lawless conduct is ignored.<\/p>\n

What Addison needs is an honest mayor who complies with the law. What Addison needs is TRUTH IN ADDISON.<\/p>\n

When we elect honest politicians who commit to being a part of a positive deliberative environment, we will start on the path to returning Addison to the Addison Way.<\/p>\n

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