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<br />City Council <br />Special Meeting Minutes <br />October 25, 2005 <br />Page 2 of 7 <br /> <br />REGULAR BUSINESS <br /> <br />PRESENTATION BY THE SPECIAL PROSECUTOR AS TO FINDINGS AND <br />PROPOSED DISPOSITION OF ETHICS COMPLAINT AGAINST MICHELE <br />VAN PELT <br /> <br />Mayor Sisk requested the Special Prosecutor present his findings. <br /> <br />Council member Van Pelt recused herself from the meeting, stating her reason <br />for recusal was that she is the person named in the ethics complaint. <br /> <br />Special Prosecutor Ralph Josephsohn read for record his observations that <br />provided his presence before the City Council. The two reasons for his presence <br />are as follows: 1) The determination that the concerns set forth in the Tom <br />Davidson complaint warranted further investigation (the basis) and 2) A <br />determination that no dishonesty or lack of integrity geared to subvert the Ethics <br />Code was committed by Council woman Van Pelt. He stated if Council woman <br />Van Pelt were found to have conducted herself with total deliberate disregard of <br />the Ethics Code he would not be before Council, he would have initiated <br />prosecution. <br /> <br />Written Findings: Council woman Van Pelt acted in good faith. Her conduct <br />apparently was the product of a failure to fully understand the strictest operation <br />of the Ethics Code, and/or a mistake in judgment in what strict compliance with <br />what the Ethics Code requires. <br /> <br />Recommended Disposition - Ethics Program: The Mayor and Members of <br />Council, including Council member Van Pelt, and any board and commission <br />members as may be designated by the Council, shall attend a program of Ethics <br />Code presented by a facilitator having expertise in the subject matter of <br />municipal ethics. The program shall be scheduled as soon as possible following <br />the election in November to accommodate any new members elected to the City <br />Council. <br /> <br />Disposition of the Complaint: Compliance by Council member Van Pelt and the <br />City Council respectively with the terms and conditions set forth herein shall <br />serve to satisfy the disposition of the Complaint presented against Council <br />member Van Pelt by Tom Davidson, and no further action shall be taken based <br />on matters set forth in said Complaint. In the event that for any reason <br />compliance is not forthcoming, the Special Prosecutor shall retain the authority to <br />proceed with the matter as may be justified by law and deemed by him to be in <br />the public interest. <br /> <br />Mayor Sisk requested public comment. <br />