West Branch council takes right turn

Gazette Editorial Board

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West Branch city officials say it was never their intent to limit public access to public business when they proposed the city limit recording devices and prohibit newspapers from city council meetings.

But it sure looked that way and - in the case of recording devices, at least - was likely a violation of Iowa sunshine laws.

So we applaud their decision Tuesday to scrap both ideas when they agreed to a 56-item “Council Code of Ethics and Code of Conduct.”

We understand and applaud the city's desire to create a civil and respectful atmosphere in council chambers, but those two initial ideas clearly missed that mark.

City Administrator Matt Muckler told us he was surprised that people thought the council was trying to limit public access to information.

“That would be counter to everything I've done since I came here in June 2010,” he said. “That was not the intent.”

The proposal came on the heels of a heated discussion at a Dec. 19 meeting about whether or not to accept a $250,000 Safe Routes to School grant after the city had been awarded the money.

Muckler told us that was just coincidence, that the ethics code is just a normal part housekeeping as council decides on how it will conduct business in the new year.

In the past, councils commonly have adopted Robert's Rules of Order, he said, but this council wanted something simpler. Their list includes items intended to foster respect and raise the civility of discussion that takes place in council chambers.

That's a good idea, and needed, if the Dec. 19 meeting - where some members swore at or bickered with peers and berated citizens - is any indication.

It calls on council members to refrain from using profanity or questioning each other's motives, for example. It requires people who want to address the council to stand, identify themselves and address comments to the presiding officer.

That's a far cry from the two rules the council declined to adopt. The first would have required people to get permission to use recording devices - including tape recorders, video and photography equipment and phones - in council chambers before, during and after council meetings.

The second rule would have banned food, newspapers or other distracting items from meetings.

Muckler said the intent was to discourage people from coming into a council meeting to “intentionally provoke a hostile environment.”

Even so, it would have sent the wrong message.

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