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To the Editor:
With the Rockaway Beach city council beginning a new year under a new governing body, now is the perfect time to champion meaningful ethics reform. There are several simple yet impactful steps our city government can take to build trust, improve transparency, and serve our community more effectively:
- Require Public Job Postings: Passing an ordinance that mandates all city employment positions be publicly advertised would eliminate the practice of secretive recruitment of staff friends and family. Publicly advertising positions ensures fair competition and guarantees that the most qualified candidates are hired to serve our community. It is shocking that the city manager was hired without submitting a resume.
- Standardize Public Testimony Processing: The council should pass an ordinance to establish clear service levels specifying when and how public testimony is processed, distributed, and added to the city website. In the past, testimony has been ignored or posted late—sometimes only after complaints. I personally experienced this twice. This reform would ensure residents’ voices are consistently and transparently integrated into decision-making.
- Institute Term Limits for Citizen Committees: Enforcing term limits and establishing written procedures for citizen committee members would prevent monopolization of power and encourage fresh perspectives. Currently, vague and inconsistent rules govern how these positions are filled and advertised, leaving the process open to abuse. Term limits would encourage broader participation and prevent undue influence by any single individual.
- Create a Citizen Oversight Committee: An independent oversight body is essential to enforce the city charter, resolutions, and ordinances. Such a committee would identify and address corruption, abuse, and inefficiencies, fostering greater accountability.
- Establish Anonymous Reporting Channels and Whistleblower Protection: Creating a system for employees and citizens to report unethical behavior or code violations safely, without fear of retaliation, is crucial. Additionally, laws must protect individuals who report unethical behavior from facing retaliation or job loss.
- Provide Ethics Training: Requiring regular ethics training for all city officials and employees will ensure everyone understands and adheres to the code of ethics.
- Evaluate and Update Policies Regularly: Periodic reviews and updates to ethics policies would allow the city to adapt to emerging challenges and adopt best practices.
These proposals are not radical; they are common-sense reforms designed to create a government that represents and works for the people. By embracing these changes, we can build a more ethical, transparent, and fair city government that our residents deserve.
Now is the time for action. Let’s encourage our city council to prioritize ethics reform and set a higher standard for local governance. The future of our community depends on it.
Sincerely,
Daniel Howlett
Rockaway Beach
