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C. Even private conversations can have a public presence. Elected officials are always on <br />display – their actions, mannerisms, and language are monitored by people around them that they may <br />not know. Lunch table conversations will be eavesdropped upon, parking lot debates will be watched, <br />and casual comments between individuals before and after public meetings noted. <br />D. Make no personal comments about other Council Members. It is acceptable to publicly <br />disagree about an issue, but it is unacceptable to make derogatory comments about other Council <br />Members, their opinions and actions. <br />6.2 Council Conduct with City Staff Governance of a City relies on the cooperative efforts of <br />elected officials, who set policy and City staff, who implement and administer the Council’s policies. <br />Therefore, every effort should be made to be cooperative and show mutual respect for the <br />contributions made by each individual for the good of the community. <br />A. Treat all staff as professionals. Clear, honest communication that respects the abilities, <br />experience, and dignity of each individual is expected. Belligerent, personal, impertinent, slanderous, <br />threatening, abusive, or disparaging comments toward staff is not acceptable. <br />B. Limit contact to specific City staff. Questions of City staff and/or requests for additional <br />background information should be directed to the City Manager, City Attorney, or Department Heads, <br />unless otherwise directed by the City Manager. The City Manager should be copied on or informed of <br />any request. <br />C. Council direction to staff. In accordance with Charter Section 2.10, individual Council <br />Members cannot give direction to city staff either publicly or privately. The Council as a body may <br />provide staff direction on matters that come before the Council. Requests for follow-up or directions to <br />staff should be made only through the City Manager or the City Attorney when appropriate. When in <br />doubt about what staff contact is appropriate, Council Members should ask the City Manager for <br />direction. Materials supplied to a Council Member in response to a request for information of interest to <br />all Council Members will be made available to the entire Council so that all have equal access to the <br />information. <br />D. Do not disrupt City staff from their jobs. Except in extraordinary circumstances, Council <br />Members should not disrupt City staff while they are in meetings, on the phone, or engrossed in <br />performing their job functions. <br />E. Never publicly criticize an individual employee. Council should never express concerns <br />about the performance of a City employee in public, to the employee directly, or to the employee’s <br />manager. Comments about staff performance should only be made to the City Manager through private <br />correspondence or conversation. <br />F. Do not get involved in administrative functions. Council Members must not attempt to <br />influence City staff on the making of employment or personnel decisions, awarding of contracts, <br />selecting of consultants, processing of development applications, or granting of City licenses and <br />permits. <br />G. Do not attend City staff meetings without permission from staff. Even if the Council <br />Member does not say anything, the Council Member’s presence implies support, shows partiality, <br />12