City staff present revised standards-of-conduct policy; council debates delegating approval to staff

City staff presented a revised employee standards‑of‑conduct policy to the Committee of the Whole on May 13 and sought council direction on whether future administrative updates should remain subject to council adoption.

Catherine (staff lead) said the policy—originally adopted by council in 2008—has been updated primarily for clarity rather than wholesale change. Revisions add more detail about free‑speech standards for municipal employees, identify applicability across temporary, permanent, seasonal, volunteer, and intern categories, and specify where complaint and request forms (for dress-code modifications and reasonable accommodations) are located.

Council members discussed whether approving administrative policies should remain a council responsibility under the city’s new governance structure or whether authority to amend certain administrative policies should be delegated to staff. Staff and the city attorney’s office said council could delegate that authority by resolution if council chooses; staff offered to draft a resolution to return to council.

No formal vote was taken; the revised policy will be scheduled for the next full council meeting for formal consideration unless council instructs staff to prepare a delegation resolution ahead of that meeting.