Board says 2-minute council pitch to request fee waiver is not improper influence under ordinance

The Denton Board of Ethics concluded that using the city council's 2-minute pitch to ask colleagues to waive development fees for a nonprofit project would not, in itself, be improper influence under the city's ethics ordinance. The Chair summarized the ordinance test, saying, "To be improper influence, the city official has to use the person's official title to secure a special privilege or benefit for such person," and members debated whether putting a request before council via the pitch secures a benefit for the council member personally.

After discussion about whether the pitch creates unequal access compared with ordinary citizens, a board member moved that Council member George Ferry’s request to use a 2-minute pitch to seek waiver of development fees for the Denton Affordable Housing Corporation’s McAdams/McAdams Haven project would not violate the improper-influence standards in the ethics ordinance. The motion was seconded and carried by the panel; staff will include the conclusion in the written advisory opinion.