Would Wildwood's Ethics Code Be Anti-Nonprofit?

Members of the Wildwood City Council have recently debated revisions to the city's code of ethics, a policy designed to make it clear when council members have potential conflicts of interest on matters brought before them for a vote.

But, according to a report in the recently West Newsmagazine, while all the council members at the Sept. 23 hearing agreed that a strong ethics code was needed, they couldn't all agree on the details.

Council members voted 9-4 to refer the proposed policy back to the city's Board of Ethics to revise some of the language. See the entire West Newsmagazine report here.

“I have a problem in regard to people not voting when they’re associated with a nonprofit group where they’re not paid,” the magazine quoted Ron James as saying. “For example, I’ve been with a PTO and the Boy Scouts. I didn’t get paid for any of it, and I voted for Founders’ Day funding in the budget, but I hadn’t known which troops of Scouts were coming to that event. I wouldn’t let a builder take me to lunch, but I don’t want to see us pick on the nonprofits and discourage them.”

Councilmembers Randy Ladd (Ward 2), Jack Clark (Ward 40), Ron James (Ward 6), and Jim Kranz (Ward 7) were opposed; Ed Marshall (Ward 2), Katie Dodwell (Ward 4) and Jeffrey Levitt (Ward 7) were absent.

“I don’t want to create anti-charity legislation. I belong to the Lions Club where I’m a volunteer," Jim Kranz was quoted. I supported city funding for our Wildwood BBQ Bash, which included their participation and because of that I was brought up on an ethics charge. That’s what’s behind all this.”

But Mayor Tim Woerther disagreed with the opponents, saying it was all about being transparent with residents.

"If I’m a resident, I want to know if people voting for something are on the board of the Lions Club or the Friends of Metro West (fire protection district) or other groups,” he said.

Check out the report in West Newsmagazine and tell us what you think. Is this a policy that can somehow be discouraging to nonprofits in the community, or should it matter?