Bastrop, Tx–The city council named a citzen task force Feb. 22 to advise them about toughening Bastrop’s ethics rules and what such changes might look like. The issue has been a topic of some controversy among council members since last year.
At one point the council decided it might not be the best group to decide on changes and agreed to seek an independent citizen group. Any new rules presumably would apply both to the council and to members of the city’s other boards, commissions and similar bodies.
The six-member panel includes a judge, a police officer, a businessman, a counselor and two members of the local clergy.Their charge is to tell the council if additional ethics rules are needed and, if so, what those might be.
Task force members include insurance agent Gilbert Solis, 423rd District Court Judge Chris Duggan, counselor Linda Seal, police officer Wuthipong Tantaksinanuki, along with Rev. R.D. Smith and Rev. Lisa Hines. Smith is pastor of Mt. Rose Missionary Baptist Church and Hines is rector of Calvary Episcopal Church, both in Bastrop.
Members were recommended by Council Members Julie Hart and Ken Kesselus, appointed by Mayor Terry Orr and confirmed by a unanimous council vote.
The task force will be advised by city attorney J.C. Brown and City Manager Mike Talbot. It will also organize itself and report back to the council later this year.
Tags: ethics rules