Council will eye ethics policy
By Staff Reports
Published in News on September 7, 2010 1:46 PM
The Goldsboro City Council will discuss a proposed ethics policy for council members at a work session today.
The council will meet for a work session at 5 p.m. in Room 206 of the City Hall addition prior to its regularly scheduled meeting in council chambers at 7.
The policy contains seven canons that focus on integrity, performance of duties, conducting public business in a public manner, regulating private business affairs to prevent public perception of impropriety and the refraining of political activity that would imply favoritism.
Council members also should be familiar with the laws regarding public service and encourage members of their families to adhere to the same standards.
As it is written, breaking any of the portions of the policy could lead to censure by the council.
During the regular meeting, council members will consider approving a change in the hours of operation of several city parks. Council members in July voted to change all park operating hours because of inconsistencies in the system, with some parks opening and closing at different times.
Under the new guidelines, the city ordinances governing operating hours would be amended as follows:
* All city parks and recreation areas will be open from Nov. 1 through March 14 from 7 a.m. until 6 p.m., with the exception of tennis courts, which will be open until 9 p.m.
* All city parks and recreation areas will be open from March 15 through Oct. 31 from 7 a.m. until 9 p.m., including tennis courts.
Several rezoning requests are also expected to be approved.
* Lynda M. Uzzell is seeking to have property on the northeast corner of South John Street and Shamrock Avenue changed from office and institutional to residential.
* Permission is being sought to erect a temporary 10-foot sign at the northwest corner of South Center Street and West Chestnut Street to help market the property, which is located next to the Paramount Theatre. The Downtown Goldsboro Devel-opment Corp. plans to renovate the property to make it more appealing for sale. Only the sign falls outside the regulations set forth by the city's Historic District. It would display the message "Feel the Energy."
In other business, the council is expected to appoint John Chance to the Goldsboro-Wayne Transportation Authority and to declare September as Sickle Cell Awareness Month.