A proposal by Sacramento County, which included a requirement its "leaders" consult with public relations staff before speaking to reporters, was rejected by a majority of the board of supervisors on Tuesday.
At the request of Supervisor Susan Peters, the county Personnel Department presented a “Code of Conduct” plan for elected officials and department heads.
But some supervisors called most of the items listed in plan duplicative and unnecessary. And what really caught the attention of a majority of the board was a requirement to consult with staff before talking to the media.
Peters requested that staff come up with rules for conduct during a meeting in October, when she voiced support of an effort by Sheriff Scott Jones block oversight of his department by the county inspector general.
Part of the proposal also called for the inspector general's office to consult with public relations staff before speaking to journalists. "We ask this of employees but not of ourselves. I just don't find this to be controversial at all,” Peters said on Tuesday.
Supervisor Don Nottoli called the new proposal unnecessary and described the rules as “telling children how to behave on the playground.”
“We don't have that culture here," Nottoli said.
Supervisor Patrick Kennedy agreed with Nottoli, while Supervisor Sue Frost called the proposal a “great idea.”
Supervisor Phil Serna, who questioned why such a document is required after 170 years of governance without one, will work with Peters and County Executive Navdeep Gill to create a new list of appropriate conduct rules for leadership.
It could be presented before the board by the end of summer.
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