Pearland City Council postpones ethics vote

“I think it’s very important,” he said of the ordinance considered June 27, noting it increases trust between residents and local representatives. “You have to take those concrete steps, and this is one of those key steps.”

Mayor Kevin Cole urged caution. He gave an example of when, in the 1990s, he was on City Council and worked for an insurer that bid on insuring the city of Pearland. To avoid a conflict of interest, the city ended up with a different insurer than the one for which Cole worked despite it being $250,000 cheaper. While transparency with residents is important, City Council should act in the best interests of the city, Cole said.

Council Member Joseph Koza proposed an amendment to the second reading. Under the amendment, the city would not be able to authorize a contract with a current or former council member or a business that a current or former council member has a substantial interest in unless the member with the conflict of interest filed a disclosure of that interest; City Council made an affirmative finding that the contract is in the city’s best interest; the council member in question abstained from the vote; and the vote passed with a three-quarters majority.

After some confusion about the motions and amendments, City Council unanimously voted to postpone the second and final reading to July 11. In the meantime, city staff will update the proposed ordinance based on Koza’s suggestions.