Ethical standards for Manitowoc Common Council members have been a concern for some residents.
Manitowoc Mayor Justin Nickels, on WOMT’s Be My Guest program, explained that the council must follow ethical standards, and members agree to them when they are sworn in.
“The council does approve a code of conduct for their oath of office,” he states. “They take the oath of office just like, I swear to uphold the Constitution and the laws that we abide by.”
The question was also brought forward by a listener after the reappointment of 1st District Alderman Brett Vanderkin due to a criminal charge he is facing.
The topic was brought up by a 1st aldermanic district resident to which Vanderkin didn’t want to comment on without his lawyer present.
Mayor Nickels says while the code of ethics is in place, the city wants to revamp it.
“We’ve had some issues with elected officials in the past, nothing major, but we do want to hone in on more” he explained. “Right now, to find someone guilty of something they have to have stolen city money or done something quite egregious to the city specific.”
As of now, Vanderkin has only pleaded not guilty to charges of a misdemeanor count of disorderly conduct against him and has not been convicted in his case.
The topic was brought up when he was reappointed to his seat at the 1st District Alderman.