Town Code Sections to Deal with Corruption and Conflicts of Interest

There are two Town Code sections that may be useful to deal with corruption and conflicts of interest:

Sec. 2-12 Authority to Fine and Expel Members: The Town Council may fine its members for improper conduct and, with the concurrence of six members, expel a member. (Code 1962, § 2-3) (Amend. 2-70).

And:

Sec. 2-53 (c) Any member of the public directly affected or aggrieved by circumstances, conditions or occurrences arising within the Town, and over which the Town can reasonably be expected to exercise control or influence, shall have the right to have placed on the prepared agenda of any regular or special meeting and have considered a separately numbered item appropriate to the problem or request to which it is desired to direct the attention of the Council. Requests from members of the public for inclusion of such items on the agenda shall be in writing and contain a brief description of the circumstances giving rise to same. If it is desired that the Council adopt a particular ordinance, resolution or motion, the same should be prepared and submitted with the written statement. Such written request shall be delivered to the Town Clerk or Town Manager at least twenty working hours, three working days, prior to the start of the meeting at which consideration is desired, Thursday noon for meeting following Monday; provided, that in cases involving an emergency, as found by the Town Manager, the twenty-hour requirement may be waived. Members of the public at whose request items are included on the agenda are advised to be present at the Council meeting during which their item is discussed in order to offer additional explanation and so that members may have the opportunity to question them. All material pertinent to items scheduled hereunder shall be distributed to members with the prepared agenda.

The question becomes: what is best way to proceed? It may be best to use Sec. 2-53 (c) to get placed on the agenda a request for new conflicts of interest legislation.