At its November meeting, the ICMA Executive Board approved recommendations from the ICMA Committee on Professional Conduct (CPC) regarding the conduct of two former ICMA members.

Robb Quincey, former city manager, Upland, California, was publicly censured and permanently barred from future membership in ICMA for conduct that violated the law and Tenets 2, 3, and 12 of ICMA Code of Ethics.  Quincey pled no-contest to a felony charge of conflict of interest and was ordered to repay the city $50,000 in funds that he improperly authorized to be paid to settle claims filed by Upland police officers.

In October 2012, an ethics complaint was filed against Quincey following his arrest and charge with unlawful misappropriation of public money; gaining a personal benefit from an official contract; and giving false testimony under oath. The legal process moved very slowly and very little information about the allegations was available. The CPC requested the assistance of CAL-ICMA via the appointment of a fact-finding committee in September 2013 to seek documents and information. 

The fact-finding committee meticulously reviewed hundreds of pages of public records that it had secured and submitted a report of its findings this past August. Quincey entered his plea in early September, which enabled the CPC to consider the matter during its September 12 meeting. No further action was required with regard to the fact-finding report as the Rules of Procedure for the Enforcement of the ICMA Code of Ethics state that no further investigation is required when a member pleads guilty to a crime that is also a violation of the Code of Ethics.

Given the serious and very public nature of a public censure and membership bar, those actions require formal approval of the ICMA Executive Board. Following the recommendation of the CPC in September, the board was able to act at its meeting in November.

Corey Alston, former city manager, South Bay, Florida, was publicly censured and permanently barred from future membership in ICMA for conduct that violated the law and Tenets 2, 3, and 12 of the ICMA Code of Ethics. Alston pled guilty to a felony charge of grand theft and a misdemeanor charge of corrupt misuse of an official position related to funds that he inappropriately took from the city.

This case also took an unusual amount of time to resolve through the ethics enforcement process because Alston’s trial had been delayed numerous times between December 2012 and September 2014. Alston had originally been charged with grand theft back in December 2012. Additional criminal charges were filed against Alston in the summer of 2013 whereby he collectively faced four counts of grand theft; one count of grand theft over $20,000; and one count of aggravated white-collar crime. When Alston entered his guilty pleas this past September, the CPC was able to conclude its investigation of the matter and recommend the action above ultimately upheld by the Executive Board.

Have Questions or Need Advice?

Members who have questions about their ethical obligations under the ICMA Code of Ethics or who are seeking confidential advice are encouraged to contact Martha Perego, ICMA director of Ethics, at 202-962-3668 or mperego@icma.org or Jared Dailey, program manager, at 202-962-3557 or jdailey@icma.org.