The ICMA Executive Board upheld recommendations of the ICMA Committee on Professional Conduct to censure two members. The board’s decision came after review of the facts presented to the committee. 

The board publicly censured Roy McCampbell, former village administrator, Bellwood, Illinois, and voted to permanently bar him from future membership in ICMA for conduct that violated the integrity and political neutrality standards of the profession. 

The board concluded that McCampbell accepted excessive compensation and benefits while serving a community of 20,000 residents. McCampbell received $450,000 in compensation in 2009. His benefits package included 534 days of leave; a $56,000 pension stipend for serving multiple positions in the organization; and a $56,000 stipend for serving as the village administrator in addition to his regular salary.  

In reaching its decision, the board noted that ICMA members have an obligation to be fair and reasonable in negotiating compensation.  As outlined in ICMA’s Guidelines on Compensation, compensation and personnel matters should be guided by the core principles of the ICMA Code of Ethics. ICMA affirms that the standard practice for establishing the compensation of local government managers be fair, reasonable, transparent, and based on comparable public salaries nationally and regionally. Accepting excessive compensation erodes public confidence in the local government management profession. 

In addition, McCampbell engaged in efforts to support candidates for elected office on at least 20 occasions. McCampbell contributed a total of $8,520 to five candidates seeking elected office and two political organizations. Engaging in partisan political activity on behalf of candidates for elected office, while serving as a local government administrator, violates the profession’s standard for political neutrality outlined in Tenet 7. 

The board also publicly censured Alexander Diaz, town manager, Golden Beach, Florida, for conduct that failed to uphold the standards set by the profession. Diaz created a conflict of interest when he invested $50,000 in a restaurant with the mayor of his employing jurisdiction. While Diaz later sold his shares, he breached his ethical duty to avoid the conflict in the first place and to publicly disclose the investment. In addition, Diaz had been arrested for driving under the influence in December 2009 and February 2012; had his driver's license suspended twice; and had received six speeding tickets among other driving infractions. The board concluded that Diaz established a pattern of extremely inappropriate behavior and poor judgment.

Members with questions about whether a matter warrants formal review by ICMA or who need confidential advice on an ethics issue are encouraged to contact Martha Perego, ICMA director of Ethics (202-962-3668 / mperego@icma.org) or Jared Dailey, program manager (202-962-3557 / jdailey@icma.org).