At its September 23 meeting, the ICMA Executive Board voted to uphold the recommendations of the ICMA Committee on Professional Conduct (CPC) following formal reviews conducted by the CPC. Each ICMA member agrees to abide by the Code and its enforcement when becoming an ICMA member. Any member who appears to have violated the Code is investigated through a peer-review process by the CPC and violators are subject to an array of sanctions including private and public censure, membership suspension, and/or membership bar or expulsion.

Shane Crawford, city manager, Madeira Beach, Florida was publicly censured and permanently expelled from membership in ICMA for conduct that violates Tenets 3 and 12 of the ICMA Code of Ethics. Crawford is currently engaged in a personal relationship with a city employee and has been since August 2015.

Consistent with past decisions, the executive board concluded that it is highly inappropriate for a manager to have a personal relationship with a subordinate employee. Such a relationship exposes the organization to liability, creates the potential for conflicts of interest in fact and/or appearance stemming from personnel decisions made with regard to the employee, and can strain the professional relationships between the manager and employees and between employees. Further, disclosure of the relationship does not cure the underlying conflict. This conduct violates the integrity standard outlined in Tenet 3 of the ICMA Code of Ethics. 

Additionally, the executive board determined that Crawford reaped an undue benefit based on recommendations that he made for increases to the employee’s salary and position. Crawford and the employee share a bank account. This constitutes a violation of Tenet 12, which states that members shall not leverage their position for personal gain or benefit.

Ronnie Dixon, city manager, Clay, Alabama was publicly censured and permanently barred from future membership in ICMA for conduct that violates Tenet 7 of the ICMA Code of Ethics. While serving as Clay’s appointed city manager, Dixon ran for an elected seat on the Jefferson County Board of Education in April. He established a campaign committee, developed campaign materials, and sought and received fundraising and endorsements. After an unsuccessful campaign, Dixon accepted appointment with the board of education in May when a seat became vacant. Dixon has also served as an elected Jefferson County constable since November 2012.

Members are encouraged to read the ICMA Code of Ethics and Guidelines and to seek advice from ICMA to make sure that their conduct meets the ethical standards of the profession. Members can 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. Ethics advice, information, and the ICMA Code of Ethics are available online at icma.org/ethics.