Camas approves code of conduct

Camas city councilors last week adopted a code of conduct that spells out expectations for how they should behave in public.

The councilors unanimously approved the document during their Sept. 15 meeting.

“I think it is very important that we have an agreement about how we will behave,” Councilor Marilyn Boerke told The Columbian.

She said the effort dates to 2021, well before Councilor John Svilarich was charged with second-degree assault and reckless endangerment related to a 2024 incident on the Washougal River Greenway trail in Camas.

In court documents, police allege that Svilarich got into an argument with a stranger while walking on the trail, then threw a large rock toward the man from a 50-foot pedestrian bridge and, later, pointed a firearm at him.

The code of conduct won’t apply retroactively, Boerke added.

Camas already has a code of ethics policy and a civility and belonging agreement, both of which shall continue in “full force and effect,” according to the code of conduct document, which states that its purpose “is to provide additional guiding principles as well as provide for certain measures to be utilized for enforcement as necessary.”

“You can say, ‘Yes, we believe all these things.’ But so what?” Boerke said. “The only way that a councilor can be removed is through recall, so it’s not like you can fire someone. That was never our goal. It was to answer the question, ‘So what?’ ”

The document states that councilors should strive to be stewards of the public’s trust; comply with both the letter and spirit of the laws and policies affecting the operations of city government; use their public office for the public good, not for personal gain; and conduct public deliberations and processes openly, unless required by law to be confidential, in an atmosphere of respect and civility.

“This document … describes core values: the traits and qualities that represent our highest priorities,” the document states. “These values are the fundamental forces that define our behavior.”

The document also includes a section about penalties, which range from nonpublic admonishment to censure.

“It’s progressive discipline, just like in any (business),” Boerke said. “We hold each other accountable. When people make agreements about not only how they will behave, but how they expect to be treated, a social contract is created. I feel that our councilors now have a social contract with one another.”

In 2021, a subcommittee consisting of Boerke, former councilors Greg Anderson and Don Chaney, and former city clerk Bernie Bacon reviewed the city’s policies and procedures manual.

Work stalled after Anderson and Chaney left the council in 2022 and 2023, respectively. But Boerke picked the work back up after the document was re-introduced to the council during its January retreat, assisted by then-Mayor Pro Tem Bonnie Carter and city clerks Alicia Stevens and Sydney Baker.

They workshopped the document and eventually came up with two different versions: an aspirational model and a more legal, punitive model. Boerke then offered to combine the best elements of both models, ensuring the code was both aspirational and had clear violation sections.

“It’s a public document,” Boerke said. “I would urge any citizen to send us an email if they feel that one of us has violated some part of the agreement. It’s an honor and a privilege to serve the community in this way, so I hold myself to an extremely high standard. That’s why I’m so passionate about this.”

Doug Flanagan: 360-735-4669; doug.flanagan@columbian.com