Naperville updates code of conduct to include board, commission members

After Mayor Steve Chirico called for an update to Naperville's code of conduct, the city council approved a revised set of standards that not only apply to the mayor and council members, but also board and commission members.

The update comes in the wake of recent appointments Chirico considered for the library board and the Special Events and Cultural Amenities Commission. Former Councilman Kevin Coyne was approved for the library board, but Chirico decided against nominating former Indian Prairie Unit District 204 school board candidate Shannon Adcock for the events commission based on feedback he received from council members.

Community members protested the possible nominations based on social media posts they believed went against the city's message of promoting diversity, equity and inclusion. The divisiveness over the potential nominations played out on social media and during public comments at city council meetings, prompting Chirico to request an update to the code.

"We adopted the state's code of conduct, which really isn't modernized by the things we're dealing with today," Chirico said.

Board and commission members will fall under several of the same guidelines that apply to the city council, including compliance with workplace safety and harassment policies. Among the new guidelines is a recommendation for social media postings to "model the same decorum displayed during city council meetings."

"We're part of a group of benchmark communities, about 30 communities across the country, and we used them as a baseline," said Deputy City Manager Marcie Schatz. "Anything we saw consistently that we didn't have, we elevated to the top."

While the new guidelines do not outline punishments or causes for removal, City Attorney Michael DiSanto said the city council retains the ability to take action.

"This is more of a guidance document rather than a punitive document," DiSanto said. "There is an allowance for removal, which is within the purview of the city council, but this is more of sharing best practices."