Who Do You Work For?
by Greg Dale
When the Mayor sees you as his voice on the planning commission, what should you do?
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As a planning commissioner you are part of your community's political world. As such, it should come as little surprise that you may be subject to pressures to
show your political allegiances. Let me present a "hypothetical" situation:
You were appointed to the planning commission because of your strong
relationship with the Mayor. You had worked with the Mayor on a variety of
community issues over the years and developed a sense of mutual trust and
friendship. When a vacancy arose on the Planning Commission, the Mayor asked if you would be interested. You agreed and were subsequently appointed by the City Council.
Now that you are on the Planning Commission, you find yourself in an awkward
position. The Mayor, who perceives you as a friend and an ally, repeatedly
calls you about issues appearing before the Planning Commission in an effort to influence your opinion and be sure that you understand the "Mayor's
perspective." This seems natural to you since you are political allies, but you have the vague sense that there is something improper about these
conversations. Is there an ethical issue? How should you respond to the Mayor?
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