UPDATE: The adopted conduct are now available online at www.victoriatx.gov/tv15. To view the code of conduct for advisory boards and commissions, click on "Boards and Commissions." To view the code of conduct for elected officials, click on "About City Council."
The Victoria City Council on May 14 adopted codes of conduct that will apply to City Council members and to all residents who serve on City boards and commissions as well as an updated set of bylaws for the Library Advisory Board.
At the May 14 City Council meeting, council members discussed next steps for the Library Advisory Board following a non-City sanctioned board meeting on April 10 that was conducted in violation of City ordinance. The council also heard a presentation about the Victoria Public Library’s mission statement.
Why are the bylaws being revised?
On April 10, the Library Advisory Board hosted a non-City sanctioned meeting to discuss the library’s mission statement. The board did not follow the City’s posting procedures; the meeting was not scheduled in proper coordination with City staff, as specified in the bylaws; and the meeting was conducted in violation of City ordinance, which states that boards and commissions must comply with standards for open meetings act, as prescribed by state law, for governmental bodies.
At the May 14 City Council meeting, Mayor Duane Crocker stated that the breakdown of collaboration between the board and City staff appeared to stem from a lack of defined roles and expectations in the board’s bylaws, which were last updated seven years ago and are inconsistent with bylaws that are in place for other City advisory boards and commissions.
“The role of boards such as the Library Advisory Board is to provide general guidance in tandem with the expertise and decisions of City staff, not to provide oversight on day-to-day decisions and policymaking that are appropriate to City staff and Council,” the mayor said.
The bylaws for City boards and commissions are usually reviewed by the City Council before adoption, but this was never done for the Library Advisory Board. As part of an overall effort that started in 2020 to update bylaws across all City boards and commissions, both the Tourism Advisory Board and Parks Commission bylaws were updated and approved by City Council to clarify roles. Therefore, the City Council adopted a new set of Library Advisory Board bylaws clarifying roles and responsibilities that are consistent with those assigned to other City advisory boards and commissions.
Codes of conduct
The City Council also adopted two separate codes of conduct—one for elected officials and one for appointed officials—that establish standards of good conduct, integrity and respect for City processes.
The City Council and City staff began developing these codes in the fall of 2023 as part of an effort to codify best practices for elected and appointed officials representing the City.
The mayor noted that City staff also are required to follow a code of conduct, which is found in the City’s employee handbook and employment contracts, and creating a similar code of conduct for council and for boards and commissions will “ensure that all parties involved will abide by a similar set of expectations when conducting the City’s business,” the Mayor said.
At the May 14 meeting, the City Council approved multiple amendments to the proposed codes of conduct. These amendments included clarification of officials' freedom to express their opinions and clarification of officials' ability to communicate with designated staff other than the city manager. The updated codes will be posted in full on May 15 at www.victoriatx.gov/tv15.
Changes to the Victoria Public Library’s mission statement
Also at the May 14 meeting, the City Council heard a presentation from Victoria Public Library Director Jessica Berger about the library’s mission statement.
Berger had shared the library’s new mission statement with the Library Advisory Board at the board’s regularly scheduled Feb. 21 meeting: “Our mission is to enhance our community’s wellbeing by providing a welcoming space that prioritizes improving access and technology, fostering strong community support, inspiring personal development, and serving as a reliable anchor for our diverse community.”
After receiving feedback from City management and City Council, Berger updated the mission statement to more clearly address the library’s role in promoting literacy.
The mission statement now reads, “The Victoria Public Library supports lifelong literacy by providing a welcoming space, services, and programs that prioritize access to technology and resources; fostering community support for learning, reading, and personal development; and serving as a reliable anchor for the diverse heritage and culture of our community.”
Stay connected
For information about past and upcoming meetings of City Council, the Library Advisory Board and other local boards and commissions, visit www.victoriatx.gov/tv15. To watch the May 14 special council meeting, click on “YouTube: Victoria Texas Public Meetings.”