Censure for council considered

Legislation would change rules of conduct for city’s governing board

City Council members who break the law or violate city policies could face punishment under proposed legislation in Lorain.

On June 25, Council’s Police, Fire and Legislative Committee will convene to consider legislation that would change the rules of conduct for Lorain’s governing board.

The resolution proposes that violations of the law or adopted city policies “shall be deemed a violation of Lorain City Council rules.”

Serious violations of law or city policy could result in censure, “a punitive action that serves as punishment for wrongdoing.”

There would be no fine or suspension of rights as a Council member.

The city of Lorain has an image problem and it does not help the city when members of Council get into trouble, said Councilman Joshua Thornsberry, who represents Ward 8 on Lorain’s

The resolution proposes that violations of the law or adopted city policies “shall be deemed a violation of Lorain City Council rules.

west side.

“We have an image problem and we don’t need councilmen on the front page of the newspaper adding to those image problems,” Thornsberry said. “As city councilmen, we don’t need to be contributing to those problems.”

Ideally, Council would pass the new rule, but never would use it, he said.

“Honestly, I think it’s long overdue,” Thornsberry said. “We should have had this in place a while ago. We should have the tool at our disposal.”

Lorain Safety-Service Director Dan Given, who first was elected to City Council in 1993, said some conduct may not violate any laws.

But if it is conduct unbecoming the board, Council should be able to do something, Given said.

“It’s important for the legislative body to have rules in place to police itself,” he said.

Council had stricter rules years ago, but over time, Council took the teeth out of the rules, opting to have the electorate hold Council members accountable, Given said.

Thornsberry said the plan could be a tough sell for his fellow Council members because some people do not want the burden of being a “keeper” of their peers.

The power of censure would be a burden, he said, but the members have a responsibility to the public and should hold each other accountable.

Working with the Lorain Law Department, Thornsberry said he has researched the legislation for at least five months.

The Council committee meeting is scheduled for 6 p.m., June 25, in the first floor chamber of City Hall, 200 W. Erie Ave. The meeting is open to the public.

Recent incidents

The Council rule is not a reaction to a specific incident, Thornsberry said, although he acknowledged his own verbal tussle with Ward 2 Councilman Dennis Flores in January this year.

At the time, heavy snowfall was predicted, prompting a city snow parking ban.

Residents with available parking are required to move their cars off the streets so city plows can move the snow.

Flores went on Facebook to comment that residents can “park where ever you want the City doesn’t have the resources to tow all the offenders.”

Thornsberry at the time said the situation was “a complete utter disgrace,” but Flores claimed his comments were misinterpreted.

• On May 27, a fatal shooting claimed the life of Andre Eugene Hines, 23, of Lorain, who was shot in an alley in the 2800 block of Apple Avenue early that morning, according to Lorain police.

On Facebook, Flores commented on the incident, but prompted outrage because some people claimed his remarks were racist.

Flores apologized publicly and conceded the remarks were inappropriate.

But 60 people attended the June 4 Council meeting, with many demanding the city’s elected officials have zero tolerance for racist remarks.

• In December 2017, Ward 6 Councilman Angel Arroyo Jr. had a run-in with Lorain police when he was allegedly drunk and disorderly outside a friend’s home.

In February, Arroyo was found guilty of disturbing the peace and obstructing official business, according to records of Lorain Municipal Court.

Arroyo offered several public apologies for the incident.