The Kirkland City Council is making every effort to move forward from the ethics scandals that plagued it during the last term and seeking to put a solid code of ethics in writing.

Though some council members have pushed for both a code of ethics and a code of conduct, the city currently does not have either.

Council members examined the issue of drafting a code of conduct and a code of ethics for the seven elected officials during the Feb. 2 Kirkland City Council meeting. The codes could also apply to other governing bodies in the city, such as boards and commissions.

City staff cited other city’s code of ethics policies before asking the council a host of questions.

“We need to know how big of a project we are talking about,” said Kirkland City Manager Dave Ramsay. “If you want the full-meal deal: a code of ethics and a code of conduct.”

In response, the council took steps to move forward with a sub committee of council members to choose the scope of the project.

“We should start with a council committee to widdle down the issues and representatives,” said Councilmember Doreen Marchione.

The sub committee, which will primarily choose a citizen committee and develop the criteria for being on that committee, will be made up of Councilmembers Marchione, Dave Asher and Mayor Joan McBride. City staff has recommended that the citizen group be composed of three to five members.

The Mayor wants the citizen committee to also look at other ways that cities have gone about the process and bring those ideas back to the council.

Some concerns were voiced about adopting codes developed in other cities that have to do with personal financial interests. Asher was concerned about council members who own stock in major companies with relatively minor dealings with the City of Kirkland.

“We need to start out with a very firm understanding of what the code of ethics should contain and what the code of conduct should contain,” said Asher.

One focal point moving forward will be who the code of conduct applies to. The Mayor voiced her support for boards and commissions to be held to the same standards.

“I didn’t read anything that had to do with a code of conduct so we might be breaking new ground there,” said Councilmember Jessica Greenway. “But I think it is really, really important for us to do this … Should it apply to board and commission members? Are we as elected officials held to a higher standard? I don’t know the answer. I think we are.”

There are some examples of codes of conduct but not very many.