Elk Konnected Hand out at County Commissioners meeting on 4/25

[readyaimduck]

 http://www.iedconline.org/index.php?p=Ethics_Code

I am not flint, however you may want to gander at it.
One man's Professional Integrity to adhere to confidential information as it pertains to the situation, may be viewed as a secret.

If this link did not post correctly you can google it. 
Professional courtesy is not to a "tell all" position.
A closed session is not a secret.  It is a time for the powers that be to discuss personnel matters such as wages, disciplinary actions of things that are of a delicate matter that are not open for the Public Records Act.

ready

[Ross]

Good post Ready.
Thank you.


What I found at your link.

4. Professional economic developers are mindful that they are representatives of the community and shall represent the overall community interest.

5. Professional economic developers shall keep the community, elected officials, boards and other stakeholders informed about the progress and efforts of the area's economic development program.
6. Professional economic developers shall maintain in confidence the affairs of any client, colleague or organization and shall not disclose confidential information obtained in the course of professional activities.

7. Professional economic developers shall openly share information with the governing body according to protocols established by that body. Such protocols shall be disclosed to clients and the public.

8. Professional economic developers shall cooperate with peers to the betterment of economic development technique, ability, and practice, and to strive to perfect themselves in their professional abilities through training and educational opportunities.

I fail to see anywhere that it says that the Economic Development or the County Commissioners are to keep the project itself secret from the community.

I'd appreciate where anyone can show me that it does.
Thank you.

[flintauqua]

Thank you Ready.  Just last week I was reviewing my notes from taking IEDC's Basic course last fall, so I paraphrased it from my notes.

Another Code of Ethics we discussed was the one developed by the Metro Denver Economic Development Corporation.  It's section on confidentiality:

"Confidentiality of Prospects

In all instances members of the Metro Denver EDC shall honor the confidentiality of individual prospects. Whenever possible, specific information on particular transactions shall be shared within the realm of the Metro Denver EDC and the Governor's Office of Economic Development and International Trade. In those instances where prospects are dealing with individual communities, information will only be shared by Metro Denver EDC staff and the local ED representatives involved.

In instances where a prospect wishes to remain completely confidential with an individual community, the remaining members of the Metro Denver EDC shall honor that confidentiality and shall in no way attempt to intervene in the relationship. The prospect will remain confidential until the prospect chooses to announce."

Note that last sentence - "The prospect will remain confidential until the prospect chooses to announce."  Pretty clear cut, I believe.

Also in the appendice of the chapter on ethics was this from the Institute of Economic Development (United Kingdom):

"Confidentiality
Members who receive information in confidence will not divulge such information without the express permission of the appropriate authority. In the pursuit of local economic development and in particular of economic growth and inward investment, it may be necessary to request information from businesses which those businesses may consider to be of a sensitive and confidential nature. In order to protect those businesses, and to enable the practitioner to continue to seek and receive such information in the pursuance of his role, the Institute considers that good practice requires that no such privileged information should be revealed to third parties under any circumstances without express permission of the business concerned."

Flint

[Ross]

Flint,

I'd really like to read that information.
Would you provide me with a link to it, please.

However, I noticed that is for Metro Denver not Elk County.
It was also applying to a Corporation not a government.

The Metro Denver Economic Development Corporation (Metro Denver EDC), an affiliate of the Denver Metro Chamber of Commerce.  first paragraph, second sentence at http://www.metrodenver.org/about-metro-denver-edc/

Can you provide me with a link for Elk County Economic Development Ethics or protocol?
That would be most helpful.

Thanks.

[flintauqua]

The Code of Ethics for the MDEDC "represents the standards that each member of the Metro Denver EDC supports and practices in its daily conduct of business."  

The membership of the MDEDC includes 70 cities, counties, and economic development organizations.


I did not have a specific piece of paper that said "Code of Ethics for Elk County Economic Development Director" when I was in that position.  But I adhered to a set of standards that I came across when I was at K-State, that mirrored ethical standards in place with other units of government and organizations that I dealt with.  Such as the Kansas Department of Commerce, USDA Rural Development, the Small Business Administration, the South Central Kansas Economic Development District, etc.


With or without a specific policy in place, each and every practitioner in the field of economic development has an obligation to adhere to industry standards when it comes to how they carry out their work.

Why is it so hard for you to understand that the maintenance of client confidentiality is a very important part of economic development endeavours?

[Ross]

The Code of Ethics for the MDEDC "represents the standards that each member of the Metro Denver EDC supports and practices in its daily conduct of business."  

Metro Denver Economic Development Corporation
Corporation being the key word. Metro is another key word --- we are Rural.
They probably have more members on their board then the number of taxpaying citizens in Elk County. LOL

The membership of the MDEDC includes 70 cities, counties, and economic development organizations.

Apples and Oranges. You are quoting from a Corporation and I am asking about government.
And I am not asking for a political opinion but for facts. No word twisting, pretty simple.

I did not have a specific piece of paper that said "Code of Ethics for Elk County Economic Development Director" when I was in that position.  But I adhered to a set of standards that I came across when I was at K-State, that mirrored ethical standards in place with other units of government and organizations that I dealt with.  Such as the Kansas Department of Commerce, USDA Rural Development, the Small Business Administration, the South Central Kansas Economic Development District, etc.

But you can not quote anything that says that our County Government needs to keep secret the type of project they are working with can you? Only thing I can see would be trade secrets or something of that sort.

With or without a specific policy in place, each and every practitioner in the field of economic development has an obligation to adhere to industry standards when it comes to how they carry out their work.

And to realize who employ's them --- the taxpayer  ---- right?

Why is it so hard for you to understand that the maintenance of client confidentiality is a very important part of economic development endeavours?

I believe they were addressing the clients trade secrets or some such thing, not who the client is who may profit from taxpayers money or tax cuts. To tell us who we are accomodating is not any breach on their confidentiality. If so perhaps we should not accomodate them.

Where is the transparency in Goverment which is suppose to be Of the People, For the People and By the People, The TAXPAYER. Have we the people given up all rights?

[flintauqua]

All the individuals who work for the enities that make up the MDEDC have to abide by that Code of Ethics.  I don't have an exact breakdown, but the vast majority of the individual economic development entities are city or county governments. 


You have absolutely no idea how economic development is practiced. 

I guess all the hundreds of thousands of people who work in economic development or have economic development responsibilites are doing it all wrong because YOU say they are. 

I have tried to enlighten you, but your mind, as usual, is closed. 

I'm done with this topic.

Goodnight.

[Ross]

All the individuals who work for the enities that make up the MDEDC have to abide by that Code of Ethics.  I don't have an exact breakdown, but the vast majority of the individual economic development entities are city or county governments.  


You have absolutely no idea how economic development is practiced.  

I guess all the hundreds of thousands of people who work in economic development or have economic development responsibilites are doing it all wrong because YOU say they are.  

I have tried to enlighten you, but your mind, as usual, is closed.  

I'm done with this topic.

Goodnight.

I'm sorry you fail to understand the difference between a CORPORATION and our little County Government.

And, I suppose you recognize a corporation as a person as well, right?

Or is it you just chose what ever rules that fit your purpose?

I have enjoyed talking with you and I thank you for indulging me.

I personally do believe in transparency in government.

Goodnight.

[flintauqua]

Ross, I will try this one last time. 

Please read slowly and carefully.

The Metro Denver Economic Development Corporation (MDEDC) is a corporation, a not-for-profit corporation.  It's Code of Ethics was developed by, agreed to, and must be adhered to by all of it's member entities.

There are 70 entities that make up the not-for-profit corporation, it's 'owners".  These entities are CITY GOVERNMENTS, COUNTY GOVERNMENTS, and other economic development not-for-profit corporations, most of which are 'owned' by CITY GOVERNMENTS and COUNTY GOVERNMENTS.  The employees of these CITY AND COUNTY GOVERNMENTS must follow the Code of Ethics of MDEDC.



It is the same principle as Elk County being a member/owner/director of the South Central Kansas Economic Development District (SCKEDD), which is a not-for-profit corporation.

As Elk County's member of the SCKEDD Board of Directors, I adhered to it's Code of Conduct, another name for Code of Ethics.  As a member of one of the SCKEDD loan committees, I adhered to an even more stringent Code of Conduct, because I was privy to vast amounts of financial data from and about dozens of companies whose loan applications were under review.

[Ross]

Ross, I will try this one last time.  

Please read slowly and carefully.

The Metro Denver Economic Development Corporation (MDEDC) is a corporation, a not-for-profit corporation.  It's Code of Ethics was developed by, agreed to, and must be adhered to by all of it's member entities.

There are 70 entities that make up the not-for-profit corporation, it's 'owners".  These entities are CITY GOVERNMENTS, COUNTY GOVERNMENTS, and other economic development not-for-profit corporations, most of which are 'owned' by CITY GOVERNMENTS and COUNTY GOVERNMENTS.  The employees of these CITY AND COUNTY GOVERNMENTS must follow the Code of Ethics of MDEDC.



It is the same principle as Elk County being a member/owner/director of the South Central Kansas Economic Development District (SCKEDD), which is a not-for-profit corporation.

As Elk County's member of the SCKEDD Board of Directors, I adhered to it's Code of Conduct, another name for Code of Ethics.  As a member of one of the SCKEDD loan committees, I adhered to an even more stringent Code of Conduct, because I was privy to vast amounts of financial data from and about dozens of companies whose loan applications were under review.

You don't get it do you? You are still talking Metro Denver and Corporation no matter how you twist the words. And we are not asking anything about financial data or loan applications, simply who or what is being supported by our tax dollars. All your politics does not address keeping the who or what as being kept secret does it.

Good post Ready.
Thank you.

5. Professional economic developers shall keep the community, elected officials, boards and other stakeholders informed about the progress and efforts of the area's economic development program.

This information can be found at the below quoted link.

http://www.iedconline.org/index.php?p=Ethics_Code

ready