City Council Code of Ethics
Summary
The City of Fairfax City Council Code of Ethics is an effort to adopt a formal written code of ethics and standards of conduct for the Mayor and City Council — a document that, per the city attorney, had never been adopted in over 20 years of his tenure. The item was first brought forward at the May 26, 2026 Council meeting at the Council's own request, prompted by two related concerns: a specific issue that arose during a recent attempt to appoint individuals to city boards and commissions, and the broader question of whether to adopt a code of ethics at all. Council reached consensus on May 26 directing staff to draft such a document for presentation at a work session before the August recess. City Attorney Brian Lubkerman fulfilled that directive, drafting a code addressing stewardship, public conduct and behavior, transparency, public confidence, conflicts of interest, proper use of public resources, integrity, confidentiality, and loyalty to the locality and its mission. The draft was discussed at the July 14, 2026 work session, but no formal action was taken at that time.
Open questions & options on the table
- Formal adoption of the Code of Ethics has not yet occurred — a vote or further action is still pending.
- It is unclear whether additional revisions or further work sessions are required before the matter is brought to a vote.
- The August recess deadline (set at the May 26 consensus) is approaching; whether the item will be finalized before that deadline remains unresolved.
What members have said
At the May 26, 2026 meeting, Lubkerman noted that a code of ethics had come up on numerous occasions in his 20-plus years as city attorney but had never been adopted by the City of Fairfax. At the July 14, 2026 work session, he confirmed that staff had drafted a City of Fairfax Code of Ethics per the Council's May 26 instructions, describing it as addressing stewardship, public conduct and behavior, transparency, public confidence, conflicts of interest, proper use of public resources, integrity, confidentiality, and loyalty to the locality and mission.
Positions as recorded in meeting minutes; votes without recorded comment aren’t summarized.
Discussion time
Minutes of named discussion per transcribed meeting.
Full history
[11b] Council reached consensus to have staff draft a Code of Ethics/Standards of Conduct for the Mayor and City Council, to be presented at a future work session before the August recess.
[12d] A follow-up discussion on the City Council Code of Ethics was held during the July 14, 2026 work session; no formal action was taken.