City Council Code of Ethicsapproved
Status set at the City Council Meeting on Sep 8, 2026
The City of Fairfax City Council Code of Ethics is a formal Standards of Conduct document adopted to govern the behavior of the Mayor and City Council members.
City Attorney Brian Lubkerman noted at the May 26, 2026 meeting that despite the topic arising on multiple occasions over his 20-plus years as city attorney, the city had never previously adopted such a code. The process was initiated by Council consensus on May 26, 2026, directing staff to draft a Code of Ethics to be presented at a work session before the August recess. A follow-up work session discussion was held on July 14, 2026, at which Lubkerman presented a draft covering stewardship, public conduct and behavior, transparency, public confidence, conflicts of interest, use of public resources, integrity, confidentiality, and loyalty to the locality and its mission; no formal action was taken at that session.
The Code of Ethics and Standards of Conduct Document was subsequently adopted unanimously by the City Council on September 8, 2026.
What members have said
- Brian Lubkerman (City Attorney)
At the May 26, 2026 meeting, Lubkerman noted that while a Code of Ethics had come up numerous times over his 20-plus years as city attorney, the City of Fairfax had never actually adopted one, and flagged that the item arose partly from an issue during a recent attempt to appoint individuals to city boards and commissions. At the July 14, 2026 work session, he presented the drafted code, describing its coverage of stewardship, public conduct, transparency, conflicts of interest, 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
councilcommissionMinutes of named discussion per transcribed meeting, May 26, 2026 onward.
History
Filled dots are actions on this topic; open dots are mentions.
- May 26, 2026City Council · item 11bDiscussion of City Council Code of Ethics
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.
- Jul 14, 2026City Council · item 12dWork Session – Follow-Up Discussion on City Council Code of Ethics
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.
- Adoption of City Council Code of Ethics
The City Council Code of Ethics and Standards of Conduct Document was adopted unanimously as presented.
passedAdoption of the City Council Code of Ethics and Standards of Conduct Document.