City Council votes not to adopt Code of Ethics for Council Members

May 20, 2013 - Hot Springs City Council voted not to adopt Resolution Establishing the Ethical Obligations of City Council Members even after removing an entire page of stipulations and putting up a revised version on May 20th for a second vote.  One of the items on the initial Code of Ethics taken to City Council on April 15^th was: 

“Every Council member shall respect and treat professionally all officers and employees of the City.  No individual Council member shall pressure, threaten, or intimidate, directly or indirectly, any officer or employee, or any other Council member to do a certain thing or act a certain way.”

So basically if we, as the voting public, say that is ok, we are saying that city employees and officers have to take whatever a councilman “dishes out” even if it is done in a threatening manner.  I can’t tell you on how many occasions I have gone to City Hall to get policy or handbook information and have been told the one I have is outdated.  So my question is who knows the rules?  When someone points out a discrepancy in current policy with how city affairs are handled it appears to me the Council just repeals that resolution or ordinance.  So does that mean in all actuality there are no rules or regulations that must be adhered to or followed?  
                                                                                                  - Val Henry