The scheduling of a City Council discussion of Democrat Paul Cunningham's behavior on an economic development junket to San Diego has been put on hold to give the city attorney more time to investigate the incident.
"The issue is the City Charter provides for a $50 fine for misconduct of a council person," said Mayor Jonathan Rothschild during Wednesday's agenda planning session. "We have no censure or disciplinary procedures (in the city code) so a request has been made to determine if we … can have an ordinance" to address an elected official's misconduct.
Cunningham did not respond to calls to his office or personal telephone Wednesday. He said previously that he doesn't remember what he said or did during a night of drinking at the hotel bar. But he subsequently called other top officials who were on the trip to apologize for his behavior, described by others to include inappropriate sexual comments to three female city executives.
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Fellow Democratic council members Karin Uhlich, Regina Romero and Shirley Scott requested a discussion of appropriate council behavior at Tuesday's council meeting so City Attorney Mike Rankin can explain what options, if any, the council has in addressing the allegations about Cunningham.
But Rothschild, who heads the agenda committee, delayed a decision on the request until Rankin has time to gather information to present to the mayor and council.
Rothschild also delayed a decision on Republican Councilman Steve Kozachik's request for a full accounting from Tucson Regional Economic Opportunities, which sponsored the 40-person junket, saying he wants to make sure someone from the organization would be available.
Neither TREO representatives nor Executive Director Joe Snell have returned Star emails or phone calls. Three visits to the TREO office on Tuesday and Wednesday during business hours found the door locked. No one responded to the buzzer.
Rothschild said if Rankin, who just returned from vacation Wednesday, can be prepared on time for the June 5 meeting, the discussion could take place then. If not, he said it will happen on June 12.
Uhlich said she feels the council needs to determine exactly what rules apply to the mayor and council before they can move forward on this issue.
"I think it's important for the city attorney to outline ... what guidelines exist either in state statute, the charter or our existing code," said Uhlich on Wednesday. "I do want to stress that we have very clear employment policies and we are all city employees."
Uhlich said she would like to know to if those policies apply to the mayor and council members. If not, she said she wants the city attorney to present the council with options allowing the implementation of City Charter provisions to address future misbehavior or malfeasance issues.
Kozachik said with all the controversy surrounding the junket to San Diego, TREO and every other entity involved should declare publicly the merits of the trip and how much taxpayer money was spent.
"They should be standing outside their own offices holding press conferences right now trying to nip this media concern in the bud," Kozachik said. "It shouldn't take me having to pull this as an agenda item."
"Everybody who paid those bills deserves to see there was more going on than just one guy getting drunk," he said. "This was an economic development trip and there needs to be a full accounting if economic development really happened."
Contact reporter Darren DaRonco at ddaronco@azstarnet.com or 573-4243.