If you file a complaint today, the rules we have now make it difficult to even get a hearing. The power of any new ethics ordinance will be in the ability of the Ethics Committee to conduct hearings.

There's nothing preventing us from making stronger rules.

I really can't say for sure what the consensus might be at this time. Obviously, the (landlord ordinance) is not a good one because it violates state law. I think we need to start off with that premise with anything we do.

The key is establishing probable cause. I think that's what we need to work on to make this thing work.

The council is concerned about spending any amount of money on this.

What I like best is that we're including every member of the council, the mayor and the city attorney. No one person has capitalized on the process.