19.05.004 Ex parte communications.
A. No member of the hearing body may communicate, directly or indirectly, regarding any issue in a proceeding before him or her, other than to participate in communications necessary to procedural aspects of maintaining an orderly process, unless he or she provides notice and opportunity for all parties to participate; except as provided in this section:
1. The hearing body may receive advice from legal counsel;
2. The hearing body may communicate with staff members (except where the proceeding relates to a code enforcement investigation or prosecution).
B. If, before serving as the hearing body in a quasi-judicial proceeding, any member of the hearing body receives an ex parte communication of a type that could not properly be received while serving, the member of the hearing body, promptly after starting to serve, shall disclose the communication as described in GHMC 19.05.004(C).
C. If a member of the hearing body receives an ex parte communication in violation of this section, he or she shall place on the record:
1. All written communications received;
2. All written responses to the communications;
3. The substance of all oral communications received, and all responses made; and
4. The identity of each person from whom the member received any ex parte communication.
The hearing body shall advise all parties that these matters have been placed on the record. Upon request made after notice of the ex parte communication, any party desiring to rebut the communication shall be allowed to place a rebuttal statement on the record. (Ord. 806 § 20, 1998; Ord. 711 § 1, 1996).