Editorial | Code of conduct, lobbying ordinance, is long overdue
As the calendar flips to 2026, we’re going to open the new year with a recommendation we first pushed a decade ago.
Back in 2016, with numerous projects pending in our city, we urged the then-sitting Cape Coral City Council to foster transparency throughout the concept-to-construction process by enacting a Code of Conduct “lobbying ordinance” similar to Lee County’s which requires commissioners and many staffers to disclose meetings and other contacts with those providing one-on-one input on voting matters.
Since the late ’90s, Lee County has enhanced state ethics and disclosure laws by requiring disclosure for projects and issues coming before the Lee County Board of County Commissioners, including those that do not meet the threshold of the state’s lobbying rules standard.
While there was support from at least one then-sitting member of the Cape Coral City Council, the idea died aborning, with municipal staff looking to exempt itself from such rules and other council members tepid at best.
In 2020, with more projects — and more transparency-related controversies — afoot, we again urged Council to adopt an ordinance similar to the one that has been in effect in unincorporated Lee County since July 1, 2003.
We made another pitch in 2023.
It made sense 10 years ago.
It makes sense now.
The county ordinance requires a number of things:
Lobbyists, in general, are defined as “any person, firm, entity ‘paid or unpaid'” who seeks to “encourage the passage, defeat or modification” of any item to be presented to a vote before the commission, a county decision-making body or a county employee who can make a recommendation.
The ordinance applies to all communications, written or oral, to a commission member, board member or county employee, including those in the county manager’s office, the county attorney’s office, all department directors and all employees within the purchasing division and contracts office.
It requires uniform logs detailing the date; whether the contact was by phone or visit; the name of the person making the contact and whether he or she was representing another person or entity and the topic discussed. There also is room for comments.
The logs are filed quarterly to the Clerk of Courts with an office copy retained and they are easily accessible to the public on the Clerk’s website.
Paid lobbyists must register and file quarterly disclosure forms, which also may be found there.
The Lee County ordinance provides enough exceptions to allow the county to conduct its day-to-day operations, but not for a whole lot else.
Cape officials say 2025 was a game changer for our city with much on the horizon — a possible concessionaire agreement for Jaycee Park, a locking in of the design concept and a possible public-private partnership for the Yacht Club, another look at proposed development for Redfish Pointe, a focus on much-needed transportation infrastructure and more.
We agree.
It is up to City Council — this City Council — to assure that what it proudly calls progress is safeguarded with transparency.
That’s more than the minimal ex parte communications disclosure required by state law.
A strong lobbyist ordinance such as the county’s fully opens the figurative door between the process and the public.
The county did that to provide both public assurance and protection years ago.
The city of Cape Coral needs to do the same: It’s long overdue in a city where residents are again — yet again — demanding disclosure.
We continue to contend: When conducting the public’s business, there should be nothing to hide.
Breeze editorial