A divided council has been wrestling with a document for months, determining how to bind themselves, other city officials and city employees to tighter rules.

Councilwoman Stephanie Davis and colleague Bill Colbert said Draper's current guidelines are too lax. They want to give the city code more rules and teeth to inspire residents' trust in public officials.

Meanwhile, Councilmen Peter Larkin and Jeff Stenquist said the proposal is redundant, largely emphasizing state laws. They don't want the ordinance to go too far and be used as a club or to tie people's hands.

"It has to prevent elected officials or hired officials from using their power and authority incorrectly," Larkin said.

"But you can't have an ordinance they can use to beat everybody up."

Stenquist said the state code already sets the bar pretty high on municipal officers.

"I don't think there's much more that needs to be covered," he said. "We're not raising the bar by any radical sense. It's more of an incremental elevation of ethics above what's there, which is already pretty high."

Davis and Colbert's more conservative proposal earned acclamations from several Draper residents who lauded the council in a recent public hearing.

But also at that hearing, attorney Bruce Baird said parts of the draft were "unconstitutional" for prohibiting one side of free speech. Baird, who represents the hillside SunCrest development, worried the proposal would prevent applicants from communicating with officials - while allowing critics to weigh in.

Meanwhile, Councilman Paul Edwards has kept quiet.

"I'll probably let everybody be surprised," he said. "I know I'm the swing vote."

sgehrke@sltrib.com