The Municipal Council sent the measure back for study after it was placed on the council's Tuesday agenda, Council Vice Chairman George Stewart said. He said the ordinance needs further fine-tuning.

Provo's current ethics ordinance requires council members to recuse themselves from discussions where they have conflicts of interest. The new ordinance would extend the rule to members of city boards, and require those with direct conflicts to leave the room completely and not discuss the matter with their colleagues - until the conflict has been resolved.

Stewart said Councilman Steve Turley had pointed out that the ordinance should have been on this week's study agenda and not submitted to a regular vote. Stewart said it will be on the May 20 study agenda for review.

Turley had earlier expressed concerns that if the rules are too strict it would hobble appointing some members to commissions. He and Planning Commission member Coy Porter noted that many people are appointed to boards because of expertise in the areas the board addresses and forcing them to leave the room would deprive the boards of their expertise.

dmeyers@sltrib.com