Community Impact reports that the Conroe City Council, in an action to improve transparency okayed a new ethics ordinance during their July 24th meeting. The new ordinance requires candidates and city officials to publicly disclose detailed financial information, which includes income sources and business interests.
The ordinance was approved 4 to 1. Howard Wood voted against it.
City Attorney Mike Garner said the ordinance is applicable to elected officials, candidates and city appointees to the Conroe Industrial Development Corporation and Local Government Corporation and municipal judges, along with their spouses.
Officials income sources exceeding $5,000 or 10% of their gross income, all property holdings and any business relationships, including those of their spouses or companies in which they hold ownership, must now be reported.
Although the council debated the issue, the ordinance does not require disclosures from the administrative staff of the city, including the city administrator and department directors.
Councilmember Wood, in a statement to Community Impact, passed along that he believes in full transparency but voted against the ordinance for not requiring city staff to comply.
Officials will file annual financial disclosure statements by April 30th, beginning in 2026, which covers the prior calendar year. When applying for the ballot, candidates for office must also submit similar reports. Forms are still being finalized, according to Garner.
