The issue of transparency, and how much the public should know about third-party expenses in municipal government, was the subject of heated debate at Wednesday’s Board of Ethics meeting.

City leaders deliberated on the implications of adding a section to a Madison ordinance warranting a stricter watch on elected officials’ requested reimbursement for travel expenses.

Ethics Board member Ald. Mike Verveer, District 4, proposed the members reconsider the proposal at Wednesday’s meeting following heated debate at the board’s Nov. 3 meeting.

“The intent was that everything would go through the city process to ensure transparency and that reimbursement levels don’t exceed our policies,” he said.

Ald. Thuy Pham-Remmele, District 20, requested the Board of Ethics consider adding further processes onto the amendment to require the city comptroller to report to the Common Council twice a year with information on expense funding.

Pham-Remmele said the current proposed amendment would give great responsibility and power to the comptroller, which would hinder the public’s right to know information.

If the comptroller is required to report to the Common Council, Pham-Remmele said the public would have a better idea of where funding for trips is coming from and why.

Pham-Remmele also said each request for reimbursement should include the name of the person requesting the funds, the amount requested and information about any third party that is providing funds to ensure no conflict of interest exists.

Pham-Remmele said she believed these changes would make the system more transparent and honest.

The board began considering the amendment after concerns were raised about the criteria for third parties funding Mayor Dave Cieslewicz’s recent European bike trip. Some public officials speculated the trip held more personal benefit for the mayor than benefit for Madison.

Pham-Remmele said the trip highlights the need for the amendment after many of her constituents were left with unanswered questions about the funding because Pham-Remmele herself was uniformed.

If information is passed along to the City Council, constituents would have information readily accessible, Pham-Remmele said.

Former alder and local blogger Brenda Konkel said the information is already made public because officials are required to report their expenses to the county clerk’s office following trips.

However, Konkel said many people do not know the information exists and can be requested at the office, and therefore urged the board to consider including provisions in the amendment to allow for better access to information.

Konkel said the board should ask the clerk’s office to put the information online to allow anyone to view it.

Only six or seven items have been logged at the clerk’s office in the past few years, Konkel said. She added it would be important to require all incumbents to log the information.

Konkel also said sending reports to the City Council would be useful because there would then be public information on which departments are going on trips paid by other people.

Verveer said asking the clerk’s office to place documents online would be a reasonable request.

The board moved to redraft the ordinance to clarify wording and consider the proposed additions. The amendment has been referred to the board’s next meeting, which has not yet been determined.