A recent independent investigation into the conduct of two Burien City Council members has rekindled a debate over whether lawmakers should be entrusted with policing themselves.

“I believe there should be a commission,” Councilwoman Rose Clark, a long-time advocate of an independent city ethics commission, recently told the Times/News.

“I don’t believe the council or any group can investigate itself.”

But, countered former Councilman Stephen Lamphear, who was defeated by Clark last November, “The council should police itself. Burien cannot afford to finance a [separate] citizen commission.”

The Seabold Group, a Seattle-based investigative agency, submitted to the city council on May 1 its report into alleged ethics violations by Mayor Joan McGilton and Councilman Gordon Shaw.

Lawmakers retained the Seabold Group in February to determine whether they violated city ethics policies during the course of a private water-connection transaction.

Neither McGilton nor Shaw intentionally used their positions as public officials in an effort to influence approval of the connection, the Seabold report stated.

The water connection later was determined to be improper and that service was terminated.

A Dec. 23 memo alleging ethical proprieties made public the water-connection controversy. It was written by outgoing City Manager Gary Long and signed by outgoing Mayor Noel Gibb.

Lamphear later admitted that he provided a copy of the memo to the Times/News.

In the wake of this investigation, Clark indicated she will continue to push for the creation of an independent ethics commission.

“I would like to have it in place by the end of the year,” she said.

Clark envisions a standing commission that would not meet unless “ something needed to be investigated. At that point, they would meet on their timetable and investigate....

“The mayor and the council would need to agree that something has happened and ... turn it over to the commission and let the commission look at it,” she added.

The city council then “would take their findings and recommendations at the end of the commission’s investigation.”

Noting that “the ultimate policeman for elected officials is the voter,” Lamphear argued that a separate ethics commission isn’t needed.

The public needs “to pay more attention to their elected officials and less to fabrications, rumors and innuendo created and circulated by [individuals and groups] with personal agendas and special interests.”

Shaw said he doesn’t think it’s effective to legislate ethics. “If you want to make [something] illegal, make it illegal and let the district court handle it....

Nevertheless, he indicated he would support the creating of a separate city ethics commission.