The Vancouver City Council voted 5-1 Monday night that Councilor Kim Harless had violated a section of the council’s ethics code relating to avoiding the appearance of impropriety.

The council also voted to sanction Harless with a private admonition, which is a formal but confidential reprimand.

Harless recused herself from the council’s discussion and vote.

The council’s action was in response to an ethics complaint filed against Harless in August. A Vancouver resident argued that Harless should have abstained from voting as a councilor and as chair of the city’s Lodging Tax Advisory Committee on nearly $30,000 worth of lodging tax grants given to Vancouver Arena for the group’s annual Pokémon GO event in downtown Vancouver. The nonprofit is run by John Park, Harless’ then-boyfri

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