The unraveling of the Mayor Jim West administration revealed a significant flaw in Spokane’s strong-mayor form of government: It’s difficult for citizens to recall a leader who has betrayed the public trust. The City Council and Mayor Dennis Hession are on the right track in trying to reform that cumbersome system.

If you doubt it needs change, just think back to all of the hurdles Shannon Sullivan had to clear before voters were allowed to make the final decision.

Under the current system, a citizen-filed petition is the only avenue for recalling a mayor. Sullivan’s first petition was rejected over a paperwork error. She revised it and then submitted it to the Spokane County prosecutor’s office for clearance. From there, it went to Superior Court for a hearing.

On the day of the hearing, Sullivan was greeted with a 14-page argument from West’s lawyers on why her petition should be denied. She was granted an extension, scrambled to gain legal consultation and five days later was back in court successfully defending the petition. From there, she had to gather 12,567 signatures in 180 days. Only then was the recall question placed on the ballot.

It’s easy to see how a less determined and resourceful citizen would just give up.

When it comes to other issues, the council can vote to put them on the ballot. Not so with recalls. It looks like that’s about to change.

The council is considering an amendment to the city charter that would allow that body to place recalls on the ballot if an elected official is found to have violated the city’s new ethics code. It would take a supermajority of at least five of the seven council members to proceed.

The supermajority provision is wise, because it would make it difficult for council factions to remove an elected colleague based on mere policy or personality differences, rather than ethical lapses. Plus, the voters would provide another backstop to political maneuvering, because they would make the ultimate choice.

An important facet of this fast-track recall proposal is the Ethics Commission, which would investigate complaints and forward recommendations to the council. The city adopted the ethics code on Jan. 17, but the mayor has yet to fill out the roster of people who will sit on the commission. Those appointments will be the key to whether enforcement mechanism is independent and credible.

The new ethics code and a revised recall system are positive trends that show the city is moving toward more professional management and oversight. The changes also reflect increased respect for public trust, which needs to be shored up after multiple scandals in recent years.

But the public should keep a close watch on these developments, because the details will determine whether the city is making meaningful progress.