(A) No city official or employee shall transact any business in his official capacity with any entity in which he or she has a business interest. The term “business interest” means a business:
(1) In which the city official or employee is a partner, director or officer; or
(2) In which the city official or employee or an immediate family member of the city official or employee is a stockholder of closed corporation stock worth $1,000.00 or more at fair market value or which represents more than a five percent equity interest, or is a stockholder of publicly traded stock which represents more than two percent equity interest.
(B) No city official or employee shall formally appear before the body of which the official or employee is a member while acting as an advocate for himself or any other person, group, or entity.
(C) No city official or employee shall represent, for compensation, any other private person, group or entity in his or her official capacity before any department, commission, board or committee of the city. Any city official or employee acting in a capacity other than his or her official capacity before such department, commission, board or committee of the city shall disclose the same and shall not participate in the matter in his or her official capacity.
(D) No city official or employee shall represent, directly or indirectly, any other private person, group or entity in any action or proceeding directly against the interests of the city, or in any litigation in which the city or any department, commission, or board or committee thereof is a named party, if the city official or employee previously participated in the action or events which precipitated such action or proceeding against the interests of the city; provided, however, nothing herein shall limit an official from representing a court appointed criminal defendant or representing a party to a civil action where the city is named a party by way of its holding a lien interest for a special assessment where the validity of the special assessment is not an issue; and provided further, that nothing herein shall limit the authority of the city attorney and his or her staff to represent the city, its boards, commissions, committees and officers in the discharge of their duties.
(E) No city official or employee shall represent, directly or indirectly, any private person, group or entity in any action or proceeding in court which was instituted by a city official or employee in the course of official duties, except as provided in subsection (D) of this section.
(F) No city official shall represent any private person, group or entity in any action or proceeding in court which was instituted by or arising from a decision of a board, commission, committee, task force or other body on which the official served in his or her official capacity with regard to the specific decision being challenged.
(G) No city official or employee shall accept or solicit any gift or favor, that might reasonably tend to influence that individual in the discharge of official duties or that the official or employee knows or should know has been offered with the intent to influence or reward official conduct.
(H) No city official or employee shall solicit or accept other employment to be performed or compensation to be received while still a city official or employee, if the employment or compensation could reasonably be expected to impair independence in judgment or performance of city duties. If a city official or employee accepts or is soliciting a promise of future employment from any person or entity who has a substantial interest in a person, entity or property which would be affected by any decision upon which the official or employee might reasonably be expected to act, investigate, advise, or make a recommendation, the official or employee shall disclose that fact to the council, board, or commission on which he or she serves or to his or her supervisor and shall take no further action on matters regarding the potential future employer.
(I) No city official or employee shall use his or her official position to secure a special privilege or exemption for himself/herself or others, or to secure confidential information for any purpose other than official responsibilities.
(J) No city official or employee shall use city facilities, personnel, equipment or supplies for private purposes, except to the extent such are lawfully available to the public.
(K) City officials and employees shall not exceed their authority or breach the law or ask others to do so and they should work in full cooperation with other public officials and employees unless prohibited from so doing by law or officially recognized confidentiality of their work.
(L) No city official or employee in the course of his or her official duties shall grant any special consideration, treatment, or advantage to any citizen beyond that which is available to every other citizen in the same circumstances.
(M) Preferential consideration of the request or petition of any individual citizen or group of citizens shall not be given. No person shall receive special advantages beyond that which are available to any other citizen.
(Ord. 3664, § 1(2-203), passed 3-12-2012)