No official or employee of the City shall engage in any business or transaction or shall have a financial or other personal interest, direct or indirect, which is incompatible with the proper discharge of his official duties in the public interest or would tend to impair his independence of judgment or action in the performance of his official duties. Personal as distinguished from financial interest includes an interest arising from blood or marriage relationships or close business or political association.
Specific conflicts of interest are enumerated below for the guidance of officials and employees:
(a) Incompatible Employment. No official or employee of the City shall engage in or accept private employment or render services for private interests when such employment or service is incompatible with the proper discharge of his official duties or would tend to impair his independence of judgment or action in the performance of his official duties.
(b) Disclosure of Confidential Information. No official or employee of the City shall, without proper legal authorization, disclose confidential information concerning the property, government, or affairs of the City; nor shall he use such information to advance the financial or other private interest of himself or others.
(c) Gifts and Favors.
(1) No official or employee of the City shall solicit or receive, or agree to receive, from any source except the City, for or in connection with his public service, any compensation in any amount, or gift or gratuity having a value of twenty-five dollars ($25.00) or more.
(2) No person shall offer, pay or give any official or employee of the City, for or in connection with his public service, any compensation in any amount, or any gift or gratuity having a value of twenty-five dollars ($25.00) or more.
(d) Representing Private Interests Before City Agencies or Courts. No official or employee of the City shall appear in behalf of private interests before any agency of the City. He shall not represent private interests before any court in any action or proceeding against the interests of the City in any litigation to which the City is a party. No official or employee shall accept a retainer or compensation that is contingent upon a specific action by a City agency.
This subsection (d) shall not prohibit:
(1) An appearance by an official or employee before a City agency in discharge of his duties as such officer or employee and without private compensation for such appearance, including an appearance on behalf of constituents as a representative of the electorate.
(2) An appearance by an official or employee on his own behalf, or on behalf of a business, firm or corporation in which he is a proprietor, partner, officer or employee, before an agency of which he is not a member, with respect to a matter which is not in conflict with his duties as such official or employee of the City.
(e) Interest in Contracts with the City and City Expenditures. No official or employee of the City shall, directly or indirectly, be interested in any contract with the City; nor in any contract, work or service, or in any acquisition by the City of any property, the cost of which is payable from City funds; nor in any purchase of property from the City. No official or employee of the City shall directly or indirectly have any interest, other than his fixed compensation and reimbursable expenses, in any expenditures of funds by the City.
(f) Disqualification for Voting or Acting by Interested Official or Employee. An official or employee of the City who has a substantial financial interest in any business, firm or corporation affected by any legislation or other matter pending before any City agency of which he is a member or employee, or other substantial private interest in any such legislation or pending matter, shall not vote upon, shall not remain in attendance during the consideration of, or take any official action with respect to, such legislation or other pending matter, and shall make public disclosure to the City agency of which he is a member or employee, for the inclusion in the minutes of that agency, that the reason for his inaction is the result of such personal or financial interest. This subsection (f) shall not be interpreted as permitting any interest in contracts with the City or in City expenditures prohibited by subsection (e).
(g) Future Employment. No official or employee of the City within a period of one year after termination of his public service shall accept private employment or receive private compensation for services, whether as attorney, agent or employee, with respect to any matter which was under his charge during the period of his public service.
(Ord. 1976-114. Passed 11-15-76.)