25-5   CONFLICTS OF INTEREST IN CONTRACTS.
   1.   No public official or employee shall directly or through others undertake, execute, hold or enjoy, in whole or in part, any contract made, entered into, awarded or granted by the City or the board member’s City agency, except that this prohibition shall not apply to contracts entered into before a public official filed as a candidate for City office, before a public official was appointed to a City or City agency office, or before an employee was hired by the City. However, if any contract entered into by the City or City agency with a public official or employee before he or she was appointed to office or was hired as an employee is renewable after he or she assumes the appointed office or is hired as an employee, then this prohibition shall apply to the renewal of the contract. No elected public official shall directly or through others undertake, hold or enjoy, in whole or in part, any contract made, entered into, awarded or granted by any agency, board or commission that is created by the City, that is created jointly by the City and Warren County, that has any City representation on its board of directors or that receives funding from the City that is identified in the annual budget as either a City eligible agency, board or commission or competitive funding agency, board or commission. This prohibition shall not apply to contracts existing with any such agencies, boards or commissions prior to June 15, 2009. However, if any such existing contract is renewable after June 15, 2009, then this prohibition shall apply to the renewal of the contract.
   2.   The prohibition above shall not apply for contracts involving employees of the City of Bowling Green if the contract is awarded after public notice and competitive sealed bidding or competitive online bidding, unless the employee of the City is authorized to participate in establishing the contract specifications or awarding or managing the contract. In any situation in which this exception is applicable, the department requesting the contract shall provide written documentation to the Department of Finance that these provisions have been or will be met.
   3.   Any violation of this section shall constitute a Class A misdemeanor, and upon conviction, the court may void any contract entered into in violation of this section. Additionally, a violation of this section shall be grounds for removal from office or employment with the City in accordance with any applicable provisions of state law and ordinances, rules or regulations of the City.
(Ord. BG94-52, 12/13/94; Ord. BG96-5, 2/20/96; Ord. BG2004-39, 9/7/2004; Ord. BG2009-15, 6/2/2009; Ord. BG2020-31, 10/20/2020)