(a) Each department head and alderman shall designate an appropriate management-level employee who shall serve as the department's or aldermanic office's ethics officer. Department heads and aldermen shall provide the names and contact information of such ethics officers to the board no later than January 1. 2013, or within 30 days from swearing in as a city alderman. A department head or alderman shall designate a new ethics officer within 30 days after the current ethics officer leaves the department or aldermanic office, or otherwise ceases to serve as an ethics officer, and shall provide to the board the name and contact information of the new ethics officer.
(b) In addition to their regular job duties, ethics officers shall have the following responsibilities:
(1) collect financial statement forms, if on paper, from reporting employees and officials, review such forms for completeness, and submit such forms to the board;
(2) assist the board by forwarding notices to employees regarding timely completion of ethics filings and training, and upon request provide the board with such notices;
(3) direct ethics questions and issues to the board;
(4) assist the board in maintaining a current roster of employees and officials;
(5) provide answers to general ethics questions after consultation with the board;
(6) ensure compliance with ethics rules specifically applicable to their departments or aldermanic offices, and assist the board with respect to training responsibilities as identified in section 2-156-145 of this chapter;
(7) emphasize the role of ethics within their departments or aldermanic offices through regular email updates and office posters, and leading periodic discussions on ethics during staff meetings;
(8) assist the board to identify employees or officials who can be outstanding ethics models for city employees and officials; and
(9) generally serve as liaisons between their departments or aldermanic offices and the board.
(c) The board shall provide annual in-person training to ethics officers, and shall keep ethics officers informed of the board's latest ethics rulings. The board may also provide additional training and information to ethics officers as the board may deem appropriate.
(Added Coun. J. 7-25-12, p. 31123, § 1; Amend Coun. J. 7-29-15, p. 3567, § 1)