§ 35.03 CONFLICTS OF INTEREST.
   (A)   No county government officer or employee or member of his or her immediate family shall have an interest in a business organization or engage in any business, transaction, or professional activity which is in substantial conflict with the proper discharge of his or her duties in the public interest.
   (B)   No county government officer or employee shall use or attempt to use his or her official position to secure unwarranted privileges or advantages for himself or herself.
   (C)   No county government officer shall act in his or her official capacity in any matter where he or she, a member of his or her immediate family, or a business organization in which he or she has an interest, has a direct or indirect financial or personal involvement that might reasonably be expected to impair his or her objectivity or independence of judgment.
   (D)   No county government officer or employee shall undertake any employment or service, compensated or not, which might reasonably be expected to prejudice his or her independence of judgment in the exercise of his or her official duties.
   (E)   No county government officer or employee shall be prohibited from giving or receiving any award publicly presented in recognition of public service, reasonable commercial loans made in the ordinary course of the lender’s business, or reasonable hosting, including travel and expenses, entertainment, meals, or refreshments furnished in connection with public events, appearances, ceremonies, or fact finding trips related to official county government business.
   (F)   No county government officer shall be prohibited from accepting gratuity for solemnizing a marriage.
   (G)   No county government officer or employee shall use, or allow to be used, in his or her public office or employment, or any information not generally available to the members of the public, which he or she receives or acquires in the course of and by reason of his or her office or employment, for the purpose of securing financial gain for himself or herself, or any member of his or her immediate family.
   (H)   No county government officer or employee or business organization in which he or she has an interest shall represent any person or party other than the local government in connection with any cause, proceeding, application, or other matter pending before any agency in the local government in which he or she serves.
   (I)   No county government officer shall be deemed in conflict with these provisions if, by reason of his or her participation in the enactment of any ordinance, resolution, or other matter required to be voted upon or which is subject to executive approval or veto, no material or monetary gain accrues to him or her as a member of any business, profession, occupation, or group, to any greater extent than any gain could reasonably be expected to accrue to any other member of such business, profession, occupation, or group.
   (J)   No elected county government officer shall be prohibited from making an inquiry for information or providing assistance on behalf of a constituent, if no fee, reward, or other thing of value is promised to, given to, or accepted by the officer or a member of his or her immediate family, whether directly or indirectly, in return therefor.
   (K)   Nothing shall prohibit any county government officer or employee, or members of his or her immediate family, from representing himself or herself, or themselves, in negotiations for proceedings concerning his, her, or their own interests.
(Prior Code, § 25.100) (Ord. 94-9, passed 11-9-1994) Penalty, see § 35.99