(A) Findings.
(1) Public office and employment with the city are public trusts.
(2) The vitality and stability of the government of the city depends upon the public’s confidence in the integrity of its elected and appointed officers and employees. Whenever the public perceives a conflict between the private interests and public duties of a city officer or employee, that confidence is imperiled.
(3) The government of the city has a duty to provide its citizens with standards by which they may determine whether public duties are being faithfully performed, and to make its officers and employees aware of the standards which the citizenry rightfully expects them to comply with while conducting their public duties.
(B) Purpose and authority.
(1) It is the purpose of this chapter to provide a method of assuring that standards of ethical conduct and financial disclosure requirements for officers and employees of the city shall be clearly established, uniform in their application and enforceable, and to provide the officers and employees of the city with advice and information concerning potential conflicts of interest which might arise in the conduct of their public duties.
(2) For guidance as to the interpretation and application of these standards parties may refer to the various comments contained in the KLC Model Code of Ethics (January 2017). Another source of guidance is Local Government Ethics Programs in a Nutshell by Robert Wechsler found at:
(3) It is the further purpose of this chapter to meet the requirements of KRS 65.003 as enacted by the 1994 Kentucky General Assembly.
(C) Statutory authorization. This chapter is enacted under the power vested in the city by KRS 82.082 and pursuant to requirements of KRS 65.003.
(1984 Code, § 36.02) (Ord. O-51-94, passed 12-29-1994; Ord. O-08-18, passed 1-30-2018)