(a) Standards of behavior. City officials and employees shall, when acting in the performance of their official duties, comply with the following standards of behavior:
(1) To conduct themselves and to operate with integrity and in a manner that merits the trust and support of the public.
(2) To uphold all applicable laws and regulations to protect and enhance the city's ability to accomplish its mission.
(3) To treat others with respect, doing for and to others what the official or employee would have done for and to himself or herself in similar circumstances.
(4) To responsibly manage taxpayer resources.
(5) To take no actions that could benefit the official or employee personally, or his or her relative, to the detriment of the city, avoiding even the appearance of a conflict of interest, and to always exercise good judgment.
(6) To carefully consider the public perception of personal and professional actions and the effect such actions could have, positively or negatively, on the city's reputation both in the community and elsewhere.
(7) To strive for personal and professional growth to improve effectiveness at work.
(b) Standards of civility. City officials and employees shall, when acting in the performance of their official duties, comply with the following standards of civility in their interactions with city officials, city employees, residents, and persons doing business with the city:
(1) City officials and employees shall accord respect and courtesy to each other, city officials, city employees, residents, and persons doing business with the city.
(2) City officials and employees shall not make comments or take actions that are abusive; belligerent; crude; derogatory; impertinent; profane; slanderous; threatening; or involve personal attacks upon the character, integrity, or motives of others.
(3) City officials and employees shall preserve order and decorum in meetings in accordance with Robert's Rules of Order and the applicable rules of procedure of the city council, board, or commission.
(4) City officials shall treat city employees as professionals and shall not:
(A) interfere with the work of city employees.
(B) impair the ability of city employees to implement city policies.
(C) influence city employees in the making of recommendations or decisions.
(D) berate city employees.
(5) City officials shall work through the city manager, city secretary, city attorney, city auditor, or inspector general, and the applicable department director to obtain information or request assistance with projects, rather than contacting city employees directly. This provision does not apply to professional and administrative assistants to the mayor and city council.
(6) Because independent advice from boards and commissions is essential to the public decision-making process, city council members shall not:
(A) use their position to influence the deliberations or decisions of boards and commissions.
(B) appoint city council office staff members to boards and commissions.
(C) demand that board or commission members vote as requested by the city council member or threaten board or commission members with removal.