A. Political Activity:
1. No city official or employee shall use the prestige or power of his position on behalf of any city political party or for any political purposes in a city campaign.
2. No city official or employee may conduct political activities while on city time, or may use city equipment or facilities to campaign for any candidate for any office. All political activity, if any, must be conducted on one's own time after or before scheduled work hours.
3. Notwithstanding any provision of this code to the contrary, a limited exception to the foregoing is created for candidate forums held in city hall. To be an exception, such forums must be sponsored by outside nonpartisan or bipartisan groups for the purpose of allowing the public to meet and greet candidates or hear them in a public forum to discuss campaign issues. Invitations should be sent to all candidates on the ballot for city offices, unless a separate forum is held for mayoral or clerk candidates, in which case all candidates for that office shall be invited. Such candidates are specifically allowed to bring campaign materials to city hall to supply information to the citizens attending the forum. The forum shall not be utilized by candidates for distribution of large quantities of campaign literature, brochures or materials.
4. City staff may post notice through government access, cable, press release, website, or other electronic means of such meetings. (Ord. M-17-09, 3-16-2009)
B. Political Contributions:
1. No candidate for elected city office during a single candidacy, no elected official of the city during any reporting year of his or her term, and no official or employee of the city who is seeking election to any other office, may solicit or accept cash or in-kind contributions from any: a) city contractor who has done business with the city within the current or any of the preceding four (4) reporting years, b) city appointee, or c) any person or organization seeking to do business with the city.
2. No city contractor who has done business with the city within the current or any of the preceding four (4) reporting years, city appointee, or any other person or organization seeking to do business with the city shall make cash or in- kind contributions to: a) any candidate for city office during a single candidacy; b) an elected official of the city during any reporting year of his or her term; or c) any official or employee of the city who is seeking election to any other office.
3. For purposes of this section, all contributions to a candidate's authorized political committees shall be considered contributions to the candidate; and a reporting year shall be from January 1 to December 31.
4. Any person who solicits, accepts, or makes a financial contribution that violates the provisions of this section shall be subject to the penalties provided in subsections B5 and B6 of this section; provided, however, such person shall not be deemed in violation of this section if such person returns or requests in writing the return of such financial contribution within ten (10) calendar days of the recipient's or contributor's knowledge of the violation.
5. Any person who knowingly makes, solicits, or accepts a political contribution in violation of this section shall be subject to a fine of not less than one thousand dollars ($1,000.00) and up to the higher of five thousand dollars ($5,000.00) or three (3) times the amount of the improper contribution that was accepted for each violation of this section and any such contribution shall be returned.
6. Any city contractor or person or organization seeking to do business with the city who violates any of the provisions of this section shall be disqualified from serving as a city contractor for a period of twelve (12) months after the violation determination.
7. The provisions of this section shall apply to contributions made or accepted on or after November 21, 2016, being the effective date hereof, adopting amendments to this section. (Ord. M-28-16, 11-21-2016)