No member of the Council shall by suggestion or otherwise attempt to influence or coerce the City Manager for personal gain, nor shall any member of the Council discuss directly or indirectly or attempt to exact any promise from any candidate for City Manager concerning appointments to City offices or employment. Council Members may make inquiry of City staff and may conduct discussions with staff, but shall not direct the staff's allocation of time or resources nor dictate the results of their work product. Neither the Council nor any member thereof shall give orders to any subordinate of the City Manager, either publicly or privately. A violation of the provisions of this section by any member of the Council shall constitute a misdemeanor for which the offending member may be charged in any court of competent jurisdiction, and if found guilty the sentence imposed shall include removal from office. No prohibition herein contained shall be construed to mean that any member of Council shall in any respect be prohibited from informing the City Manager as to any fact within the Council Member's knowledge which might be of value in assisting the City Manager to appoint or employ qualified persons, or to discharge any unqualified person.
(Amended by election on June 7, 1994)