(A) This chapter of the Administrative Code constitutes the Kenton County Procurement Code and covers the purchasing policies by which the Kenton County Fiscal Court, its employees and its agents, shall be obligated to operate.
(B) A purchasing manual has also been developed as a tool to be used by county employees at all levels to guide them through the approved purchasing policies. The manual covers the “how to” aspects of county purchasing and has been published separately. The manual is not intended to be a policy statement, and if any part of the manual conflicts in any way whatsoever with the Administrative Code, the terms and definitions of the Administrative Code will govern.
(C) Statement of public policy.
(1) Public employment is a public trust.
(2) It is the policy and purpose of this code to promote and balance the objective of protecting government integrity and of the facilitation, recruitment and retention of personnel needed by county government and public agencies, by proscribing essential conflicts of interest without creating unnecessary barriers to public service, and by facilitating development of fair and competitive access to local public agency purchasing by responsible contractors.
(3) Employees and officials must discharge their duties and responsibilities fairly and impartially. They should also maintain a standard of conduct that will inspire public confidence in the integrity of county government of all local public agencies.
(D) Purpose of this chapter. The purpose of this chapter is to prescribe specific standards to guide public officials and employees in the conduct of their offices or employment, and to proscribe improper conduct to the extent to which it may be sufficiently described to enable statutory prohibitions against it to be properly enforced. It is at the same time recognized that, under a free government, it is both necessary and desirable that all citizens should have certain specific interests in the decisions of government, and that the activities and conduct of public officers and employees should not be unduly circumscribed.
(Ord. 120.9, passed 8-24-99; Am. Ord. 121.42, passed 10-27-20)