In furtherance of the public trust assumed by Metro Officers upon their election or appointment to public office or employment, the following standards of conduct shall be applicable:
(A) No Metro Officer shall use or attempt to use his or her official position to secure unwarranted privileges or advantages, for himself or herself, members of his or her family or other persons.
(B) No Metro Officer shall act in his or her official capacity in any matter where such officer, a member of his or her family, or a business organization in which such officer has a financial interest or private interest that might reasonably be expected to impair his or her objectivity or independence of judgement.
(C) No Metro Officer, members of his or her family, or business organization, nonprofit entity, or labor organization in which such officer has a financial interest or private interest, shall solicit or accept any gift, favor, loan, political contribution, service, economic opportunity, promise of future employment, or other thing of value based upon an understanding, or under circumstances from which it could reasonably be inferred, that the gift, favor, loan, contribution, service, promise, or other thing of value was given or offered:
(1) For the purpose of influencing such officer, directly or indirectly, in the discharge of his/her official duties; or
(2) For the purpose of gaining access to the Metro Officer.
(3) Nothing herein shall be construed to apply to the solicitation or acceptance of contributions to the campaign of announced candidate for elective public office as governed by applicable provisions of the Kentucky Revised Statutes.
(D) No Metro Officer, however, shall be prohibited from giving or receiving nor deemed to have a conflict of interest with respect to any activities arising from:
(1) An award publicly presented in recognition of public service;
(2) Commercially reasonable loans made in the ordinary course of the lender's business; or
(3) Reasonable hosting, including entertainment, meals or refreshments furnished in connection with public events, appearances, or ceremonies.
(E) No Metro Officer authorized and qualified to solemnize a marriage shall be prohibited from accepting a gratuity for performing such ceremony.
(F) No Metro Officer shall use, or allow to be used, any information, not generally available to the members of the public, which such officer receives or acquires in the course and by reason of his or her office, for the purpose of securing financial gain for himself or herself, any member of his or her family, or any business organization with which such officer is associated.
(G) No Metro Officer or business organization in which such officer has a financial interest or private interest shall represent any person or party other than the local government in connection with any cause, proceeding, application or other matter pending before any county agency.
(H) No Metro Officer shall be deemed in conflict with these provisions if, by reason of such officer's participation in the enactment of any ordinance, resolution or other matter required to be voted upon, no financial gain accrues to such officer as a member of any business, profession, occupation or group, to any greater extent than any gain could reasonably be expected to accrue to any other member of such business, profession, occupation or group.
(I) No Metro Officer shall be deemed in conflict with the provisions of this Ethics Code, if by reason of such officer's participation in the enactment of any ordinance, resolution, or other matter required to be voted upon, financial gain is conferred upon a non-profit or charitable organization with which the Metro Officer or a member of his or her family has a financial interest or private interest if the Metro Officer has disclosed said association to the Ethics Commission through his or her annual report or a supplementary report or if the Metro Officer discloses said association with the clerk or secretary of the voting body prior to casting such vote. For purpose of this section, a Metro Officer or a member or his or her family who volunteers his or her time or makes a donation to such organization shall not be considered a financial interest or private interest.
(J) No Metro Officer shall be prohibited from making an inquiry for information or providing assistance on behalf of a citizen or constituent if no fee, reward or other thing of value is promised to, given to, or accepted by, the officer or a member of his or her family, whether directly or indirectly, in return therefor.
(K) Nothing in these standards of conduct shall prohibit any Metro Officer, or members of his or her family, from representing himself or herself, or themselves, in negotiations or proceedings concerning his or her, or their, own interests.
(L) Pursuant to § 21.44, a Metro Officer as that term is defined in LMCO § 21.01(1) through (2)(j) and excluding Metro Officers as defined in LMCO § 21.01(2)(k) and (l) shall not accept any engagement for the purposes of lobbying any Metro Officer or any member of the staff of any Metro Officer until at least one year has elapsed from the date when the lobbyist vacated his or her office.
(Lou. Metro Ord. No. 71-2003, approved 4-16-2003; Lou. Metro Am. Ord. No. 52-2010, approved 3-25-2010; Lou. Metro Am. Ord. No. 178-2014, approved 11-10-2014; Am. Ord. No. 168-2022, approved 11-16-2022) Penalty, see § 21.99