(A) No officer or employee of the county or any county agency shall directly or through others undertake, execute, hold or enjoy, in whole or in part, any contract made, entered into, awarded or granted by the county or a county agency, except as follows.
(1) The prohibition in this division (A) shall not apply to contracts entered into before an elected officer filed as a candidate for county office before an appointed officer was appointed to a county or county agency office, or before an employee was hired by the county or a county agency. However, if any contract entered into by a county or county agency officer or employee before he or she became a candidate was appointed to office, was hired as an employee, is renewable after he or she becomes a candidate, assumes the appointed office or is hired as an employee, then the prohibition in this division (A) shall apply to the renewal of the contract.
(2) The prohibition in this division (A) shall not apply in any case where all of the following requirements are satisfied:
(a) The specific nature of the contract transaction and the nature of the officer’s or employee’s interest in the contract are publicly disclosed at a meeting of the governing body of the county or county agency;
(b) The disclosure is made a part of the official record of the governing body of the county or county agency before the contract is executed;
(c) A finding is made by the governing body of the county or county agency that the contract with the officer or employee is in the best interests of the public and the county or county agency because of price, limited supply, emergency or other specific reasons; and
(d) The finding is made a part of the official record of the governing body of the county or county agency before the contract is executed.
(B) Any violation of this section shall constitute a Class A misdemeanor, and, upon conviction, the court may void any contract entered into in violation of this section. Additionally, a violation of this section shall be grounds for removal from office or employment with the county in accordance with any applicable provisions of state law and ordinances, rules or regulations of the county.
(Ord. 94-130.1, passed 12-12-1994) Penalty, see § 31.99