(A) There is hereby created an Ethics Board which shall have the authorities, duties, and responsibilities as set forth in this chapter to enforce the provisions of this chapter.
(B) The Ethics Board shall consist of three (3) members who shall be appointed by the executive authority (Mayor) of the city, subject to the approval of the City Council. The initial members of the Board shall be appointed within sixty (60) days of the effective date of this chapter. No member of the Board shall hold any elected or appointed office, whether paid or unpaid, or any position of employment with the city or any city agency. Initially, one (1) member shall be appointed for a term of three (3) years; one (1) member shall be appointed for a term of two (2) years; one (1) member shall be appointed for a term of one (1) year. Thereafter, all appointments shall be for a term of three (3) years, and may be re-appointed for one additional term.
(C) An Ethics Board member will serve until his or her successor has been appointed, in the same manner as the original appointment.
(D) No member of the Ethics Board shall hold any elected or appointed office, whether paid or unpaid, or any position of employment with the city, or any city agency. No member of the Ethics Board may be, or have been within the five (5) years prior to appointment, an officer or employee, consultant, or contractor of the city; an officer in political party or political committee within the Ethic’s Board jurisdiction; or a lobbyist. Nor should a member, nor any member of his or her immediate family have, within the five (5) years prior to appointment, sought any special benefits from the city, directly or indirectly. An Ethics Board member, or staff member, or member of his or her immediate family, may not, directly or indirectly, seek any special benefits from the city, make campaign contributions, nor participate in any way in campaign of a candidate for any office within the Ethics Board’s jurisdiction, or of an individual currently within the Ethics Board’s jurisdiction.
(E) Each member of the Board shall have been a resident of the city for at least one (1) year prior to the date of the appointment and shall reside in the city throughout the term in office and shall not be a family member of a city employee or officer. The members of the Ethics Board shall be chosen by their known and consistent reputation for integrity and their knowledge of local government affairs.
(F) A member of the Ethics Board may be removed by the executive authority subject to the approval of the City Council, for misconduct, inability or willful neglect of duties. Before any member of the Ethics Board is removed from office under this section, the member shall be afforded the opportunity for a hearing before the Mayor and City Council.
(G) Vacancies on the Board of Ethics shall be filled within sixty (60) days by the Mayor, subject to the approval of the City Council. If a vacancy is not filled by the Mayor within sixty (60) days, the remaining members of the Board shall fill the vacancy. All vacancies shall be filled for the remainder of the unexpired term.
(H) Members of the Board shall serve without compensation unless otherwise approved by the City Council, but shall be reimbursed for all necessary and reasonable expenses incurred in the performance of their duties.
(I) The Board shall elect a chairperson from among the membership annually at the January meeting, which shall occur on the third Tuesday of January. The chairperson shall be the presiding officer and a full voting member of the Board.
(J) In addition to the annual meeting on the third Tuesday of January, meetings of the Ethics Board shall be held, as necessary, upon the call of the chairperson or at the written request of a majority of the members. The Ethics Board shall follow the Open Meetings Act for all members.
(K) The presence of two (2) or more members shall constitute a quorum and the affirmative vote of the majority members shall be necessary for any official action to be taken. Any member of the Board of Ethics who has a conflict of interest with respect to any matter to be considered by the Board shall disclose the nature of the conflict, shall disqualify himself or herself from voting on the matter and shall not be counted for purposes of establishing a quorum by removing himself or herself from the meeting room for the duration of the consideration of the matter.
(L) Minutes shall be kept for all proceedings of the Board and the vote of each member on any issue decided by the Board shall be recorded in the minutes.
(Ord. 31:94, passed 12-12-94; Am. Ord. 22:2006, passed 8-17-06; Am. Ord. 19:2021, passed 10-11-21)