(a) Whenever a matter involving the exercise of discretion comes before an elected official, employee, or board or commission member, either individualiy or as a member of a body, and the individual knows or has reason to know the disposition of the matter could result in direct financial or material benefit to himself or herself, a relative, business associate, or any private organization in which he or she has an interest, the individual shall disclose the nature of the interest to the public in an open meeting or in writing to the Mayor or Law Director, and shall recuse themselves as required by paragraph (c) and the Ohio Revised Code.
(b) The disclosure required in paragraph (a) shall be made when the matter requiring disclosure first comes before the individual or when the individual first acquires knowledge of the interest requiring disclosure.
(c) No elected official, employee, or board or commission member may participate in any decision or take any official action with respect to any matter involving the exercise of discretion, including discussing the matter and voting on it, when he or she knows or has reason to know that the action could confer a direct financial or material benefit on himself or herself, a relative, or any private organization in which he or she has an interest.
(d) No elected official, employee, or board or commission member shall receive compensation from, or knowingly obtain a financial interest in, any non-city entity in exchange for any service rendered or to be rendered by him or her personally in any case, proceeding, application, or other matter which is before any city agency, department, board, commission or other authority. No person shall be required to divest themselves of a financial interest in existence at the time he or she initially assumes office or prior to the non-city entity having a matter come before the City, but recusal in accordance with subsection (c) shall be required.
(e) If uncertain as to whether a true conflict of interest exists, any elected official, employee, or board or commission member may, before a matter is decided, disclose a potential conflict of interest to the Mayor or Director of Law, or the City's Board of Ethics, and request an opinion to determine whether the potential conflict of interest precludes the elected official, employee, or board member's participation in a particular matter.
(f) No elected official, employee or board or commission member shall be required to recuse himself or herself with respect to the following matters:
(1) Adoption of the city's annual budget as a whole; or
(2) Any matter that does not involve the exercise of discretion
(g) No elected official, employee, or board or commission member, shall engage in or accept private employment or render service for private interests when such employment or service is incompatible with proper discharge of his or her official duties or would tend to impair his or her independence, judgment or action in the performance of his or her official duties.
(Ord. 34-2017. Passed 9-12-17.)