All appointed officials, elected officials, employees, volunteers and others who participate in town government shall subscribe to the following code of ethics.
(A) To comply with § 34.11, the town’s ethical rules concerning the acceptance of gifts by elected officials and employees.
(D) To make decisions for the public’s best interests, even when they may not be popular.
(E) To not engage in any business that would be, directly or indirectly, inconsistent with the conscientious performance of one’s public duties.
(F) To make no private promises of any kind that may unduly influence one’s public duties.
(G) To accept the responsibility to:
(1) Expose corrupt practices and/or behaviors; and
(2) Where empowered to do so, protect from retaliation any public employee who has exposed corrupt practices and/or behaviors.
(H) To accomplish the goals and responsibilities of one’s individual position, while respecting one’s role as a member of a team and of the community at large.
(I) To act in a professional and responsive manner.
(J) To communicate effectively by listening carefully, asking questions, and responding in a way that adds value to conversations.
(K) To not participate in any decision in which there is a conflict of interest, or from which one’s family, business or professional associates may personally benefit.
(L) To not use one’s position, public property or public resources for the personal benefits of one’s self, one’s family or one’s business or professional associates.
(M) To never solicit or accept any favor or benefit for one’s family, one’s business or professional associates, or one’s self that might be construed as influencing the performance of one’s public duties.
(N) To make full public disclosure of the nature of any conflict of interest prior to taking any action.
(O) To avoid disclosing or abusing information that one gains by virtue of one’s position for the personal benefit of one’s self, one’s family, or one’s businesses or professional associates.
(P) To not engage in direct competition with the town while an employee, an appointed official, or an elected official of the town.
(Q) To support the public’s right to know the truth, and to encourage diverse and civil public debate in the decision-making process.
(R) To promote nondiscrimination in one’s decision-making for the town, and to make decisions based upon the merits of the issue at hand.
(S) To recognize that the function of government is to serve the best interests of its citizens.
(T) To use one’s authority to promote the efficient and effective delivery of public services.
(U) To refrain from proposing services where adequate resources are not available.
(V) As an employee of the town:
(1) To not use one’s position for personal gain, and to not engage in any business or transaction that conflicts with the proper discharge of one’s duties;
(2) To not engage in or accept private employment, or render services for private interests, when such employment or services are incompatible with the proper discharge of one’s official duties, or would tend to impair one’s independent judgment or action in the performance of official duties.
(Ord. 2018-07, passed 12-27-18)