(a) City candidates, officials and employees must, at all times, abide by protections to the public embodied in this chapter, Ohio's ethics laws, as found in Ohio R.C. Chapters 102 and 2921, and as interpreted by the Ohio Ethics Commission and Ohio courts. (A copy of these laws shall be provided by the City, and receipt acknowledged, as required in Ohio R.C. 102.09(D)). Officials and employees must conduct themselves, at all times, in a manner that avoids favoritism, bias, and the appearance of impropriety.
(b) The restraints upon the conduct of candidates, officials and employees include, but are not limited to, those listed below. No candidate, official or employee shall:
(1) Solicit or accept anything of value from anyone doing business with the City;
(2) Solicit or accept employment from anyone doing business with the City, unless the official or employee completely withdraws from City activities regarding the party offering employment, and the City approves the withdrawal;
(3) Use his or her public position to obtain benefits for the official or employee, a family member, or anyone with whom the official or employee has a business or employment relationship;
(4) Be paid or accept any form of compensation for personal services rendered on a matter before any board, commission, or other body of the City, unless the official or employee qualifies for the exception and files the statement described in Ohio R. C. 102.04(D);
(5) Hold or benefit from a contract with, authorized by, or approved by, the City (the Ethics Law does except some limited stockholdings, and some contracts objectively shown as the lowest cost services, where all criteria under Ohio R.C. 2921.42 are met);
(6) Vote, authorize, recommend, or in any other way use his or her position to secure approval of a City contract (including employment or personal services) in which the official or employee, a family member, or anyone with whom the official or employee has a business or employment relationship, has an interest;
(7) Solicit or accept honoraria (see Ohio R.C. 102.01(H) and 102.03(H));
(8) During public service, and for one year after leaving public service, represent any person, in any fashion, before any public agency, with respect to a matter in which the official or employee personally participated while serving with the City;
(9) Use or disclose confidential information protected by law, unless appropriately authorized; or
(10) Use, or authorize the use of, his or her title, the City's name, or the City's logo/seal in a manner that suggests impropriety, favoritism, or bias by the City or the official or employee.
(Ord. 2004-28. Passed 5-18-04; Ord. 2008-87. Passed 1-6-09.)