Loading...
(a) A city council member should uphold the integrity and independence of his or her office.
(b) City council members should demonstrate the highest standards of personal integrity, truthfulness, honesty and fortitude in all their public activities in order to inspire public confidence and trust in city government. City council members should participate in establishing, maintaining and enforcing, and should themselves observe, high standards of conduct so that the integrity and independence of their office may be preserved. The provisions of this Code should be construed and applied to further these objectives.
(1992 Code, App. E) (Ord. 34-00, passed 4-11-2000)
(a) A city council member should avoid impropriety and the appearance of impropriety in all his or her activities.
(b) It is essential that city government attract those citizens best qualified and willing to serve. City council members have legitimate interests (economic, professional and vocational) of a private nature. City council members should not be denied, and should not deny to other city council members or citizens, the opportunity to acquire, retain and pursue private interests, economic or otherwise, except when conflicts with their responsibility to the public cannot be avoided.
(c) City council members should conduct themselves at all times in a manner that promotes public confidence in the integrity of their office and of city government.
(d) City council members should not allow family, social or other relationships to unduly influence their conduct or judgment and should not lend the prestige of the office of city council member to advance the private interests of others; nor should they convey or permit others to convey the impression that they are in a special position to influence them.
(1992 Code, App. E) (Ord. 34-00, passed 4-11-2000)
(a) A city council member should perform the duties of the office diligently.
(b) City council members should, while performing the duties of the office as prescribed by law, give precedence to these duties over other activities. In the performance of these duties, the following standards should apply.
(1) City council members should actively pursue policy goals they believe to be in the best interests of their constituents within the parameters of orderly decision-making, rules of the city council and open government.
(2) City council members should respect the legitimacy of the goals and interests of other city council members and should respect the rights of others to pursue goals and policies different from their own.
(3) City council members should be faithful to the general and local laws pertaining to the office and strive for professional competence in them. They should be unswayed by partisan interests, public clamor or fear of criticism.
(4) City council members should demand and contribute to the maintenance of order and decorum in proceedings before the city council.
(5) City council members should be honest, patient, dignified and courteous to those with whom they deal in their official capacity, and should require similar conduct of their staff and others subject to their direction and control.
(6) City council members should accord to every person who is legally interested in a proceeding before the city council full right to be heard according to law.
(7) City council members should dispose promptly of the business of the city for which they are responsible.
(8) City council members should diligently discharge their legislative responsibilities.
(9) City council members should exercise their powers of advice and consent diligently. The council should not recommend the appointment of unnecessary employees and should exercise the power of advice and consent on the basis of merit, avoid favoritism and refrain from illegal discrimination and nepotism. They should not approve compensation of employees beyond the fair value of services rendered.
(1992 Code, App. E) (Ord. 34-00, passed 4-11-2000)
(a) A city council member should conduct the affairs of the city council in an open and public manner.
(b) City council members should be aware of the letter and intent of the state’s open meetings law, should conduct the affairs of the city council consistent with the letter and spirit of that law and consistent with the need to inspire and maintain public confidence in the integrity and fairness of city government and the office of city council member. Consistent with this goal of preserving public trust, city council members should be aware of the need for discretion in deliberations involving resources of the city, the reputation of people and the integrity of the governmental processes.
(c) All actions, decisions and votes by city council members should be made on their merits, objectively, and without party, regional or ideological partisanship.
(1992 Code, App. E) (Ord. 34-00, passed 4-11-2000)
(a) A city council member should limit his or her extra-governmental activities to minimize the risk of conflict with his or her official duties.
(b) City council members should inform themselves concerning campaign finance, conflicts of interest and other appropriate city, state and federal laws and should scrupulously comply with the provisions of the laws.
(c) City council members should refrain from financial and business dealings that tend to reflect adversely on the city or on city government or to interfere with the proper performance of official duties.
(d) City council members should manage their personal financial interests to minimize the number of cases in which they must refrain from discussion and voting on matters coming before the city council.
(e) Information acquired by city council members in their official capacity should not be used or disclosed in financial dealings or for any other purpose not related to official duties.
(1992 Code, App. E) (Ord. 34-00, passed 4-11-2000)
(a) A city council member should refrain from political activity inappropriate to his or her office.
(b) City council members have a civic responsibility to support good government by every available legal and ethical means, to continue to inform and educate the citizenry about the affairs and processes of city government, and to make themselves available to citizens of the city so that they may ascertain and respond to the needs of the community. In doing so, city council members may join or affiliate with civic organizations that advocate and support the principles consistent with the constitution and laws of the United States and South Dakota. In furtherance of this section, city council members may attend conferences or events affiliated with a political party, and may hold appointed or elected positions within their respective political parties, including, but not limited to, precinct officer or delegate to party conventions. However, in no case shall city funds be expended for any event or activity organized by a political party.
(c) Candidates for the office of city council member, including incumbents:
(1) Should inform themselves concerning the laws of the city and state with regard to campaigns and relevant disclosure requirements and should scrupulously comply with the provisions of the laws
(2) Should maintain the dignity appropriate to the office
(3) Should not misrepresent their identity, qualifications, present position, or other fact
(4) Should not make pledges or promises of conduct in office other than the faithful and impartial performance of the duties of the office.
(1992 Code, App. E) (Ord. 34-00, passed 4-11-2000; Ord. 98-14, passed 12-16-2014; Ord. 116-23, passed 12-5-2023)