(A) Definitions. For the purposes of this section, the following definitions shall apply:
ELECTED OFFICIAL OF THE CITY. Any person elected to a public office or appointed to a public office which under customary circumstances is an elected office of the city.
EMPLOYEE OF THE CITY. Any person holding employment with the city appointed to said employment under the appointment authority of the City Manager or any person holding employment with the city by the direct action of the City Council.
IN-KIND. Any contribution of goods or chattels intended for a political purpose.
SOLICITATION. Any written or verbal request for funds or goods or chattels intended for a political purpose that is directly or indirectly made to an employee of the city by an elected official of the city or an employee of the city.
(B) Any elected official of the city or employee of the city shall not solicit or cause to be solicited any contributions, financial or in-kind, for any political purpose from any employee of the city.
(C) Nothing contained within this section shall be construed to prohibit the free expression of an employee of the city of their political views outside of the workplace.
(D) Nothing contained within this section shall be construed to prohibit a labor organization from making lawful political contributions, be those contributions financial or in-kind, or from engaging in other lawful political activities.
(E) Nothing contained within this section shall be construed to lessen or relieve any classified employee of the city from any more stringent standards for political activity contained within the Ohio Revised Code.
(F) For the purposes of this section, an elected official or employee of the city specifically excludes a member of a board or commission of the city. However, no member of a board or commission of the city shall solicit any employee of the city for any political purpose that directly involves the city. A board or commission member may solicit employee(s) of the city for political purposes that do not relate directly to the city, so long as the board or commission member does not attempt to abuse the position of influence derived from said person's appointment to a board or commission.
(G) Any person found violating division (B) or (F) of this section is guilty of improper political solicitation, a minor misdemeanor.
(Ord. 4-2004, passed 2-11-04)