Source: https://ecode360.com/10453591
Timestamp: 2019-04-25 10:03:30+00:00

Document:
§ 88-4 Conflicts of interest.
§ 88-5 Avoidance of conflict of interests.
§ 88-6 Financial disclosure by local elected officials and candidates to be local elected officials.
§ 88-7 Financial disclosure by employees and appointed officials.
§ 88-9 Exemptions and modifications.
Financial disclosure — See Ch. 95.
Editor’s Note: This bill also repealed former Ch. 88, Ethics, Code of, adopted 3-9-1982 by Ord. No. 76, as amended.
This chapter may be cited as the "Dorchester County Public Ethics Ordinance."
The provisions of this chapter apply to all County elected officials, employees, and appointees to boards and commissions of Dorchester County, Maryland, except employees of the Dorchester County State's Attorney's office and employees of the Dorchester County Sheriff's office, which employees are covered by the state ethics law.
There is a Dorchester County Ethics Commission (the "Commission") that consists of five members. Each of the five County Council members shall appoint one member of the Commission. The members of the Commission shall serve for a term of four years, which term shall coincide with the term of the County Council, except that the appointment of the current members of the Commission shall expire with the current term of the County Council of Dorchester County, Maryland (the "County Council").
Conduct a public information program regarding the purposes and application of this chapter.
Neither member of the Commission shall be removable from office except for good cause shown and proven. The members shall not be entitled to compensation but shall be entitled to reimbursement for reasonable expenses. The Commission's files and records shall be maintained by the County Manager. The Commission shall develop a budget and submit the same to the County Council for approval.
The Commission shall appoint independent counsel (herein "Counsel"). Counsel shall be an attorney that does not regularly practice law in Dorchester County, Maryland.
The Commission shall certify to the State Ethics Commission on or before October 1 of each year that Dorchester County, Maryland, is in is in compliance with the requirements of State Government Article, Title 15, Subtitle 8, Annotated Code of Maryland, for elected local officials.
The Commission shall determine if changes to this chapter are required to be in compliance with the requirements of State Government Article, Title 15, Subtitle 8, Annotated Code of Maryland, and shall forward any recommended changes and amendments to the County Council for consideration for enactment.
The Commission may adopt other policies and procedures to assist in the implementation of the Commission's programs established in this chapter.
In this section, "qualified relative" means a spouse, parent, child, or sibling.
All County elected officials, officials appointed to County boards and commissions subject to this chapter, and employees are subject to this section, except employees of the Dorchester County State's Attorney's office and employees of the Dorchester County Sheriff's office, which employees are covered by the state ethics law.
Except in the exercise of an administrative or ministerial duty that does not affect the disposition or decision of the matter, any matter in which, to the knowledge of the official or employee, the official or employee, or a qualified relative of the official or employee has an interest.
A business entity with which the official or employee or, to the knowledge of the official or employee, a qualified relative is negotiating employment or has any arrangement concerning prospective employment.
As a creditor or obligee, is in a position to directly and substantially affect the interest of the official or employee or a qualified relative of the official or employee.
The disqualified official or employee is the only person authorized to act.
The prohibitions of Subsection C(1)(a) and (b) of this section do not apply if participation is allowed by regulation or opinion of the Commission.
Employment and financial interest restrictions.
Hold any other employment relationship that would impair the impartiality or independence of judgment of the official or employee.
Employment or financial interests allowed by regulation of the Commission if the employment does not create a conflict of interest or the appearance of a conflict of interest or the financial interest is disclosed.
A former official or employee may not assist or represent any party other than the County for compensation in a case, contract, or other specific matter involving the County if that matter is one in which the former official or employee significantly participated as an official or employee.
Until the conclusion of the next regular session that begins after the elected official leaves office, a former member of the County Council may not assist or represent another party for compensation in a matter that is the subject of legislative action.
Contingent compensation. Except in a judicial or quasi-judicial proceeding, an official or employee may not assist or represent a party for contingent compensation in any matter before or involving the County.
Use of prestige of office.
An official or employee may not intentionally use the prestige of office or public position for the private gain of that official or employee or the private gain of another.
This subsection does not prohibit the performance of usual and customary constituent services by an elected local official without additional compensation.
Solicitation and acceptance of gifts.
An official or employee may not solicit any gift.
An official or employee may not directly solicit or facilitate the solicitation of a gift, on behalf of another person, from an individual regulated lobbyist.
Is a lobbyist with respect to matters within the jurisdiction of the official or employee.
Of significant value that the recipient official or employee believes or has reason to believe is designed to impair the impartiality and independence of judgment of the official or employee.
Honoraria for speaking to or participating in a meeting, provided that the offering of the honorarium is in not related in any way to the official's or employee's official position.
Disclosure of confidential information. Other than in the discharge of official duties, an official or employee may not disclose or use confidential information, that the official or employee acquired by reason of the official's or employee's public position and that is not available to the public, for the economic benefit of the official or employee or that of another person.
An individual or a person that employs an individual who assists a County agency in the drafting of specifications, an invitation for bids, or a request for proposals for a procurement may not submit a bid or proposal for that procurement or assist or represent another person, directly or indirectly, who is submitting a bid or proposal for the procurement.
The Commission may establish exemptions from the requirements of this section for providing descriptive literature, sole source procurements, and written comments solicited by the procuring agency.
In order to avoid conflicts of interest or favorites, or appearances of same, County employees shall not supervise immediate family members.
New employees shall not be hired into departments or units where they would supervise or work under the supervision of immediate family members.
Current employees shall not be promoted, transferred, demoted, or assigned to positions that would cause a violation of this chapter.
In the event two employees marry, the County shall retain the option of transferring (if possible) or terminating (if necessary and approved by the County Council) employees in order to prevent violation of this chapter.
The County shall not have more than one department head positions filled by immediate family members.
Immediate family shall mean spouse, parent, child, brother, sister, grandparent, or grandchild, including adoptive step- and half-relationships.
This section shall apply to individuals who are engaged, cohabitating or otherwise involved in a relationship that could lead to a perception of favoritism in the workplace if one of them supervised the other.
In the event department heads marry or become immediate family members, the County shall retain the option of demoting or terminating one or both of the department heads to prevent violation of this chapter.
This section applies to all local elected officials and candidates to be local elected officials.
An incumbent local elected official shall file a financial disclosure statement annually no later than April 30 of each year for the preceding calendar year.
An individual who is appointed to fill a vacancy in an office for which a financial disclosure statement is required and who has not already filed a financial disclosure statement shall file a statement for the preceding calendar year within 30 days after appointment.
An individual who, other than by reason of death, leaves an office for which a statement is required shall file a statement within 60 days after leaving the office.
The portion of the current calendar year during which the individual held the office.
Candidates to be local elected officials.
Except for an official who has filed a financial disclosure statement under another provision of this section for the reporting period, a candidate to be an elected local official shall file under a financial disclosure statement each year beginning with the year in which the certificate of candidacy is filed through the year of the election.
In all other years for which a statement is required, on or before April 30.
Shall file the statements required under this section with the Commission.
If a candidate fails to file a statement required by this section after written notice is provided by the County Clerk or Board of Election Supervisors at least 20 days before the last day for the withdrawal of candidacy, the candidate is deemed to have withdrawn the candidacy.
The County Clerk or Board of Election Supervisors may not accept any certificate of candidacy unless a statement has been filed in proper form.
Within 30 days of the receipt of a statement required under this section, the County Clerk or Board of Election Supervisors shall forward the statement to the Commission or the office designated by the Commission.
The Commission or office designated by the Commission shall maintain all financial disclosure statements filed under this section.
Financial disclosure statements shall be made available during normal office hours for examination and copying by the public subject to reasonable fees and administrative procedures established by the Commission.
The name of the person whose financial disclosure statement was examined or copied.
Upon request by the official or employee whose financial disclosure statement was examined or copied, the Commission or the office designated by the Commission shall provide the official with a copy of the name and home address of the person who reviewed the official's financial disclosure statement.
Retention requirements. The Commission or the office designated by the Commission shall retain financial disclosure statements for four years from the date of receipt.
A statement filed under this section shall include a schedule of all interests in real property wherever located.
Interests in corporations and partnerships.
A statement filed under this section shall include a schedule of all interests in any corporation, partnership, limited liability partnership, or limited liability corporation, regardless of whether the corporation or partnership does business with the County.
The nature and the amount of the consideration given in exchange for the interest or, if acquired other than by purchase, the fair market value of the interest at the time acquired.
For an equity interest in a partnership, the percentage of equity interest held.
Interests in business entities doing business with the County.
A statement filed under this section shall include a schedule of all interests in any business entity that does business with the County, other than interests reported under Subsection E(2) of this section.
A statement filed under this section shall include a schedule of each gift in excess of $20 in value or a series of gifts totaling $100 or more received during the reporting period from or on behalf of, directly or indirectly, any one person who does business with or is regulated by the County.
The identity of the person from whom, or on behalf of whom, directly or indirectly, the gift was received.
Employment with or interests in entities doing business with the County.
A statement filed under this section shall include a schedule of all offices, directorships, and salaried employment by the individual or member of the immediate family of the individual held at any time during the reporting period with entities doing business with the County.
The name of each County agency with which the entity is involved.
Indebtedness to entities doing business with County.
By a member of the immediate family of the individual if the individual was involved in the transaction giving rise to the liability.
The security given, if any, for the liability.
A statement filed under this section shall include a schedule of the immediate family members of the individual employed by the County in any capacity at any time during the reporting period.
A statement filed under this section shall include a schedule of the name and address of each place of employment and of each business entity of which the individual or a member of the individual's immediate family was a sole or partial owner and from which the individual or member of the individual's immediate family received earned income, at any time during the reporting period.
A minor child's employment or business ownership need not be disclosed if the agency that employs the individual does not regulate, exercise authority over, or contract with the place of employment or business entity of the minor child.
A statement filed under this section may also include a schedule of additional interests or information that the individual making the statement wishes to disclose.
An interest held by a member of the individual's immediate family, if the interest was, at any time during the reporting period, directly or indirectly controlled by the individual.
An interest held by a business entity in which the individual held a 30% or greater interest at any time during the reporting period.
If a revocable trust, the individual was a settlor.
The Commission shall review the financial disclosure statements submitted under this section for compliance with the provisions of this section and shall notify an individual submitting the statement of any omissions or deficiencies.
The County Ethics Commission may take appropriate enforcement action to ensure compliance with this section.
Director of Finance for Dorchester County, Maryland.
Dorchester County Planning and Zoning Commission.
Dorchester County Board of Zoning Appeals.
Dorchester County Building Code Appeals Board.
Dorchester County Agricultural Land Preservation Board.
Dorchester County Agricultural Reconciliation Committee.
Dorchester County Local Management Board.
Dorchester County Seafood Reconciliation Committee.
Dorchester County Electrical Examiners Board.
All other Dorchester County officials, employees and appointees drawing a County salary of $35,000 or more, annually, and that fall within the County budgetary process.
A statement filed under this section shall be filed with the Commission under oath or affirmation.
On or before April 30 of each year during which an official or employee holds office, an official or employee shall file a statement disclosing gifts received during the preceding calendar year from any person that contracts with or is regulated by the County, including the name of the donor of the gift and the approximate retail value at the time or receipt.
An official or employee shall disclose employment and interests that raise conflicts of interest or potential conflicts of interest in connection with a specific proposed action by the employee or official sufficiently in advance of the action to provide adequate disclosure to the public.
The Commission shall maintain all disclosure statements filed under this section as public records available for public inspection and copying as provided in § 88-6C of this chapter.
In connection with the intent to influence, expends or reasonably expects to expend in a given calendar year in excess of $100 on food, entertainment, or other gifts for officials or employees of the County.
A person shall file a registration statement required under this section on or before the later of January 15 of the calendar year or within five days after first performing an act that requires registration in the calendar year.
The subject matter on which the registrant proposes to make appearances specified in Subsection A of this section.
The registration statement shall cover a defined registration period not to exceed one calendar year.
If a gift or series of gifts to a single official or employee exceeds $20 in value, the identity of the official or employee.
The Commission shall maintain the registrations and reports filed under this section as public records available for public inspection and copying for four years after receipt by the Commission.
Issue a cease-and-desist order against any person found to be in violation of this chapter.
Recommend to the appropriate authority other appropriate discipline of the respondent, including censure or removal if that discipline is authorized by law.
Suspend the registration of an individual registered lobbyist if the Commission finds that the lobbyist has knowingly and willfully violated § 88-8 of this chapter or has been convicted of a criminal offense arising from lobbying activities.
Upon request by the Commission, the Attorney for the Commission may file a petition for injunctive or other relief in the Circuit Court of Dorchester County, Maryland, or in any other court having proper venue for the purpose of requiring compliance with the provisions of this chapter.
Impose a fine of up to $5,000 for any violation of the provisions of this chapter, with each day upon which the violation occurs constituting a separate offense.
A court may not void any official action appropriating public funds, levying taxes, or providing for the issuance of bonds, notes, or other evidences of public obligations.
May be suspended from receiving payment of salary or other compensation pending full compliance with the terms of an order of the Commission or a court.
A County official or employee found to have violated this chapter is subject to disciplinary or other appropriate personnel action, including removal from office, disciplinary action, suspension of salary, or other sanction.
Violation of § 88-8 of this chapter shall be a misdemeanor subject to a fine of up to $10,000 or imprisonment of up to one year.
A finding of a violation of this chapter by the Commission is public information.

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