Source: https://www.ecode360.com/27712409
Timestamp: 2020-07-05 10:59:01
Document Index: 349360385

Matched Legal Cases: ['§ 50', '§ 50', '§ 50', '§ 50', '§ 50', '§ 50', '§ 50', '§ 50', '§ 50', '§ 50', '§ 50', '§ 946', '§ 50']

City of Brodhead, WI Ethics, Code of
§ 50-1 Findings; purpose.
§ 50-3 Adoption of statutory standards.
§ 50-4 Responsibility of public office.
§ 50-5 Dedicated service.
§ 50-6 Fair and equal treatment.
§ 50-7 Conflicts of interest.
§ 50-8 Advisory opinions.
§ 50-9 Hiring relatives.
§ 50-10 Employees covered by collective bargaining agreements.
§ 50-11 Outside employment.
§ 50-12 Sanctions.
Chapter 50 Ethics, Code of
[HISTORY: Adopted by the Common Council of the City of Brodhead as Title 2, Ch. 5, of the 1997 Code. Amendments noted where applicable.]
The proper operation of democratic government requires that public officials and employees be independent, impartial and responsible to the people; that government decisions and policy be made in proper channels of the governmental structure; that public office not be used for personal gain; and that the public have confidence in the integrity of its government. In recognition of these goals, there is hereby established in this chapter a Code of Ethics for all City of Brodhead officials and employees, whether elected or appointed, paid or unpaid, including members of boards, committees and commissions of the City, as well as any individuals who are candidates for elective office as soon as such individuals file nomination papers with the City.
The purpose of this chapter is to establish guidelines for ethical standards of conduct for all such officials and employees by setting forth those acts or actions that are incompatible with the best interests of the City of Brodhead and by directing disclosure by such officials and employees of private financial or other interests in matters affecting the City. The Common Council believes that a Code of Ethics for the guidance of elected and appointed officials and employees will help them avoid conflicts between their personal interests and their public responsibilities, will improve standards of public service and will promote and strengthen the faith and confidence of the citizens of this City in their elected and appointed officials and employees. The Common Council hereby reaffirms that each elected and appointed City official and employee holds his or her position as a public trust, and any intentional effort to realize substantial personal gain through official conduct is a violation of that trust. The provisions and purpose of this chapter and such rules and regulations as may be established are hereby declared to be in the best interests of the City of Brodhead.
A person's relative by blood or marriage who receives, directly or indirectly, more than 1/2 support from such person or from whom such person receives, directly or indirectly, more than 1/2 of his/her support.
Any person excluded from the definition of a "public official" who is employed by the City.
Those persons serving in statutory elected or appointed offices provided for in Ch. 62, Wis. Stats., and all members appointed to boards, committees and commissions established or appointed by the Mayor and/or Common Council pursuant to this Code, whether paid or unpaid.
Owning or controlling, directly or indirectly, at least 10% or $5,000 of the outstanding stock of any business.[1]
Section 19.59, State Ethics Law.
Obligations to citizens. No official or employee shall grant any special consideration, treatment or advantage to any citizen beyond that which is available to every other citizen. No official or employee shall use or attempt to use his or her position with the City to secure any advantage, preference or gain, over and above his or her rightful remuneration and benefits, for himself or herself or for a member of his or her immediate family.
Any City employee who has a financial interest or personal interest in any proposed legislative action of the Common Council or any board, commission or committee upon which the employee has any influence or input, or of which the employee is a member, that is to make a recommendation or decision upon any item which is the subject of the proposed legislative action shall disclose on the records of the Council or the appropriate board, commission or committee the nature and extent of such interest.
No official or employee, personally or through a member of his/her immediate family, may solicit or accept, either directly or indirectly, from any person or organization money or anything of value if it could be expected to influence the employee's official actions or judgments or be considered a reward for any action or inaction on the part of the official or employee.
An official or employee is not to accept hospitality if, after consideration of the surrounding circumstances, it could reasonably be concluded that such hospitality would not be extended were it not for the fact that the guest, or a member of the guest's immediate family, was a City official or employee. Participation in celebrations, grand openings, open houses, informational meetings and similar events are excluded from this prohibition. This paragraph further shall not be construed to prevent candidates for elective office from accepting hospitality, as a properly reported political contribution, from citizens for the purpose of supporting the candidate's campaign. (The State Ethics Board has interpreted "hospitality" as it applies to state officials as including meals, beverages and lodging which a person offers at his/her residence and would have been offered if the recipient was not an official.)
Gifts received by an official or employee or his/her immediate family under unusual circumstances shall be referred to the Common Council within 10 days of receipt for recommended disposition. Any person subject to this chapter who becomes aware that he/she is or has been offered any gift, the acceptance of which would constitute a violation of this subsection, shall, within 10 days, disclose the details surrounding said offer to the Common Council. Failure to comply with this reporting requirement shall constitute an offense under this chapter.
Nonelected City officials and employees shall not appear on behalf of any private person (other than himself or herself, his or her spouse or juvenile children) before any City agency, board, commission or the Common Council if the official or employee or any agency, board, commission or committee of which the official or employee is a member has any jurisdiction, discretion or control over the matter which is the subject of such representation.[1]
Contracts with the City. No City official or employee who, in his/her capacity as such officer or employee, participates in the making of a contract in which he/she has a private pecuniary interest, direct or indirect, or performs in regard to that contract with some function requiring the exercise of discretion on his/her part shall enter into any contract with the City, unless, within the confines of § 946.13, Wis. Stats., the contract is awarded through a process of public notice and competitive bidding or the Common Council waives the requirement of this section after determining that it is in the best interest of the City to do so. The provisions of this subsection shall not apply to the designation of a public depository of public funds.
When an official or employee has doubt as to the applicability of a provision of this chapter to a particular situation or definition of terms used in this chapter, he/she should apply to the City Attorney for an advisory opinion and will be guided by that opinion when given. The official or employee shall have the opportunity to present his/her interpretation of the facts at issue and of the applicability of provisions of this chapter before such advisory decision is made. This chapter shall be operative in all instances covered by its provisions except when superseded by an applicable statutory provision and statutory action is mandatory, or when the application of a statutory provision is discretionary, but determined by the City Attorney to be more appropriate or desirable. Advisory requests and opinions shall be kept confidential, except when disclosure is authorized by the requestor, in which case the request and opinion may be made public.
This section governs the proposed hiring of individuals for full-time or part-time work as City employees who are members of the immediate family of City employees or elected officials. "Immediate family" includes those relatives by blood or marriage defined in § 50-2 as personal interests.
No full-time officer or employee of the City shall engage in any other remunerative employment in or out of the City, provided that the Common Council may approve such outside employment or activity if it finds that it does not interfere or conflict with such officer's ability to perform his/her duties in an efficient and unbiased manner. Violation of this provision shall be grounds for removal from office of any such officer or employee.
A determination that a public official's or public employee's actions constitute improper conduct under the provisions of this chapter may constitute a cause for removal from office, termination of employment, suspension, reprimand, removal from committee assignment, or other appropriate disciplinary action. As an alternative or in addition to sanctions imposed herein, any individual violating the Ethics Code shall be subject to a nonreimbursable forfeiture of not less than $100 nor more than $1,000, as determined by the City of Brodhead Common Council.[1]