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rsespona to ine puonc in ways tnat are compiete, ciear, ana easy to unoerstana.
<br />Assist citizens in their dealings with government.
<br />Be prepared to make decisions that may not be popular.
<br />11. Respect the Constitution and the Law
<br />Understand and apply legislation and regulations relevant to their professional role.
<br />Work to improve and change laws and policies that are counterproductive or obsolete.
<br />Eliminate unlawful discrimination.
<br />Prevent alI forms of mismanagement of public funds by establishing and maintaining strong fiscal and management
<br />controls, and by supporting audits and investigative activities.
<br />Respect and protect privileged information.
<br />Encourage and facilitate legitimate dissent activities in government and protect the whistle-blowing rights of public
<br />employees.
<br />Promote constitutional principles of equality, fairness, representativeness, responsiveness, and due process in proti
<br />citizens' rights.
<br />lll. Demonstrate Personal integrity
<br />Maintain truthfulness and honesty and not compromise them for advancement, honor, or personal gain.
<br />Ensure that others receive credit for their work and contributions.
<br />Zealously guard against conflict of interest or its appearance: e.g., nepotism, improper outside employment, misuse
<br />public resources, or the acceptance of gifts.
<br />Respect superiors, subordinates, colleagues, and the public.
<br />Take responsibility for their own errors.
<br />Conduct official acts without partisanship.
<br />IV. Promote Ethicai Organizations
<br />Enhance organizational capacity for open communication, creativity, and dedication.
<br />Establish procedures that promote ethical behavior and hold individuals and organizations accountable for their conc
<br />Provide organization members with an administrative means for dissent, assurance of due process, and safeguards
<br />against reprisal.
<br />Promote merit principles that protect against arbitrary and capricious actions.
<br />Promote organizational accountability through appropriate controls and procedures.
<br />Encourage organizations to adopt, distribute, and periodically review the code of ethics as a living document.
<br />V. Strive for Prafessional Excellence
<br />Provide support and encouragement to upgrade competence.
<br />Accept as a personal duty the responsibility to keep up to date on emerging issues and potential probiems.
<br />Encourage others, throughout their careers, to participate in professional activities and associations. Allocate time to
<br />meet with students and provide a bridge between classroom studies and the realities of public service.
<br />This code is enacted pursuant to [Section _I of [state statutes] and is not intended to authorize any conduct prohibited by
<br />section.
<br />Comment: It is helpful to list other municipal and state ethics-related laws here, or reference a supplement containing them, o
<br />that all ethics laws are available in one place. In this way, people will not have to search for them or worry if ihey have misse any
<br />rules or exceptions. It is also helpful for authors of ethics laws to consult all other relevant laws, so that ihere will not be any
<br />contradictions.
<br />Here are the citations in the Connecticut model code 1 wrote, including only references to state law: "The power to adopt an e
<br />code is provided in 7-148(c) (10) (b). There are some specific conflict of interesi rules in 7-148t. Allegations, confidentialiry, an,
<br />probable cause findings are provided for in 1-82a. A business with which an official or employee is associated is defined in 1-
<br />(b). And the Freedom of Information Act can be found in Chapter 14, 1-200 to 1-242."
<br />Why freedom of information? Because ii involves one of the most often abused conflicts of interest: between the public's righ
<br />know and the municipal official's desire to keep information hidden, for personal or political reasons (it's much easier to do or
<br />job in secret than in the public eye; it is especially easier to act unethically when acting in secret). In fact, it would be complet
<br />appropriate for a municipal ethics code to suppiement the Freedom of Information Act in areas that have been problems in a
<br />particular city. For example, an ethics code could include longer notice requiremenis for meetings and agendas, shorter peric
<br />which to provide information (as well as lower reproduction costs), and requirements for notice and the placement of informai
<br />on the city website.
<br />Part A: Ethics Provisions
<br />100. GeneraE Conflict of Interest Provisions.
<br />1. CnnflicY of Interest.
<br />To discuss this provision, click here.
<br />a. An official or empioyee* may not use his or her official position or office, or take or fail to take any action, or influence othe
<br />take or fail to take any action, in a manner which he or she knows, or has reason to believe, may result in a personai* or fina
<br />benefit*, not shared with a substantial segment of the city's population, for any of the following persons or entities (no group
<br />government employees may be considered "a substantial segmenY" for the purposes of this provision):
<br />1. himself or herself;
<br />2. a member of his or her household*, including a domestic partner* and his or her dependents, or the empioyer or
<br />business of any of these people;
<br />3. a sibling or step-sibling, step-child, parent or step-parent, niece or nephew, uncle or aunt, or grandparent or grar
<br />of either himself or herself, or of his or her spouse or domestic partner, or the employer or business of any of these F
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