(a) Officials and employees who are subject to this chapter shall not:
(1) Participate on behalf of the city in any matter which would, to their knowledge, have a direct financial impact, as distinguished from the public generally, on them, their spouse or dependent child, or a business entity with which they are affiliated;
(2) Be employed by a business entity that has or is negotiating a contract with the city or is regulated by the city, except as exempted by the commission pursuant to section 21-6 of this chapter, and except that this subsection shall not apply to any official or employee who shall disqualify himself from consideration of any matter before the city or regulated by the city relating to said business entity;
(3) Hold any outside employment that would impair their impartiality or independence of judgment in their duties with the city;
(4) Represent any party, whether or not for a fee, before the board of aldermen or any administrative agency of the city;
(5) Within one year following termination of city service, act as a compensated representative of another in connection with any specific matter in which he participated substantially as a city official or employee;
(6) (A) Solicit any gift or accept gifts from any person or entity that has or is negotiating a contract with the city or is regulated by the city. A gift shall include any benefit, thing, act or service with a monetary value in excess of seventy-five dollars ($75.00) or combination of benefits, things, acts or services received from any person or entity within a one calendar year period with a monetary value in excess of one hundred fifty dollars ($150.00);
(B) Unless a gift of any of the following would tend to impair the impartiality and the independence of judgment of the official or employee receiving it or, if of significant value, would give the appearance of doing so, or, if of significant value, the recipient official or employee believes, or has reason to believe, that it is designed to do so, this subsection (6) does not apply to:
(i) Reasonable expenses for food, travel, lodging, and scheduled entertainment of the official or the employee for a meeting which is given in return for participation in a panel or speaking engagement at the meeting;
(ii) Campaign contribution; or
(iii) Any other gift that would not present a conflict of interest as determined by the commission.
(7) Use the prestige of his or her office to advance his or her own private interest or the private interest of another. Use of the prestige of an office shall include, but not be limited to:
(a) The acting, and/or creating the appearance of acting, on behalf of the city by making any policy statement, and/or by promising to authorize or to prevent any official action of any nature, when the official or employee is not authorized to make such a statement;
(b) Representing his or her personal opinion to be the official position of the city or any agency of the city;
(c) Using and/or attempting to use his or her official position improperly to unreasonably request, grant, and/or obtain in any manner any unlawful and/or unwarranted privileges, advantages, benefits and/or exemptions for him or herself, or others;
(d) Using, for immediate private financial gain and/or advantage, his or her city time and/or the city’s staff, facilities, equipment and/or supplies to secure privileges and/or exemptions for himself or herself and/or others.
The performance of usual and customary constituent services, without additional compensation, does not constitute the use of the prestige of office, within the meaning of this subsection;
(8) Without proper legal authorization, use or disclose confidential information that is not available to the public acquired in their employment or official position for their own benefit or that of another;
(9) Cause or advocate a member of their family to be hired, employed, promoted, transferred or advanced to any regular full or regular part time paid employment of the city. No city official or employee shall participate in an action relating to the discipline of a member of the city official’s or employee’s family.
(b) Except as herein expressly provided in this subsection to the contrary, in addition to those provisions and requirements as set forth in subsection (a) of this section, neither the mayor nor any member of the board of aldermen shall have an ownership interest of five percent (5%) or greater in any personal or business venture or entity that has or is negotiating a contract of five thousand dollars ($5,000.00) or greater with the city or is regulated by the city, except as exempted by the commission pursuant to section 21-6, or when the elected official discloses such interest and disqualifies himself from participation on behalf of the city in such matter. (Ord. No. G-83-32, § 1, 7-14-83; Ord. No. G-97-22, § 1, 8-21-97; Ord. No. G-97-66, § 1, 12-18-97; Ord. No. G-01-30, § 1, 8-16-01)