[HISTORY: Adopted by the Common Council of the City of Manawa 10-18-1993
as Title 2, Ch. 5 of the 1989 Code of Ordinances. Amendments noted where applicable.]
As used in this chapter, the following terms shall have the meanings
indicated:
Any person excluded from the definition of a "public officer" who
is employed by the city.
Those persons serving in statutory elected or appointed offices provided
for in W.S.A. Ch. 62 and all members appointed to boards, committees and commissions
established or appointed by the Mayor, Chairperson and/or Common Council,
whether paid or unpaid.
A.
It is declared that high ethical standards among city
officers and employees are essential to the conduct of good representative
government and that a Code of Ethics for the guidance of public officers and
employees will help them avoid conflicts with improved standards of public
service and will promote and strengthen the confidence of the residents of
the city in their public officers and employees.
B.
The purpose of this chapter is to establish guidelines
for ethical standards of conduct for all such city officers and employees
by setting forth those acts or actions that are incompatible with the public
interest and which compromise, or appear to compromise, public trust in the
fairness, independence and integrity of city officers and employees and their
official actions.
The provisions of the following sections of the Wisconsin statutes,
as from time to time amended, are made a part of this chapter and shall apply
to all public officers and public employees whenever applicable, to wit:
No public officer or employee shall use or permit the use of city vehicles,
equipment, materials or property for personal convenience or profit, except
when such services are available to the public generally or are provided as
city policy for the use of such officer or employee in the conduct of official
business, as authorized by the Common Council or authorized board, commission
or committee.
Except as provided herein, no public officer or public employee shall
engage in any business transaction with the city or have a financial or other
personal interest, direct or indirect, which is incompatible with the proper
discharge of his or her official duties or will tend to impair his or her
independence of judgment or action in the performance of his or her official
duties. Any public officer or employee who has a substantial financial interest,
including employment, in any business entity entering into, proposing to enter
into or bidding on any transaction with the city or who, as part of his or
her official duties, will be making an official decision or recommendation
significantly affecting a business competitor, client or regular customer
shall disclose such interest to the membership of the Common Council (or committee,
board or commission thereof, as appropriate), to be recorded in the minutes
of that body. Upon such disclosure, it is advised that the public officer
or employee abstain from voting on the matter and from participating in the
discussion of the matter.
No public officer or employee, including persons or firms engaged to
provide professional service to the city, shall represent, for compensation,
private interests before the Common Council or any city board, commission
or committee without disclosure of the private business relationship and explicit
consent of the Common Council.
No public officer or employee shall, without proper authorization of
the Common Council, disclose confidential information concerning the property,
government or affairs of the city, nor shall he or she use such information
to advance the financial or other private interest of himself, herself or
others.
No public officer or employee shall accept anything of value, whether
in the form of a gift, service, loan or promise, from any person who, to his
or her knowledge, has a direct financial interest in any transaction or official
business with the city, which may tend to impair his or her independence of
judgment or action in the performance of his or her official duties. However,
it is not a conflict of interest for any public officer or employee to receive
a gift or gratuity that is an unsolicited item of nominal intrinsic value,
such as a meal up to $20 in value.
