Declaration of Policy, Purpose, and Obligations

This is the place to comment on, discuss, and share alternative content and language relating to the declarations of policy that can usually be found at the beginnning of municipal ethics codes. Most declarations are very short and often ignored, since they cannot be enforced. But they are important in showing the community why ethical conduct is more important than just being good and fair. And the forumulation of such a declaration, and the discussion of its language, can be important occasions for looking at a community's ethical aspirations and the sort of ethical environment it desires.

Please share your experiences with the formulation and value of declarations of policy, including best practices as well as problems. Also see "Aspirational Codes" for a related discussion.

<h2>Declaration of Policy, Purpose, and Obligations</h2>

The proper operation of our city's government requires that public officials and employees act as public servants: courteous, impartial, honest, open, and responsible to the city's residents; that they act as fiduciaries entrusted with and responsible for the property and resources of the community; that they make governmental decisions and policies in the proper channels of the government structure, free of coercive or other improper influence; and that they use their office and employment in the best interests of the city rather than for personal interests, whether their own interests or those of their family, friends, or business and political associates.

It is central to gaining and retaining the public's trust in our city's government that public servants seek to avoid even the appearance of impropriety. Fulfilling one's role as public servant sometimes means sacrificing rather than gaining opportunities.

This code focuses on conflicts of interest, which affect the decisions of government officials and employees in ways that are unfair both to the community and to individuals and entities who lack special relationships with our city's officials. When public servants make decisions that are not or do not appear to be impartial, this seriously undermines public confidence in government.

While the vast majority of municipal officials are well-meaning, being well-meaning is not enough. It is important that officials understand the conflicts they confront every day, appreciate their fiduciary obligations to city residents, and recognize the importance of preventing conflicts from occurring, disclosing conflicts when they arise, and withdrawing from any involvement in a matter where they have a conflict (recusing themselves).

Nothing is more important to public trust than having public servants err on the side of disclosing every possible conflict and recusing themselves even where they feel certain they can act impartially.

The purposes of this ethics code are:

(a) To establish standards of ethical conduct - especially those dealing with conflicts between personal interests and those of the city - for city officials, employees, consultants,* candidates, and those who do business with the city;

(b) To provide clear guidance with respect to such standards by clarifying which acts are allowed and which are not;

(c) To promote public confidence in the integrity of our city's governance and administration;

(d) To provide for the consideration of potential ethical problems before they arise, to minimize unwarranted suspicion and to enhance the accountability of our city's government to city residents; and

(e) To provide for the fair and effective administration and enforcement of this code.