HomeMy WebLinkAboutORD 85-31 - EthicsORDINANCE NO.
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BE IT ORDAINED BY THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF GEORGETOWN, TEXASO
WHEREAS, it is the desire of the City of Georgetown that City Officials shall
act and conduct themselves, both inside and outside the City's service, so as to
give no occasion for the distrust of thein integrity, impartiality, or of their
devotion to the best interests of the City of Georgetown and the public trust
which they hold; and
WHEREAS, because violations of statutes regarding open meetings, open records
and conflict of interest statutes often occur due to the ignorance of such laws
which apply to city officials
THEREFORE, the City Council HEREBY provides a mechanism whereby certain public
officials will acknowledge the existence of the applicable statutes and will
.pledge to abide by the terms of this ordinance and the various statutes above
indicated.
ARTICLE II.
TITLE
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ARTICLE III.
DEFINITIONS
For purposes of this Ethics Ordinance, the following definitions shall apply:
City Official, shall include the Mayor, all City Council members, City
Manager, Deputy City Manager, any City Division Head, City Secretary, Municipal
Court Judge, City Attorney, and all members of such committees, commissions, and
boards appointed by the City Council.
Ethics Statutes, shall mean the Texas Open Records Act, (Tex, Rev. Civ.
Stat. Ann. art 6252-17A [Supp. 19851), the Texas Open Meetings Act, (Tex. Rev.
Civ. Stat® Ann. art. 6252-17 [Supp. 19851), and the Conflict of Interest
Statute, (Tex. Rev. Civ. Stat. Ann. art. 988b [Supp. 19851), as currently in
effect, or as hereafter amended.
(prior to April 30th of each year, the City Secretary of the City of Georgetown,
Texas shall make available to each City Official designated in this Ordinance a
copy of the text of the Ethics Statutes. Each City Official shall file with the
City Secretary a signed affidavit in which the City Official acknowledges the
existence of the Ethics Statutes and pledges to abide by the terms of these
Ethics Statutes as long as the City Official holds the City Official's office or
position with the City of Georgetown, Texas. The sworn affidavits of all City
Officials shall be placed on -file for public inspection no later than May 5th of
each year.
forthPrior to April 30th of each year, the City Attorney shall conduct one or more
seminars devoted to educating City Officials on the meaning and legal
significance of the Ethics Statutes. Every City Official shall attend at least
one such seminar within a year after assuming office and thereafter, shall
attend at least one such seminar annually or be subject to the penalties set
Ordinance.
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A violation by any city official as designated herein of one or more of the
provisions of this ordinance shall be deemed a Class C Misdemeanor under the
laws of the State of Texas®
SecretaryThe City e to publish this ordinance, • # •
publicationand penalty, at least one time within TEN (10) days after final passage hereof
or as soon thereafter as possible in a newspaper in the City of Georgetown,
Texas. The City Secretary shall also receive from and file an affidavit of such
by * publisher of ter* before any officer
authorized to administer oaths as evidence of publication.
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If any article, paragraph or part of a paragraph of this this Ethics Ordinance
is held to be invalid or unconstitutional by a Court of competent jurisdiction,
the same shall not invalidate or impair the validity, force or effect of any
other article, paragraph or part of a paragraph of this Ethics Ordinance,
Read, passed and adopted this-,.4..Fu day of i.yC. . , 1985.
Read, passed and adopted this day of _ , 1885, on the
second reading®
CITY SECRETARY
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CITY OF GEORGETOWN