Okaloosa County BOCC — January 18, 2013 — reading text

any incidental expenses relating to those services that they provide. Mere approval of budgets shall not be sufficient to constitute “jurisdiction or control” for the purposes of this section. (1) For the purposes of this section, " official" means any official or employee in whom is vested the authority by law, rule, or regulation, or to whom the authority has been delegated, to appoint, employ, promote, or advance individuals or to recommend individuals for appointment, employment, promotion, or advancement in connection with employment in the county or municipality as applicable. (2) For the purposes of this section, "relative" means spouse, parent, child, sibling, uncle, aunt, first cousin, nephew, niece, father-in-law, mother-in-law, son-in-law, daughter-in-law, brother-in- law, sister-in-law, stepfather, stepmother, stepson, stepdaughter, stepbrother, stepsister, half- brother, or half-sister. 10 | P a g e Packet Pg. 319  8.1.e Sec. 2-446. Ethics training. (a) Officials and employees, as public servants, are considered stewards of the public trust and should aspire to the highest level of integrity and character. Officials and employees shall be informed of their ethical responsibilities at the start of their public service, and shall receive updates and training materials on ethics issues throughout the span of their public service. The county administrator or municipal administrator as applicable shall establish by policy a mandatory training schedule for all officials and employees which shall include mandatory periodic follow-up sessions. This policy may also address ethics training for entities that receive county or municipal funds as applicable. (b) The commission on ethics shall develop and deliver, or contract with other entities to develop and deliver, training programs. The commission on ethics shall coordinate and cooperate with all affected county or municipal entities, departments, agencies, boards, councils and Attachment: Palm Beach County Ethics.pdf (1256 : Ethics Ordinance) commissions to ensure that effective and meaningful training experiences are delivered in a timely and efficient manner. Sec. 2-447. Noninterference. It shall be a violation of this article for any person: (a) to retaliate against, punish, threaten, harass, or penalize any person for communicating, cooperating with, or assisting the commission on ethics or the inspector general; or (b) to interfere, obstruct or attempt to interfere or obstruct without valid legal basis any investigation conducted by the commission on ethics or the inspector general. Sec. 2-448. Administration, enforcement and penalties. (a) The commission on ethics shall be empowered to review, interpret, render advisory opinions, and enforce this code of ethics pursuant to the procedures established in the county commission on ethics ordinance. Jurisdiction of the commission on ethics with respect to advisory opinions rendered shall extend to all county and municipal officials and employees, and all other persons and entities required to comply with the provisions of this code and the county lobbyist registration ordinance, including but not limited to lobbyists, their employers and principals, and contractors and vendors. (b) A finding by the commission on ethics of a violation of any part of this article shall subject the person or entity to public reprimand, a fine of up to five hundred dollars ($500), or both. The commission on ethics may also order the person or entity to pay restitution when the person or entity or a third party has received a pecuniary benefit as a result of the person's violation. (c) Upon a finding of the commission on ethics that a violation of this article or the lobbyist registration ordinance resulted in a contract, grant, subsidy, license, permit, franchise, use, certificate, development order or other benefit conferred by the county or municipality as applicable, then such contract, grant, subsidy, license, permit, franchise, use, certificate, development order or other benefit may be rescinded or declared void by the board of county commissioners or the local municipal governing body as applicable. (d) The commission on ethics may in its discretion refer willful violations of §§2-443, 2-444(a), 2- 444(b), 2-444(c), 2-444(e), or 2-447 to the state attorney. Pursuant to Florida Statutes, §125.69, a person who violates the sections of the article set forth in this §2-448(d) shall be subject to prosecution in the name of the state in the same manner as first degree misdemeanors are prosecuted, and upon conviction, such person shall be punished by a fine not to exceed one thousand dollars ($1,000), imprisonment not to exceed one (1) year, or both. 11 | P a g e Packet Pg. 320  8.1.f DIVISION 2. - STANDARDS OF CONDUCT Sec. 2-121. - Declaration of policy. Sec. 2-122. - Definitions. Sec. 2-123. - Standards of ethical conduct. Sec. 2-124. - Violations. Secs. 2-125—2-150. - Reserved. Attachment: Sarasota County ethics (1256 : Ethics Ordinance) Sec. 2-121. - Declaration of policy policy. It is hereby declared to be the policy of the Legislature that no officer or employee of Sarasota County, or any municipality, agency or district within Sarasota County, shall have any interest, financial or otherwise, direct or indirect, or engage in any business or transaction or professional activity or incur any obligation of any nature which is in substantial conflict with the proper discharge of his duties in the public interest. To implement such policy and to strengthen the faith and confidence of Sarasota County in their governmental units, there is herein enacted a code of ethics setting forth standards of conduct to be observed by employees of Sarasota County and any part thereof and all municipalities, agencies and districts in Sarasota County in the performance of their official duties. It is the intent of the Legislature that this code shall serve not only as a guide for official conduct of the County's municipalities', agencies' and districts' public servants but also as a basis for discipline of those who violate the provisions of this division. (Ord. No. 72-080, § 1, 10-17-1972) Sec. 2-122. - Definitions. (a) In this division, unless the context otherwise requires: Controlling Interest means ownership, directly or indirectly, of ten percent or more of the outstanding capital stock in any corporation or a direct or indirect interest of ten percent or more in a firm, partnership, or other business entity. County means and includes all the various departments and boards under the jurisdiction of the Board of County Commissioners, and all units of County government that are not under the direct jurisdiction of the Board of County Commissioners providing the officers and employees are paid in part or in full by County funds. Packet Pg. 321  8.1.f County, Municipal, Agency and District Employee means an officer or employee of the County as defined above, and all municipal, agency and district employees in Sarasota County. (b) The term "he" in this division refers to both the masculine and feminine gender where applicable. (Ord. No. 72-080, § 2, 10-17-1972) Sec. 2-123. - Standards of ethical conduct. Every public official of Sarasota County, including every public official of all municipalities, agencies and districts therein, shall adhere to the following standards of Attachment: Sarasota County ethics (1256 : Ethics Ordinance) ethical conduct while holding office: (1) He shall accept no gift or favor which may reasonably be construed as intended to improperly influence his official act. (2) He shall hold no other employment nor engage in any personal investment which is incompatible with the performance of his public duty. (3) He shall not use nor attempt to use the powers, privileges or influence of his office to gain personal benefits for himself or others. (4) He shall not make use of confidential information received by virtue of his official position to gain financial advantage for himself or others. (5) He shall not engage nor shall he allow his business or professional associates to engage in any dealings with Sarasota County, including every municipality, agency and district therein, which could reasonably be construed as improperly employing the influence of his official position. (6) He shall make an advance public disclosure of any personal business or professional interest which he or a member of his immediate family may have in a matter upon which he is required to take official action. This requirement quirement for disclosure shall include any interest which may be held by a trustee. If an officer or employee of the County or any municipality, agency or district therein is an officer, director, agent, or member of, or owns a Controlling Interest in, any corporation, firm, partnership, or other business entity which is subject to the regulation of or which has substantial business commitments Packet Pg. 322  8.1.f from the County, or any municipality, agency or district therein, he shall file a sworn statement with the Clerk of the Circuit Court of Sarasota County, Florida, as to all employees except city employees. Employees of a municipality shall file