Borough of Pleasant Hills, PA Ethics, Code of

The following Code of Ethics is hereby adopted by the Borough Council of the Borough of Pleasant Hills:

CODE OF ETHICS Preamble
We believe that responsible representative government is the best form of government for the American People.
We believe that government in the United States of America requires a positive spirit of cooperation among the people's servants at the municipal, state and federal levels.
We believe that effective representative government in our municipalities is necessary to the preservation of the vitality of freedom in our nation.
We believe that each and every public servant, elected or appointed in the field of local government bears part of the responsibility for the maintenance of true representative government.
We consider public service to be at once a responsibility and an honor; we will make every effort, in our conduct in office, to be worthy of both the responsibility and the honor.
While recognizing the necessity of laws to protect the public against the unjust steward, we acknowledge that the people deserve more of a public servant than mere adherence to laws against criminal behavior and civil misdemeanor. We promise therefore to conduct our public lives according to the highest ethical standard. We promise not only to avoid what is legally wrong, but to seek out and to do what is ethically right.
In keeping with this general undertaking, we promise to abide by the Code of Ethics of the Pennsylvania State Association of Boroughs.

Code of Ethics
1.	We shall learn the laws governing the conduct of officials and employees of Boroughs in Pennsylvania, and we shall faithfully observe their letter and their spirit.
2.	We shall constantly endeavor to enlarge our understanding of Borough government and to improve our competence in the performance of our functions.
3.	In all matters that come before us in our official capacities, our first concern shall be to advance the public interest to the maximum.
4.	If at any time we are aware that we have, or may reasonably be considered to have, a direct or indirect private interest in any proposed official action of the Borough, we shall disclose publicly the nature and extent of our interest.
5.	In our contacts with other persons and groups, we shall conduct ourselves in keeping with the trust and dignity reposing in our positions as servants of the people of our Borough; we shall take care to guard not only the reality but also the appearance of justice and integrity.
6.	We shall place the competence and effectiveness of the public service before the interests of persons, factions and parties.
7.	We shall obey and abide by the policies duly established by the Council; we shall adhere to and enforce standard rules and procedures for performance of the functions of Borough government.
8.	We shall not make available to any person any services, tangible or intangible, that are not equally available under the law to any other citizen.
9.	We shall not use to our own personal advantage nor to the advantage of persons related to us by family, friendship or business, confidential information to which we have access by virtue of our public offices.
10.	We shall refuse personal gifts in every instance where we have reason to believe the gift would not have been extended to us except for our official position, where we have reason to believe that the giver's interests are likely to be affected by our official actions, or where the gift is, or may reasonably be considered to be, designed to influence our official actions.
11.	In any transaction, negotiation or litigation to which the Borough is a party, we shall not represent private interests, nor shall we convey to private interests any information or advice not generally available to the public.
12.	We shall not use, nor permit others to use, the power of our offices to solicit contributions from municipal employees on behalf of any candidate for political office; nor shall we demand that any municipal employee solicit contributions on behalf of any candidate for political office.