The following terms, when used in this article,
shall mean or indicate as follows:
FINANCIAL INTEREST
Any interest which shall yield, directly or indirectly, a
monetary or other material benefit to the official or employee or
to any person employing or retaining the services of the official
or employee. This shall not include cases where the official or employee
is associated with a transaction with the Municipality in a manner
where such official or employee has no possible influence in the transaction.
MUNICIPALITY
Includes any agency, board, commission, council, committee,
department or other unit of the Municipality.
PARTY
An individual, firm, corporation, association or other entity
participating in or intending to participate in any transaction with
the Municipality in any manner which would give the person, firm,
corporation, association or other entity a personal or financial interest
in the transaction.
PERSONAL INTEREST
Any interest arising from blood or marriage relationships
or from close business association, whether or not any financial interest
is involved.
TRANSACTION
Includes but is not limited to any proceeding, application,
submission, request for ruling or other determination, contract, lease,
claim, case, award, decision, judgment or legislation, including ordinances
and resolutions.
No official or employee shall grant or make
available to any party any consideration, treatment, advantage or
favor beyond that which it is the general practice to grant or make
available to the public at large.
Subject to due process of law, any official
or employee who violates any provision of this article may be disqualified
from being an appointed official or an employee of the Municipality
for a period of four years commencing with the date on which a determination
is made by a court of competent jurisdiction, Council or the Chief
Administrator, as the case may be, that a violation has occurred.
If the violation occurs while he is serving as an appointed official,
he may be removed from his position as an appointed official by an
affirmative vote of four Council members. If the violation occurs
while he is serving as an employee, he may be removed from his position
as an employee by the Chief Administrator.