This chapter establishes a standard of conduct for City employees and their immediate families and a standard of conduct for municipal agents and lobbyists. It also establishes a requirement for the filing of a statement of financial interests by candidates for elected office and City officials.
Whenever used in this chapter, the following terms shall have the following meanings unless the context requires otherwise:
ACT TO COMMUNICATE DIRECTLY WITH A COVERED CITY OFFICIAL TO INFLUENCE A DECISION CONCERNING POLICY, PERMITTING OR PROCUREMENT
Any direct communication by a person to such official by telephone, mail, commercial messenger, facsimile transmission, electronic mail, other direct means or in person, but shall not be deemed to include the following activities:
A. 
A request for a meeting, a request for the status of an action or any similar administrative request, if the request does not include an attempt to influence a covered City official.
B. 
An act made in the course of participation in an advisory committee or task force.
C. 
Providing information in writing in response to a written request for specific information by an officer or employee of the City.
D. 
An act required by subpoena, civil investigative demand, or otherwise compelled by statute, regulation or other action of the City.
E. 
A communication made to a City official or employee with regard to a:
(1) 
Judicial proceeding or a criminal or civil law enforcement inquiry, investigation or proceeding; or
(2) 
Filing or proceeding that the City is specifically required by statute or regulation to maintain or conduct on a confidential basis, if the City is charged with responsibility for such proceeding, inquiry, investigation or filing.
F. 
A petition or application for action by the City made in writing and required to be a matter of public record.
G. 
An act made on behalf of an individual with regard to that individual's benefits, employment or other personal matters.
H. 
A response to a request for proposals or similar invitation by an officer or employee of the City for information relevant to a contract.
I. 
Participation in a bid conference.
J. 
An appeal or request for review of a procurement decision.
AFFINITY
Related by marriage.
APPOINTED OFFICIAL
A City official who is not an elected official.
BUSINESS
Any corporation, partnership, sole proprietorship, firm, franchise, association, organization, holding company, joint-stock company, receivership, business or real estate trust, or any other legal entity organized for profit or charitable purposes.
BUSINESS WITH WHICH HE/SHE IS ASSOCIATED
Any business in which a covered City official or a member of his or her immediate family is a general partner, proprietor, officer or other employee, including one who is self-employed, or serves as a director, trustee or in any similar managerial capacity; and any business more than 1% of any class of the outstanding equity of which is beneficially owned in the aggregate by the covered City official and members of his or her immediate family.
CANDIDATE FOR PUBLIC OFFICE
Any individual who seeks nomination or election to local public office, as deemed by this article. For the purposes of this chapter, an individual shall be deemed to be seeking nomination or election to public office if he/she has:
A. 
Received a political contribution or made an expenditure, or has given his/her consent for any other person or committee to receive a political contribution or make an expenditure, for the purpose of influencing his/her nomination or election to such office, whether or not the specific public office for which he/she will seek nomination or election is known at the time the political contribution is received or the expenditure is made; or
B. 
Taken the action necessary under the laws of the commonwealth to qualify himself/herself for nomination or election to such office.
CITY
The City of Springfield.
CITY AGENCY
Any multiple-member body, any department, division, or office of the City of Springfield.
CITY CONTRACTOR
Any person (including agents or employees acting within the scope of their employment) who is paid from the City treasury or under City auspices for goods or services, regardless of the nature of the relationship of such person to the City for purposes other than this chapter.
CITY EMPLOYEE and CITY OFFICIAL
A. 
Any person who holds any elected or paid position in the City. "City employee" and "City official" shall expressly include all members of the following City boards and commissions, whether paid or unpaid:
(1) 
Appeals (zoning), Board of.
(2) 
Board of Assessors.
(3) 
Conservation Commission.
(4) 
Cultural Council, Springfield.
(5) 
Election Commission, Springfield.
(6) 
Ethics Commission, Springfield.
(7) 
Historical Commission, Springfield.
(8) 
Library Commission, Springfield.
(9) 
License Commissioners, Board of.
(10) 
Park Commission.
(11) 
Personnel Board.
(12) 
Planning Board.
(13) 
Public Health Council.
(14) 
Public Works, Board of.
(15) 
Retirement Board.
(16) 
Riverfront Development Commission.
(17) 
School Building Commission.
(18) 
School Committee.
(19) 
Taxi and Livery Commission.
(20) 
Traffic Commission.
(21) 
Any other City board or commission that has authority to expend public funds (other than to approve reimbursements for expenses) or any City board or commission which has authority to grant or recommend any license, permit, certificate, variance, site plan approval, or any other permission or approval.
B. 
For purposes of this chapter, all officers and directors of the Springfield Library Foundation, Inc. and members of the Barney Trust Fund shall be considered a "City official."
C. 
Note: Persons who are not considered City employees under this chapter may still be considered a "municipal employee" under the State Ethics Law, MGL c. 268A.
CLIENT
An individual or business entity that contracts with another individual or business entity to receive lobbyist services.
COMMISSION
The State Ethics Commission.
CONSANGUINITY
Related by blood. The degree of relationship by consanguinity between an individual and a relative is determined by the number of generations that separate them. A parent and child are related in the first degree; a grandparent and grandchild, in the second degree; a great-grandparent and great-grandchild, in the third degree; and so on.
CONTRACT MANAGEMENT AUTHORITY
Personal involvement in or direct supervisory responsibility for the formulation or execution of a City contract, including, without limitation, the preparation of specifications, evaluation of bids or proposals, negotiation of contract terms or supervision of performance.
COVERED CITY OFFICIAL
All officials elected by popular vote or the head, deputy or assistant head of any department, board, commission or division of the City government, and the Springfield public schools' superintendent, assistant or deputy superintendents, business manager, Personnel Director, and principals.
ECONOMIC INTEREST
A financial interest, whether vested or contingent, legal or beneficial, with a present fair market value of greater than $250, which is distinguishable from that of the public generally.
ELECTED OFFICE
Any position for which one is nominated at a local preliminary election or elected at a local final election.
ELECTED OFFICIAL
A City official who holds an elected office.
EQUITY
Any stock or similar ownership interest in a business.
GIFT
A. 
A delivery of goods, payment, entertainment, subscription, advance services or anything of value, unless consideration of equal or greater value is received; or
B. 
The difference in an amount paid for goods or services less their fair market value; but
C. 
It shall not mean a political contribution reported as required by law, a commercially reasonable loan made in the ordinary course of business, anything of value received by inheritance, or good or services received from a relative within the third degree of consanguinity of the recipient, the recipient's spouse or the spouse of any such relative.
GOVERNMENTAL DECISION
A decision that requires a City employee to use his or her judgment or discretion.
IMMEDIATE FAMILY
Means, as it does in Chapter 268A of the General Laws, the City employee or official and his/her spouse, and their parents, children, brothers and sisters.
INCOME
Income from whatever source derived, whether in the form of a fee, salary, allowance, forbearance, forgiveness, interest, dividend, royalty, rent, capital gain, or any other form of recompense or any combination thereof; provided, however, that interest from savings accounts or from government obligations other than those of the commonwealth or any political subdivision thereof or any public agency or authority created by the General Court, alimony and support payments, proceeds from a life insurance policy, retirement or disability benefits, and social security payments shall not be considered income for the purposes of this chapter.
LEGISLATION
Ordinances, resolutions and proposals of every kind, character or description considered by the City Council or any committee thereof.
LOBBYIST ENTITY
An entity providing lobbyist services, consisting of at least one municipal agent, including a foreign or domestic corporation, association, sole proprietor, partnership, limited-liability partnership or company, joint-stock company, joint venture or any other similar business formation.
LOCAL PUBLIC OFFICE
Any position for which one is nominated at a local preliminary election or elected at a local final election.
MUNICIPAL AGENT
A firm, company, partnership or person who for monetary compensation or its equivalent does any act to influence the decision of any covered City official where such decision concerns permitting, or the amendment, adoption, defeat, postponement or enforcement related thereto, legislation or the adoption, defeat or postponement of a standard, rate, rule, enforcement or regulation pursuant thereto, or any act to communicate directly with a covered City official to influence a decision concerning policy or procurement, or a firm, company or partnership which employs individuals for such purposes. The term "municipal agent" shall include a person who, as part of his/her regular and usual business or professional activities and not simply incidental thereto, attempts to influence any such decision, whether or not any compensation in addition to the salary for such activities is received for such services; provided, however, that for the purposes of this definition a person shall be presumed to engage in activity covered by this definition in a manner that is simply incidental to his/her regular and usual business or professional activities if he/she engages in any activity or activities covered by this definition for not more than 50 hours during any reporting period or receives less than $5,000 during any reporting period for any activity or activities covered by this definition, or a firm, company or partnership who employs individuals for such purposes. For purposes of this definition, "reporting period" shall mean the six-month periods from January 1 through June 30 and July 1 through December 31.
PERSON
A business, individual, corporation, union, association, firm, partnership, committee, or other organization or group of persons.
POLICY
A plan or course of action which is applicable to a class of persons, proceedings or other matters and which is designed to influence or determine the subsequent decisions and actions of any covered City employee, including, but not limited to, a plan or course of action which would constitute a "regulation." The term shall not include the adjudication or determination of any rights, duties, or obligations of a person made on a case-by-case basis, including but not limited to the issuance or denial of a license, permit, or certification or a disciplinary action or investigation involving a person.
POLITICAL CONTRIBUTION
A contribution of money or anything of value to an individual, candidate, political committee, or person acting on behalf of an individual, candidate or political committee, for the purpose of influencing the nomination or election of said individual or candidate, or for the purpose of promoting or opposing a Charter change, referendum question, constitutional amendment, or other question submitted to the voters.
A. 
"Political contribution" includes any:
(1) 
Gift, subscription, loan, advance, deposit of money, or thing of value, except a loan of money to a candidate by a national or state bank made in accordance with the applicable banking laws and regulations and in the ordinary course of business;
(2) 
Transfer of money or anything of value between political committees;
(3) 
Payment, by any person other than a candidate or political committee, or compensation for the personal services of another person which are rendered to such candidate or committee;
(4) 
Purchase from an individual, candidate or political committee, or person acting on behalf of an individual, candidate or political committee, whether through the device of tickets, advertisements, or otherwise, for fund-raising activities, including testimonials, held on behalf of said individual, candidate, or political committee, to the extent that the purchase price exceeds the actual cost of the goods sold or services rendered;
(5) 
Discount or rebate not available to other candidates for the same office and to the general public; and
(6) 
Forgiveness of indebtedness or payment of indebtedness by another person.
B. 
"Political contribution" shall not include the rendering of services by speakers, editors, writers, poll watchers, poll checkers or others, nor the payment by those rendering such services of such personal expenses as may be incidental thereto, nor the exercise of ordinary hospitality.
PROCUREMENT
The buying, purchasing, renting, leasing or otherwise acquiring or disposing, by contract or otherwise, of supplies, services or construction or the acquisition or disposition of real property or any interest therein, including, but not limited to, the purchase, lease or rental of any such real property or the granting of easements or rights-of-way therein; but not including any item of expenditure the value of which is $25,000 or less.
RELATIVE
A person who is related to an official or employee as a spouse, as a descendent of any grandparent of such official or employee, whether by the whole or half-blood or by adoption, or as the spouse of any of the foregoing and any person who resides with an employee or an official.
REPORTING PERSON
Anyone who is required to file a statement of financial interests pursuant to Article IV.
STATE ETHICS LAW
Chapter 268A of the General Laws.