(a) 
No city official may accept a gift from any individual or firm doing business with, or whose business or property is the subject of any application to, or regulatory process of, the city.
(b) 
A city official or any business entity in which he or she has a substantial interest may not:
(1) 
Solicit, accept, or agree to accept a gift as consideration for the official’s decision, opinion, recommendation, vote or other exercise of discretion as a city official, or as consideration for a violation of a duty imposed by law on the city official;
(2) 
Accept or solicit any gift, favor, service or thing of value, including a promise of future employment, of sufficient economic value that it might reasonably tend to influence the city official in the discharge of the city official’s municipal duties.
(Ordinance 365.01 adopted 12/12/18)
No city official may solicit, accept, or agree to accept any benefit from a person interested in or likely to become interested in any regulatory matter, contract, purchase, payment, claim, or transaction involving the exercise of the city official’s discretion.
(Ordinance 365.01 adopted 12/12/18)
(a) 
Application.
This section shall apply to city officials and their family members.
(b) 
Prohibition.
Except as provided by subsection (c), a city official, or family member of the city official, or any business entity in which the official has a substantial interest, may not accept or agree to accept a gift or benefit on behalf of themselves or any other person.
(c) 
Exceptions.
A city official, family member of a city official, or a business entity does not violate subsection (b) if one or more of the following applies:
(1) 
The received benefit is a gift is conferred on account of a pre-existing relationship independent of the official status of the city official, and is not given by a donor who has a substantial interest in a business relationship or real estate purchase or sale with the city to a recipient in a position to influence any decisions related to the interest;
(2) 
The received benefit is a gift or political contribution required to be reported on the city official’s personal financial statement or on a campaign finance report;
(3) 
The received benefit is an item or gift to a family member with a value of less than $50.00, not to exceed a series of gifts totaling more than $100.00 in a twelve-month period;
(4) 
Expenditures for food and beverages less than $50.00 per day per recipient;
(5) 
The received gift or benefit is insignificant in value;
(6) 
The received benefit is a commercially reasonable loan made in the ordinary course of the lender’s business;
(7) 
The received gift or benefit is an award, such as a plaque, certification, trophy or similar memento that has no more than nominal value to anyone other than the recipient;
(8) 
The received gift or benefit is something for which the city reimburses the donor;
(9) 
The received item is a perishable gift, such as food, flowers, fruit, or candy that is delivered to a city facility and is shared with employees and/or members of the public; and
(10) 
The gift of received food and beverages is:
(A) 
Furnished as part of a local public event, appearance or ceremony related to official city business; and
(B) 
Furnished by the sponsor(s) of such public event, appearance or ceremony.
(Ordinance 365.01 adopted 12/12/18)
A city official who receives an unsolicited benefit that the city official is prohibited from accepting may donate the benefit to a governmental entity that has the authority to accept the gift or may donate the benefit to a recognized tax-exempt charitable organization formed for educational, religious, or scientific purposes.
(Ordinance 365.01 adopted 12/12/18)