A. 
No public official or public employee shall disclose or use for his or her own benefit or the benefit of others confidential information which he or she has acquired by reason of his or her public position.
B. 
No public official or public employee shall receive any benefit, or participate in the selection, award or administration of, or vote or participate in the legislative discussion on, any contract to which the borough is a party, or participate in the selection, award or administration of a contract supported by public funds, if a conflict of interest, real or apparent, would be involved. Such a conflict would arise when any of the following has a financial or other interest in the firm selected for award:
(1) 
The public official or public employee.
(2) 
Any member of his or her family.
(3) 
Any person with whom he or she has a business or other financial relationship.
(4) 
An organization which employs, or is about to employ within the next twelve (12) months, any of the above.
C. 
No public official or public employee shall be, or become, interested directly or indirectly in any manner whatsoever, except by operation of law, in any business dealings with the borough or any borough board, commission or authority.
D. 
No public official or public employee shall act as attorney, agent, broker, employee or consultant for any person, firm, corporation or other entity interested, directly or indirectly, in any manner whatsoever in any business dealings with the borough or any borough board, commission or authority.
E. 
No public official or public employee shall engage in any business transaction or private employment or shall have any financial or other private interest, direct or indirect, which is in conflict with the proper discharge of his or her official duties.
F. 
No public official or public employee shall use or attempt to use his or her position to obtain any financial gain, contract, license, privilege or other private or personal advantage, direct or indirect, for himself or herself, or any person, firm or corporation or other entity with which he or she is associated. He or she shall be deemed "associated" with each person who is a member of his or her family, with each person with whom he or she has a business or other financial relationship and with each firm, corporation or other entity in which he or she has a present or potential interest, direct or indirect.
G. 
No public official or public employee shall attempt to influence the course of any proposed legislation affecting any private or financial interest not readily apparent, of himself or herself, of any of his or her family members, of any person with whom he or she has a business or other financial relationship or of each firm, corporation or other entity in which he or she has a present or potential interest, direct or indirect.
H. 
Every public official and public employee shall publicly disclose, as provided in § 24-5, any direct or indirect financial or other private interest in any proposed legislation of himself or herself, of any of his or her family members, of any person with whom he or she has business or other financial relationship or of each firm, corporation or other entity in which he or she has a present or potential interest, direct or indirect. A subcontract of a contract with the borough shall be deemed a "direct or indirect financial interest."
I. 
No public official or public employee shall become financially interested, subsequent to final action, in any legislation, including ordinances and resolutions, awards, contracts, leases, cases, claims, decisions, decrees or judgments made by him or her in his or her official capacity, during his or her term of office or employment and until two (2) years have elapsed since the expiration of employment or service. This prohibition shall apply so as to prevent a family member or any person, firm, partnership, corporation, business association, trustee or straw party from becoming financially interested for or on behalf of a public official or public employee within said two-year period.
J. 
This section shall not be construed to prohibit any public official or public employee from:
(1) 
Accepting or receiving any benefit which is provided for or made available to citizens or residents or classes of citizens or residents;
(2) 
Being affiliated with, by insubstantial investment, or employed by or representing a person, firm or corporation or other entity whose business dealings with the borough or any borough board, commission or authority form an insubstantial part of its total business, provided that he or she has no direct or indirect interest in such business dealings and receives no part of the benefit thereof, takes no part in such business dealings and receives no compensation in connection thereof.
A. 
If any member of Borough Council has a financial interest or has a family member or person with whom he or she has a business or other financial relationship who has a financial interest, or has a corporation or other entity in which he or she has a present or potential interest, which has a financial interest in any legislation, including ordinances and resolutions, he or she shall make public the nature and extent of such interest as set forth in Subsection B hereof. Other public officials and public employees having a financial interest in legislation, including ordinances and resolutions, shall make public the nature and extent of their interest as set forth in Subsection C hereof. When any member of Borough Council or other official or employee has a financial interest in an award, lease, case, claim, decree or judgment, such person shall make public the nature and extent of the interest as set forth in Subsection D hereof. Thereafter, such person shall disqualify himself or herself from any further official action regarding such legislation, including ordinances and resolutions, awards, contracts, leases, cases, claims, decrees or judgments.
B. 
In the case of a member of Borough Council, public disclosure shall be done at the scheduled Council meeting of such legislation. If such interest occurs after the Council meeting and before such legislation is to be acted upon, it shall be made by notice to the Borough Secretary, who shall forward a copy of said notice to each Member of Council. In addition, the member shall announce his or her interest publicly on the floor of the Council at the time the legislation is called up for consideration. This provision shall apply notwithstanding the fact that the member of Council did not participate or was absent upon or during the vote or consideration of such legislation.
C. 
In the case of any other public official or employee having such interest in legislation, he or she shall notify the Borough Secretary who shall forward a copy of said notice to each member of Council at least three (3) days prior to the Council meeting on the legislation and such notice shall be made part of the official records. In the event said interest occurs after the Council meeting, the public official or employee shall notify the Borough Secretary prior to the time of the Council meeting when action is to be taken upon said legislation. Said disclosure shall be announced by the presiding officer of Council.
D. 
Where there is a financial interest by any member of Council or other public official or public employee in any award, contract, lease, case, claim, decree or judgment, other than legislation, the person having such interest, prior to any borough action thereon, shall notify, by registered or certified mail, the Director of the pertinent department, authority, board or commission, and the Board of Ethics which shall maintain a public record of such notices, and the Borough Secretary, who shall forward a copy of said notice to each member of Council and the Mayor.
A. 
No public official or public employee or family member of a public official or public employee of the borough shall accept a gift, as defined in the definitions of this section,[1] from:
(1) 
A person seeking to obtain a contract, grant, loan employment or any financial relationship from the borough.
(2) 
A person or business having a financial relationship with the borough.
(3) 
A person or business whose operations or activities are regulated or inspected by the borough.
(4) 
A principal and/or attorney in proceedings in which the borough is an adverse party.
(5) 
A person who has an interest that may be substantially affected by the performance or nonperformance of any public official's or public employee's official duties.
[1]
Editor's Note: See § 24-3 above.
B. 
Exceptions. The prohibitions imposed by Subsection A shall not apply to the following:
(1) 
Acceptance of a gift when circumstances make it clear that the motivation for the gift is due to family relationship, close personal relationship or traditional practices among close friends such as exchange of birthday and holiday gifts.
(2) 
Acceptance of an award for meritorious achievement from a charitable, religious, professional, recreational, social, fraternal, public service, civic or similar organization.
(3) 
Acceptance of a plaque or memento of nominal value offered as a token of esteem or appreciation on the occasion of a speech or public appearance.
(4) 
Acceptance of small tokens or favors given to everyone attending a function or celebrating an occasion.
(5) 
Acceptance of a legal political contribution made to and reported by a duly registered campaign committee. However, there shall not have been an understanding that the contribution was for the purpose of influencing a vote, action or judgment of the public official or public employee.
(6) 
Acceptance of unsolicited advertising or promotional material such as pens, calendars and other such items of nominal intrinsic value.
(7) 
Acceptance of food and refreshment of nominal value on very infrequent occasions in the ordinary course of a luncheon or dinner meeting or other meeting.
A. 
No public official or public employee shall engage in, solicit, negotiate for or promise to accept private employment or render his or her services for private interests or conduct a private business when this employment, service or business creates a conflict of interest or impairs the proper discharge of his or her duties.
B. 
Full-time paid public employees shall provide written a notification of acceptance of a secondary, paid position to their supervisor or Director. Included in this notification should be the name of the secondary employer and the employee's intended job classification and duties. Secondary employment may be undertaken only when not in conflict with the conditions of employment or regulations promulgated by the borough.
C. 
Full-time paid public officials and public employees may not engage in full-time outside employment.
D. 
No person who has served as a public official or public employee, whether paid or unpaid, within a period of two (2) years after termination of his or her employment or service, shall appear before any borough board, commission, authority, department or public official or employee on behalf of any person, firm, corporation or other entity, or receive compensation for any services rendered on behalf of any person, firm, corporation or other entity, in relation to any case, proceeding, application, business dealings or other matter with the borough, unless prior approval for such action shall be granted by the Board of Ethics.
E. 
A person who has served as a public official or public employee, whether paid or unpaid, shall be barred for a period of four (4) years after termination of his or her employment or service from any participation in, receipt of any compensation related to, representation in or consultation on any case, proceeding, application, legislation, contract or other matter with the borough with which, during his or her employment, he or she was directly concerned, or which was under his or her active participation or with respect to which knowledge or information was made available to him or her, unless prior approval for such action shall be granted by the Board of Ethics.
A. 
Contacting public officials or public employees directly or through intermediaries in order to obtain preferential consideration for employment with the borough shall disqualify the candidate for consideration.
B. 
No public official or public employee shall exert his or her influence to gain or attempt to gain preferential treatment on behalf of an applicant for employment with the borough.
A. 
No public official or public employee shall grant, offer or provide any privilege beyond that which is available to every other person or business.
B. 
No public official or public employee shall in any manner receive benefit from the profits of any contract, job, work or service for the borough, or accept any service or thing of value directly or indirectly upon more favorable terms than those granted to the public generally, from any person, firm, authority, corporation or other entity having dealings with the borough.
C. 
No public official or public employee shall solicit or receive any compensation, gratuity or other thing of value for any act done in the course of public work.
No person shall, directly or indirectly, communicate in any way with any member of any board, court, authority or commission of the borough as to any adjudicative or other matter which is, or which may reasonably be expected to be, pending before such board, court, authority or commission, unless a full disclosure of such communication is simultaneously made available to the other party or parties in interest with respect to such matter. This shall not apply to any communication by any public official or public employee in the performance of his or her official duties.
No public official or public employee shall use his or her official influence to assist any person for a fee or other compensation other than the compensation that is provided by law. The performance of usual and customary constituent services without additional compensation does not constitute the use of prestige of office for private gain. For the purposes of this section, "fee" shall be defined as "gift" and includes political contributions.
No public official or public employee shall request, or permit the use of, or use, any borough motor vehicles, equipment, materials or property except in the conduct of official borough business.
A. 
No public official shall require any public employee to engage in any campaign activities related to the election of any candidate or candidates.
B. 
No public employee shall solicit, collect, control, distribute or use political contributions or sell tickets, chances or raffles or solicit services on behalf of any political party, political committee, candidate or candidates, except himself or herself when seeking office.
C. 
No public official shall solicit any contributions, assessments, services, tickets or raffle sales or funds on behalf of any political party, political committee, candidate or candidates from any public employee.
D. 
No public official or public employee shall use any public property, material or resources on behalf of any political party, political committee, candidate or candidates or use his or her official authority or influence for the purpose of interfering with an election or affecting the results thereof.
E. 
No public employee shall engage in any type of political activity during working hours and shall never engage in such activity on borough property.
F. 
A public employee who desires to undertake any political activity restricted by this section may take a leave of absence without pay.
After the effective date of this chapter, no family member of an elected official shall be permitted to obtain employment with the Borough of Wilkinsburg or any municipal Authority which receives funds from the borough. There shall be three (3) exceptions to this rule:
A. 
In the event the family member is employed by the borough prior to the elected official obtaining office.
B. 
In the event an individual who is employed by the borough becomes a family member of an elected official.
C. 
For good cause shown, as determined by the Board of Ethics. "Good cause" shall be found to be a showing that the borough would suffer a hardship as a result of the prohibition, or similar set of circumstances.