Eugene Charter - 2002 - Laserfiche WebLink

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Eugene Charter (c) more. has been physically unable to function as mayor for 30 days or Section 14. Council - Ethics and Conflicts of Interest. (1) The purpose of city government is to serve the public. City officials shall treat their office as a public trust. The city's powers and resources shall be used for the benefit of the public rather than for any official's personal benefit. City officials shall afford even- handed consideration and treatment to all citizens. (2) The council shall, by ordinance, enact a code of ethics applicable to the mayor, councilors, the city manager, and any others designated by council. At a minimum, the code shall provide that any official subject to the code must disclose the reason for any potential or actual conflict of interest and may not discuss, debate or vote as a public official on any matter in which the official has an actual conflict of interest. (3) No elected city official shall discuss, debate or vote as a public official on any decision regarding a contract, the expenses of which are to be paid with city funds, if any of the following persons has a financial interest in the contract: the official; the official's spouse or domestic partner; or the parent, sibling or child of the elected official, the official's spouse or the official' s domestic partner. In addition, no elected city official shall discuss, debate or vote on any such decision if the official knows that the official's business associate has a financial interest in the contract. For purposes of this provision, "financial interest" includes any reasonable, objective expectation of financial gain or avoidance of financial detriment. (4) The council shall define by ordinance the terms "domestic partner" and "business associate" for purposes of subsection (3) of this section. (5) Any contract with respect to which an elected official violates subsection (3) of this section is voidable at the discretion of the council. (6) Any elected official who violates the code of ethics adopted pursuant to subsection (2) or the prohibitions of subsection (3) of this section may be removed from his or her position upon a finding by the council that the official committed the violation intentionally and for the purpose of obtaining or maintaining a personal financial benefit for, or avoiding a financial detriment to, any of the persons listed in subsection (3) of this section. Section 15. Council - Immunity. No member of the council or the mayor may be held liable, or questioned in any other place, for words uttered in debate in the council. Section 16. Chapter IV City Mana;~er City Manager. (1) (a) The city council shall appoint a city manager and fix his or her compensation and conditions of employment. -3- 12/5/2002