Athens City Code

1. (1) The city attorney is designated as the ethics officer of the municipality. Upon the written request of an official or employee potentially affected by a provision of this chapter, the city attorney may render an oral or written advisory ethics opinion based upon this chapter and other applicable law.
2. (2) Except as otherwise provided in this section, the city attorney shall investigate any credible complaint against an appointed official or employee charging any violation of this chapter or may undertake an investigation on his own initiative when he acquires information indicating a possible violation and make recommendations for action to end or seek retribution for any activity that, in the attorney's judgment, constitutes a violation of this chapter.
3. (3) The city attorney may request the city council to hire another attorney, individual, or entity to act as ethics officer when he has or will have a conflict of interest in a particular matter.
4. (4) When a complaint of a violation of any provision of this chapter is lodged against a member of the city council, the city council shall either determine that the complaint has merit, determine that the complaint does not have merit, or determine that the complaint has sufficient merit to warrant further investigation. If the city council determines that a complaint warrants further investigation, it shall authorize an investigation by the city attorney or another individual or entity chosen by the city council.
5. (5) The interpretation that a reasonable person in the circumstances would apply shall be used in interpreting and enforcing this chapter.
6. (6) When a violation of this chapter also constitutes a violation of a personnel policy, rule, or regulation or a civil service policy, rule, or regulation, the violation shall be dealt with as a violation of the personnel or civil service provisions rather than as a violation of this chapter.

(Code 1995, § 1-510; Ord. No. 956, 6-19-2007)