The second edition of the resource book Local Government Ethics Programs will be put up on the City Ethics website in the next few days. It is updated, improved, and expanded. One of the new features is an extensive list of Best Practices. Here is the list:
Basic Matters
1. Speaking not in terms of personal integrity, but rather in terms of the responsible, professional handling of conflict situations.
2. Recognition, as the basis for local government ethics rules and administration, of the fiduciary duties of government officials and employees, the appearance of their conduct to the community, and how officials’ handling of conflict situations affects the public’s trust in those who manage their community and public participation in the government.
3. Transparency as the default position of the ethics program, with respect to advice, disclosure, and enforcement. Whenever there is confidentiality, an ethics officer should ask the official involved to waive it.
Basic Matters
1. Speaking not in terms of personal integrity, but rather in terms of the responsible, professional handling of conflict situations.
2. Recognition, as the basis for local government ethics rules and administration, of the fiduciary duties of government officials and employees, the appearance of their conduct to the community, and how officials’ handling of conflict situations affects the public’s trust in those who manage their community and public participation in the government.
3. Transparency as the default position of the ethics program, with respect to advice, disclosure, and enforcement. Whenever there is confidentiality, an ethics officer should ask the official involved to waive it.