7/30/2019 Arnold MO Proposed Civility Ordinance

1/3

COUNCIL CODE OF ETHICS, PROHIBITIONS AND

INVESTIGATIONS

A CODE OF ETHICS, ESTABLISHED

The City Council shall adopt a Code of Ethics. City Councilmembers shall sign this code of ethics no later than the firstmeeting after the new Council is sworn into office. Failure orrefusal to sign the Code of Ethics shall disqualify the memberfrom service on the Arnold City Council, and the City Clerk orother qualified individual shall refuse to swear such memberinto office.

Council members themselves have the primary responsibility

to assure that ethical standards are understood and met andthat the public can continue to have full confidence in theintegrity of City government. Failure to comply with thisCode of Ethics shall be grounds for removal from office. IfCouncil members fail to comply with or enforce this Code ofEthics, the Mayor shall take all necessary steps, includinglitigation, to ensure enforcement of this Code. If the Mayorfails to comply with this Code of Ethics, a majority of allmembers elected to the City Council may take all necessary

steps, including litigation, to ensure that the Mayor complieswith the Code.

PROHIBITIONS

Unless provided otherwise, in ordinance or statute, theMayor and Council are subject to the following:

(a) Holding Other Office. Except where authorized bylaw or pursuant to an agreement between the City andanother entity of government, neither the Mayor norany Council Member shall hold any other City office orCity employment during the term for which he or shewas elected, and no former Mayor or Council Membershall hold any compensated appointive City office orCity employment until one (1) year after the end of his

7/30/2019 Arnold MO Proposed Civility Ordinance

2/3

or her service in the position to which he or she waselected or appointed.

(b) Appointments, Hiring And Removals. Neither the

Mayor nor any Council Member shall in any mannerdictate, encourage or discourage the appointment,hiring or removal of any City administrative officers oremployees whom the City Administrator and Chief ofPolice or any of his or her subordinates are empoweredto appoint or hire; provided however, the CityAdministrator or Chief of Police shall inform the Councilof any person selected by the City Administrator orChief of Police for appointment as a departmenthead/command staff upon such appointment. As a

collective body the Mayor and Council Members mayexpress their views and discuss with the CityAdministrator or Chief of Police anything pertaining tothe appointment, hiring and removal of such officersand employees.

(c) Interference With Administration. Except for thepurpose of inquiry, information or investigation asestablished by statute or ordinance, the Mayor or

Council Members shall deal with City officers andemployees who are subject to the direction andsupervision of the City Administrator or Chief of Policesolely through the City Administrator or Chief of Police,as the case may be. Neither the Mayor nor CouncilMembers shall give any orders to any such officer oremployee, either publicly or privately.

INVESTIGATIONS

The Council may make investigations into the affairs of theCity. In the event the Council determines to conduct aninvestigation, it may do so only upon a vote of a majority ofthe Council then in office, setting forth with particularity thenature of the investigation. In the event the Councilundertakes an investigation, it may conduct hearings, issue

7/30/2019 Arnold MO Proposed Civility Ordinance

3/3

subpoenas to compel the testimony of witnesses andproduction of evidence and administer oaths. Any personwho willfully fails to comply with a subpoena issuedhereunder shall be guilty of a misdemeanor subject to

penalty as provided by ordinance.