10-09-17 Regular Meeting of the La Porte City Council

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Accepting outside employment or compensation that might reasonable tend to impair independence of judgment in performance of the duties for the employee. Making any personal investment that might reasonably be expected to create a substantial conflict between the employee's private interest and duties for the City. Soliciting, accepting or agreeing to accept a financial benefit from another person in exchange for having performed duties as a City employee as a favor to that person. Local public officials (including members of governing bodies or another officer, whether elected, appointed, paid, or unpaid, of any district including a transit authority or district), as well as certain other employees involved with contracting, are subject to the conflict of interest provisions in Chapter 171 of the Texas Local Government Code. Chapter 171 established the standard for determining when a local official has a conflict of interest that would affect their ability to discuss, decide, or vote on a particular item. Other state and federal laws may be applicable to officials and employees in particular situations. Employees are responsible for items formally issued to them by the City, as well as for items otherwise in their possession or control or used by them in the performance of their duties. At the time of issuance, employees will be required to sign certain forms or other documentation evidencing their receipt of property and/or equipment and acknowledging/authorizing that a payroll deduction may be applied in order to compensate the City for the cost of lost, damaged, or unreturned items. In addition to payroll deductions, the City may take any other action it deems appropriate or necessary to recover and/or protect its property. The City property, including city owned telephones, for personal use may be necessary or beneficial to the City. The City may establish separate policies governing the use of specific forms of equipment (i.e. take-home vehicle policies). The City may discipline an employee for the inappropriate or excessive use of City equipment for personal use outside of this or another City policy. Unless otherwise governed by another policy, the personal use of City property should meet the following guidelines: 1. It should be infrequent and of short duration (A short telephone conversation) 2. It should be for a compelling reason and not for mere convenience (A telephone call to arrange with a spouse to pick-up a child after school) 3. It should not interfere with the employee's performance of job duties (The use did not prevent the employee from completing the job duties) 4. It should not result in any additional charge to the City (Long distance telephone charge) 5. It must not be used for personal monetary gain or the employee's personal business (Selling products over the phone or internet) Gifts and Honoraria: An employee may not receive any income or other material gain from anyone outside the City for services provided by the employee in the performance of his or her job with the City. Individual City employees are prohibited from soliciting, accepting or agreeing to accept any gift, gratuity, favor, benefit or anything else of value from any person, organization, or other entity who has done business, is doing business, or seeks to do business, with the City. However, an employee who accepts the following will not be in violation of this policy: an award publicly presented in recognition of public service