I. PURPOSE
The City of Santa Clarita has developed the following policy for administration of a Code of Ethics and Conduct.
II. POLICY
A. Purpose
The City recognizes that the proper operation of democratic government requires that decision-makers be independent, impartial, and accountable to the people they serve. At the City of Santa Clarita, we believe ethical conduct requires more than simply complying with the laws and regulations that govern our organization. As members of the City Council, boards, committees, commissions, and employees, we agree to uphold this Code of Ethics and Conduct.
The residents of the City of Santa Clarita are entitled to a fair, ethical and accountable local government which has earned the public’s full confidence for integrity. The City of Santa Clarita’s strong desire to fulfill this mission therefore requires that:
1. Public officials, both elected and appointed, and employees comply with both the letter and spirit of the laws and policies affecting the operations of government;
2. Public officials be independent, impartial and fair in their judgment and actions;
3. Public office be used for the public good, not for personal gain; and
4. Public deliberations and processes be conducted openly, unless legally confidential, in an atmosphere of respect and civility.
For these reasons, the City of Santa Clarita has adopted this Code of Ethics and Conduct for elected officials, and members of appointed boards, commissions, committees, and staff to
City of Santa Clarita
POLICY/PROCEDURE
Number I-15.21 SUBJECT: CODE OF ETHICS AND CONDUCT
ORIGINAL ISSUE EFFECTIVE: 08/15/2008 CATEGORY: LEGISLATIVE RELATIONS CURRENT ISSUE EFFECTIVE:
10/13/202009/23/2025 SUPERSEDES: I-15.1
RESPONSIBLE DEPARTMENT: CITY MANAGER’S OFFICE
STANDARD MANAGEMENT PROCEDURE
assure public confidence in the integrity of local government and its effective and fair operation.
B. Persons Governed by Policy
This policy shall govern all elected officials of the City, appointed officials of the City, Commissions of the City, members of City committees, and employees of the City, whether serving for compensation or no compensation (“Covered Persons”). These persons are also guided by policies, principles and guidelines established by the City and various organizations.
1. Integrity/Honesty
Covered persons will be honest with fellow officials, the public and others. Covered persons shall be prepared to make unpopular decisions when the public’s interest requires it. Additionally, covered persons shall take responsibility for their actions and disclose suspected instances of corruption to the appropriate authorities.
2. Accountability/Responsibility
Covered persons shall hold a high standard and be accountable to the public, stakeholders, and other institutions. Such persons are required to be an agent of the democratic process, thus receive input, explain actions, accept results of the body’s decisions, and engage in continuous improvement. Covered persons are prudent stewards of public resources and actively consider the impact of their decisions on the financial and social stability of the City and its residents.
3. Respect
Covered persons shall treat fellow officials, staff and the public with courtesy and civility, even when there is disagreement on what is best for the community. Covered persons shall actively listen, ask questions, seek diverse opinions and participate in added value discussion for the purpose of consensus building, and make decisions and recommendations based upon research and facts involving staff and stakeholders, taking into consideration short and long-term goals. Furthermore, covered persons shall support a positive work environment for City staff and others who serve the City.
4. Fairness
Covered persons shall be impartial when making decisions, avoiding the temptation to favor those who have supported the covered person and disfavor those who have not.
They shall support the public’s right to know and will promote their meaningful participation in the conduct of the public’s business. Furthermore, covered persons shall treat all persons, claims, and transactions in a fair and equitable manner, and make decisions based on the merits of the issue, with attention to due process.
5. Comply with the Law
Covered persons shall comply with the laws of the Nation, the State of California, and City in the performance of their public duties. These laws include, but are not limited to:
the United States and California Constitutions; United States and California codes, regulations, interpretive administrative findings and relevant case law, City ordinances, and City personnel guidelines and philosophies. These laws include, but are not limited to, topics relating to ethics and conduct, including conflicts of interest, financial disclosure regulations, and campaign finance contribution limitations and reporting requirements. Additionally, certain City professionals are guided by particular rules regarding ethics provided by their professional organizations.
6. Act in the Public Interest
Recognizing that stewardship of the public interest must be their primary concern, covered persons will work for the common good of the people of the City and not any private or personal interest, and they will assure fair and equal treatment of all persons, claims, and transactions coming before the City, including the City Council, boards, commissions, and committees.
7. Fiscal Responsibility
Covered persons shall make decisions after prudent consideration of their financial impact, taking into account the long-term financial needs of the City, especially its financial stability. They shall demonstrate concern for the proper use of City assets (e.g., personnel, time, property, equipment, funds) and follow established procedures.
Furthermore, covered persons shall make good financial decisions that seek to preserve or enhance programs and services for City residents.
8. Conflict of Interest
In order to assure their independence and impartiality on behalf of the common good, covered persons shall not use their official positions to influence government decisions in which they have a material financial interest or personal relationship which may give the appearance of a conflict of interest. In accordance with the law, covered persons shall disclose investments, interests in real property, sources of income, and gifts, and they shall abstain from participating in deliberations and decisions-making where conflicts may exist. (See California Government Code §§ 1090 et seq., 81000 et seq., 82000 et seq., 87100 et seq.; 87407; California Health & Safety Code §§ 33130 et seq.; California Penal Code §68; 2 Code of California Regulations §§ 18700 et seq.)
9. Regulations Regarding Personal Advantages and Perquisites Covered persons shall comply with the requirements of the United States and California Constitutions; United States and California codes, regulations, interpretive administrative findings and relevant case law, relating to the acceptance and reporting of gifts, loans, and other possible perquisites of office. (See California Constitution, Art.
XII, § 7; Gov. Code §§ 3204, 8314, 36501 et seq., 82000 et seq., 87200 et seq., 87400 et seq.; 89001, 89500 et seq.; Pen. Code § 424 et seq.; 2 Code of Cal. Regs. §§ 18700 et seq., 18930 et seq.)
10. Confidential Information
Covered persons shall respect the confidentiality of information concerning City property, personnel or proceedings of the City. They shall neither disclose confidential information without proper legal authorization, nor use such information to advance their personal interests. (See Gov. Code §§54963, 82000 et seq.)
11. Use of Public Resources
Covered persons shall not use public resources not available to the public in general, such as City staff, time, equipment, supplies or facilities, for private gain. Covered persons shall not utilize the City’s name or logo for the purpose of endorsing any political candidate. (See Gov. Code §§ 3204, 8314, 89001, 89500 et seq.; Pen. Code § 424 et seq.; 2 Code of Cal. Regs. §§ 18930 et seq.)
12. Representation of Private interests
In keeping with their role as stewards of the public interest, members of Council shall not appear on behalf of the private interests of third parties before the Council or any board, commission, committee, or proceeding of the City, nor shall members of boards, commissions and committees appear before their own bodies or before the Council on behalf of the private interests of third parties related to the areas of service of their bodies.
13. Advocacy
Covered persons shall represent the official policies or positions of the City Council, board, commission, or committee to the best of their ability. When presenting their individual opinions and positions, covered persons shall explicitly state they do not represent their body or the City of Santa Clarita, nor will they allow the inference that they do.
14. Governmental Transparency Laws
Covered persons are governed by relevant government transparency laws, including, but not limited to, the California Brown Act (Gov. Code §§ 54950 et seq. and California Public Records Act (Gov. Code §§ 79316250 et seq.).
15. Independence of Boards, Commissions, and Committees Because of the value of the independent advice of boards, commissions, and committees to the public decision-making process, members of Council shall refrain from using their positions to influence unduly the deliberations or outcomes of board, commission, and committee proceedings.
16. Positive Work Place Environment
City Council Members, Commissioners and Committee Members shall support the maintenance of a positive and constructive work place environment for City employees, for persons dealing with the City, and for each other as well. These persons shall recognize their special role in dealings with City employees and refrain from creating
the perception of inappropriate direction to staff.
17. Implementation
All covered persons should be familiar with this Code of Ethics and Conduct and embrace its provisions. For this reason, ethical standards shall be included in orientations for City Council Members, Commissioners, Committee Members, and newly appointed officials and staff. Furthermore, copies of this Code of Ethics and Conduct shall be distributed at orientation sessions for all new City elected and appointed officials, and employees.
18. Compliance
The Santa Clarita Code of Ethics and Conduct expresses standards of ethical conduct expected for covered persons, and the public can continue to have full confidence in the integrity of government. The City of Santa Clarita will continue to comply with state and federal laws, and will continue conducting necessary trainings as mandated by the state and nation.
Any violations of applicable laws as referred to in this Code of Ethics and Conduct, which include, but are not limited to, violations of the United States and California Constitutions; United States and California codes, regulations, interpretive administrative findings and relevant case law, may be reported to the appropriate governing agencies. Contact information for relevant agencies is as follows:
City of Santa Clarita City Council
Any person who believes that a City official (i.e. City Council Member or City Manager) has violated this Code of Ethics and Conduct shall report the allegation to the City Council. 23920 Valencia Blvd., Suite 300
Santa Clarita, California 91355
Phone: (661) 259-2489
Fax: (661) 259-8125
Website: https://santaclarita.gov
City of Santa Clarita City Manager’s Office
Any person who believes that City staff has violated this Code of Ethics and Conduct shall report the allegation to the City Manager.
23920 Valencia Blvd., Suite 300
Santa Clarita, California 91355
Phone: (661) 259-2489
Fax: (661) 259-8125
Website: https://santaclarita.gov
City of Santa Clarita City Attorney’s Office
The City Attorney’s Office will investigate all claims of violations of the Code of Ethics and Conduct, as directed by the City Council and the City Manager.
City Attorney’s Office
23920 Valencia Blvd, Suite 300
Santa Clarita, California 91355
Phone: (661) 255-4315
Los Angeles District Attorney’s Office Public Integrity Division The District Attorney’s Public Integrity Division ensures that public and appointed officials will carry out their duties in a lawful, ethical and professional manner. The district Attorney’s Public Integrity division ensures that public and appointed officials - and their subordinates - fulfill their legally mandated duties.
211 West Temple St., Suite 1000
Los Angeles, California 90012
Phone: (213) 257-2475
Website: http://da.co.la.ca.us/pid.htm
Attorney General's Office California Department of Justice The Attorney General’s Office provides leadership, information and education in partnership with state and local governments to enforce and apply all the laws fairly and impartially.
Attn: Public Inquiry Unit
P.O. Box 944255
Sacramento, California 94244-2550
Phone: (916) 322-3360 or (800) 952-5225
Fax: (916) 323-5341
Website: http://oag.ca.gov/
California Fair Political Practices Commission (FPPC)
The Fair Political Practices Commission is to promote the integrity of the state & local government in California through fair, impartial interpretation and enforcement of political campaign lobbying, and conflict of interest laws.
428 J Street, Suite 620
Sacramento, California 95814
Phone: (866) ASK-FPPC
Website: http://www.fppc.ca.gov/
Federal Election Commission (FEC)
The Federal Election Commission administers and enforces the Federal Election Campaign Act (FECA) - the statute that governs the finance of federal elections. The duty of the FEC is to disclose campaign finance information, and to enforce the provisions of the law in respect to limits and prohibition of campaign contributions.
999 E. Street, NW
Washington, DC 20463
Phone: (202) 694-1000 or (800) 424-9530
Website: http://www.fec.gov/
U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ)
The Department of Justice enforces and defends the interests of the U.S. according to the law; to ensure public safety against threats foreign and domestic; to provide federal leadership in preventing and controlling crime; to seek just punishment for those guilty of unlawful behavior; and to ensure fair and impartial administration of justice for all Americans.
950 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW
Washington, DC 20530-0001
Phone: (202) 514-2000
E-mail: [email protected] Website: http://www.justice.gov/ III. EXCEPTIONS
There are no exceptions to the above stated guidelines without City Council approval.
IV. AUTHORITY
By order of the City Council.
Cameron SmythWilliam A. Miranda
Mayor