04-02-2018, 07:35 AM
Picking this back up from January...
I met with Council member Ohara and her assistant Barbara Lively several weeks ago and provided her with the Punaweb input on the topic.
Here is the result for review and comment. This is a draft. Before I make my comments I will invite yours. Constructive comments please.
Mahalo,
Rob
DRAFT
AN ORDINANCE AMENDING CHAPTER 2, ARTICLE 15, OF THE HAWAI‘I
COUNTY CODE 1983 (2005 EDITION, AS AMENDED), RELATING TO THE CODE
OF ETHICS. BE IT ORDAINED BY THE COUNCIL OF THE COUNTY OF HAWAI‘I:
SECTION 1. The purpose of this ordinance is to add language to specify expectations of truthfulness and honesty among Hawai‘i County officers and employees, in the Code of Ethics Article found within Chapter 2 of the Hawai‘i County Code 1983 (2005 Edition, as amended).
Elected officials and employees, that provide one on one services to, or conduct one on one interactions with members of the public as part of their daily work responsibilities, are expected to be truthful and honest to the best of their abilities. Accordingly, county officials, employees and all members of county sanctioned boards and commissions shall maintain the utmost standards of personal integrity, truthfulness, honesty and fairness in carrying out their public duties.
SECTION 2. Chapter 2, article 15, section 2-82 of the Hawai‘i County Code 1983 (2005 Edition, as amended), is amended by adding definitions of “Honesty” and “Truthful” to read as follows:
“Honesty is a facet of moral character and is demonstrated through integrity, truthfulness and the absence of lying, cheating and theft. Truthful means stating, telling or expressing accurate and correct facts.”
SECTION 3. Chapter 2, article 15, section 2-83 of the Hawai‘i County Code 1983 (2005 Edition, as amended), is amended by adding a new paragraph (4), to read as follows:
“Section 2-83. Fair treatment.
(a) Officers and employees of the County, while discharging their duties and dealing with the public, shall adhere to the following precepts:
(1) All public property and equipment are to be treated as a public trust and are not to be used in a proprietary manner or for personal purposes without proper consent.
(2) No person in a supervisory capacity shall engage in personal or business relationships with subordinates, which might intimidate said subordinates in the discharge of their official duties.
(3) All persons shall be treated in a courteous, fair, and impartial manner.
(4) Officers and employees shall be honest and truthful, to the best of their abilities, when providing services and/or information to members of the public.”
SECTION 4. Material to be repealed is bracketed and stricken. New material is underscored. In printing this ordinance, the brackets, bracketed and stricken material, and underscoring need not be included.
SECTION 5. Severability. If any provision of this ordinance, or the application thereof to any person or circumstance, is held invalid, such invalidity shall not affect other provisions or applications of the ordinance which can be given effect without the invalid provision or application, and to this end, the provisions of this ordinance are declared to be severable.
SECTION 8. This ordinance shall take effect upon its adoption.
I met with Council member Ohara and her assistant Barbara Lively several weeks ago and provided her with the Punaweb input on the topic.
Here is the result for review and comment. This is a draft. Before I make my comments I will invite yours. Constructive comments please.
Mahalo,
Rob
DRAFT
AN ORDINANCE AMENDING CHAPTER 2, ARTICLE 15, OF THE HAWAI‘I
COUNTY CODE 1983 (2005 EDITION, AS AMENDED), RELATING TO THE CODE
OF ETHICS. BE IT ORDAINED BY THE COUNCIL OF THE COUNTY OF HAWAI‘I:
SECTION 1. The purpose of this ordinance is to add language to specify expectations of truthfulness and honesty among Hawai‘i County officers and employees, in the Code of Ethics Article found within Chapter 2 of the Hawai‘i County Code 1983 (2005 Edition, as amended).
Elected officials and employees, that provide one on one services to, or conduct one on one interactions with members of the public as part of their daily work responsibilities, are expected to be truthful and honest to the best of their abilities. Accordingly, county officials, employees and all members of county sanctioned boards and commissions shall maintain the utmost standards of personal integrity, truthfulness, honesty and fairness in carrying out their public duties.
SECTION 2. Chapter 2, article 15, section 2-82 of the Hawai‘i County Code 1983 (2005 Edition, as amended), is amended by adding definitions of “Honesty” and “Truthful” to read as follows:
“Honesty is a facet of moral character and is demonstrated through integrity, truthfulness and the absence of lying, cheating and theft. Truthful means stating, telling or expressing accurate and correct facts.”
SECTION 3. Chapter 2, article 15, section 2-83 of the Hawai‘i County Code 1983 (2005 Edition, as amended), is amended by adding a new paragraph (4), to read as follows:
“Section 2-83. Fair treatment.
(a) Officers and employees of the County, while discharging their duties and dealing with the public, shall adhere to the following precepts:
(1) All public property and equipment are to be treated as a public trust and are not to be used in a proprietary manner or for personal purposes without proper consent.
(2) No person in a supervisory capacity shall engage in personal or business relationships with subordinates, which might intimidate said subordinates in the discharge of their official duties.
(3) All persons shall be treated in a courteous, fair, and impartial manner.
(4) Officers and employees shall be honest and truthful, to the best of their abilities, when providing services and/or information to members of the public.”
SECTION 4. Material to be repealed is bracketed and stricken. New material is underscored. In printing this ordinance, the brackets, bracketed and stricken material, and underscoring need not be included.
SECTION 5. Severability. If any provision of this ordinance, or the application thereof to any person or circumstance, is held invalid, such invalidity shall not affect other provisions or applications of the ordinance which can be given effect without the invalid provision or application, and to this end, the provisions of this ordinance are declared to be severable.
SECTION 8. This ordinance shall take effect upon its adoption.
Assume the best and ask questions.
Punaweb moderator
Punaweb moderator