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HomeMy WebLinkAboutOrdinance 7704 ORDINANCE NO. P7 7 0 4- AN ORDINANCE AMENDING SECTION 43-1C(b) OF CHAPTER 43 OF THE CODE OF THE CITY OF FORT WORTH, TEXAS (1964) , AS AMENDED; SUBSTITUTING THE WORDS "GIFT OR FAVOR" IN LIEU OF THE WORDS "THING OF VALUE" SO AS TO DECLARE THAT IT IS THE INTENT OF THE CITY COUNCIL TO PERMIT THE MAYOR, CITY COUNCIL MEMBERS, AND ANY OTHER CITY OFFICER OR EMPLOYEE, AND THEIR SPOUSES, TO ENGAGE IN BUSINESS ACTIVITIES WITH PERSONS, CORPORATIONS OR ASSOCIATIONS OF PERSONS, SUCH AS TEXAS ELECTRIC SERVICE COMPANY, LONE STAR GAS AND OTHER UTILITIES (1) WHO ARE LICENSED OR HAVE A SUBSTANTIAL INTEREST IN ANY BUSINESS ENTITY THAT IS LICENSED BY THE CITY, OR BY ANY DEPARTMENT, AGENCY, COMMISSION, OR BOARD ON WHICH THE CITY OFFICER OR EMPLOYEE SERVES, OR (2) WHO HAVE PERSONAL FINANCIAL INTERESTS IN ANY PROPOSED ORDINANCE OR DECISION UPON WHICH THE CITY OFFICER OR EMPLOYEE MAY OR MUST ACT OR MAKE A RECOMMENDATION; AND FURTHER PERMITTING THE MAYOR, CITY COUNCIL MEMBERS, AND ANY OTHER CITY OFFICER OR EMPLOYEE, AND THEIR SPOUSES TO ATTEND CEREMONIAL FUNCTIONS, PROVIDED THAT SUCH ATTENDANCE HAS BEEN APPROVED BY THE CITY COUNCIL PRIOR TO THE OCCURRENCE OF THE CEREMONIAL FUN- CTION; MAKING THIS ORDINANCE CUMULATIVE OF OTHER ORDINANCES AND PROVISIONS OF THE CITY CODE; RE- PEALING ALL ORDINANCES OR PROVISIONS OF THE CITY CODE IN CONFLICT HEREWITH; PROVIDING A SEVERA- BILITY CLAUSE; AND NAMING AN EFFECTIVE DATE. BE IT ORDAINED BY THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF FORT WORTH, TEXAS: SECTION 1. That Section 43-1C(b) of Chapter 43 of the Code of the City of Fort Worth, Texas, (1964) , as amended, is hereby amended by substituting the words "gift or favor" in lieu of the words "thing of value", so as to declare that it is the intent of the City Council in interpreting and enforcing the Code of Ethics to permit the Mayor, City Council members, and any other City officer or employee, and their spouses, to engage in business activities with persons, corporations or associations of persons, such as Texas Electric Service Company, Lone Star Gas, and other utilities (1) who are licensed or have a substantial interest in any business entity that is licensed by the City, or by any department, agency, commission, or board on which the officer or employee serves, or (2) who have personal financial interests in any proposed ordinance or decision upon which the city officer or employee may or must act or make a recommendation; and per- mitting the Mayor, City Council members, and any other City officer or employee and their spouses, to attend ceremonial functions, provided that such attendance has been approved by the City Council prior to the occurrence of the ceremonial function; and after being so amended, Section 43-1C(b) of Chapter 43 of the Code of the City of Fort Worth shall read as follows: "No officer or employee of the City, or their spouses, shall knowingly: (b) Accept or solicit any gift or favor, in- cluding a promise of future employment or a favor or service from any person, corporation or association of persons (1) who is licensed or has a substantial interest in any business entity that is licensed by the City, or by any department, agency, commission, or board on which the officer or employee serves, or (2) who has a personal financial interest in any proposed ordinance or decision upon which the city officer or employee may or must act or make a recommendation; provided, however, that the Mayor, City Council members, and any other City officer or employee, and their spouses, may attend ceremonial functions, provided that such attendance has been approved by the City Council prior to the occurrence of the ceremonial function." SECTION 2. That this ordinance shall be cumulative of all provisions of the Code of the City of Fort Worth (1964), as amended, and all other ordinances of the City of Fort Worth, except in those -2- instances where the provisions of this ordinance are in direct conflict with the provisions of such Code or other ordinances, in which instances said conflicting provisions of such Code or other ordinances are hereby repealed. SECTION 3. That it is hereby declared to be the intention of the City Council that the sections, paragraphs, sentences, clauses and phrases of this ordinance are severable, and if any phrase, clause, sentence, paragraph or section of this ordinance shall be declared void, ineffective or unconstitutional by the valid judgment or final decree of any court of competent jurisdiction, such voidness, ineffectiveness or unconstitutionality shall not affect any remaining phrases, clauses, sentences, paragraphs and sections of this ordinance, since the same would have been enacted by the City Council without the incorporation herein of any such void, ineffective or unconstitutional phrase, clause, sentence, paragraph or section. SECTION 4. That this ordinance shall become effective and be in full force and effect from and after the date of its passage and publication as required by law, and it is so ordained. APPROVED AS TO FORM: City Attorney ADOPTED: EFFECTIVE• -3-