The Lawrenceville City Council voted Monday to begin the process of becoming a City of Ethics. To earn a Certified City of Ethics designation from the Georgia Municipal Association, a city must take two actions.
First they must adopt a resolution establishing five ethics principles for conduct by city officials:
- Serve others, not themselves
- Use resources with efficiency and economy
- Treat all people fairly
- Use the power of their position for the wellbeing of constituents
- Create an environment of honesty, openness and integrity.
The second action requires the adoption of an ethics ordinance containing definitions, an enumeration of permissible and impermissible activities by elected officials, due process procedures for elected officials charged with a violation of the ordinance, and punishment provisions for those elected officials found in violation of the ordinance.
The process to meet these requirements is a six-month process that should culminate in June with City of Ethics designation presented at the GMA annual conference.
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