Tuesday, March 12, 2024–9:06 a.m.

-David Crowder, WRGA News-

A new ethics code for the City of Rome was put onto first reading during Monday’s Rome City Commission meeting, with adoption slated for the commission’s next meeting on March 25.

The code applies to members of the city commission, the city attorney, assistant city attorneys, and municipal judges.

“This is something we have been working on going back into 2023,” said Rome Mayor Craig McDaniel. “So, we will have this as a first reading tonight, and we will vote on it in two weeks.”

Areas covered by the code include the acceptance of gifts, conflicts of interest, use of public property, coercion by city officials, voting on matters of personal interest, unauthorized use of city staff, restrictions on contracts with former city officials, improper use of official non-public information, unauthorized attempts to bind the city, improper influence in city judicial matters, retaliatory action against city employees, and restrictions on compensation or other employment.

It also outlines investigative procedures, hearings, and penalties.

You can read the proposed code of ethics here.