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Home My WebLink About05/05/2026 09.E. Distributed at the Meeting■ R y i t r 1 .5 • - • - • -. • • • r • and r •' r • • •` • • and dignity. S '• _ and • r r •! r • ! r ' r d' • • • Icollaborativelyr • • i r r • ` • • ` • • • • • • • and A • • r • • • or A • • • r • •" • i • • • • and 'rl • i • `treated. • ` • • • • •- 1.1,_S • is r r !r r •: • ' • i •: ` • ` `• r •` i r • I• • r r `' • i '• • • 1 • r- i • •i r'i!r •' • 'r • ii` is • i` ,* 4 akin tar ete personal a sacs on in ivi alc unrelated`to their oficial conduct. • Avoid influencing anyone improperly to obtain benefits or special treatment. • Avoid personal remarks that are intentionally offensive or disrespectful. • Listen courteously and attentively during public discussions and treat others as I would expect to be treated. • Remember that written notes, voiceails, emails, and other communications related to City business may be subject to public disclosure, and even private conversations can become public. •- - . - •- . i •. '1 •. • - i i• •i •, if ' • • iii - . • • • f - • • • . - • t - •i f • • IA • Distributed at Meeting: Item# Code of Ethics For Ciy o un ci in em' ``g, Mayor and G�y Employees Introduction .................,,4,,.. r.w......µ.,.u........,...........a_1 Section 1 — Policy ........e.._.,.: w......� t ....... ....... P...,...2 Section 2 — Definitions ........................ 2 Section 3— Personal Gain or Profit... ,,...a.;.......,,.#,.... 4 Section 4 — Conflict of Interest ...,., 4 Section 5 — Acceptance of Gifts...a.. 6 Section 6 — Campaign Activities . 6 Section 7 — Board of Ethics....................a.a.a............... 6 Section 8 — Complaints Against Employees ...............10 Resolution No. 91-54 — Passed April 2, 1991 Amendments Resolution No. 94-179 Passed August 2, 1994 Resolution No. 94-184 — Passed September 21, 1994 Resolution No. 94-188 — Passed November 1, 1994 Resolution No. 96-232 — Passed May 7, 1996 Resolution No. 10-590 — Passed July 20, 2010 Resolution No. 13-646 — Passed September 3, 2013 Resolution No. 13-648 — Passed October 1, 2013 Resolution No. 19-752 — Passed March 5, 2019 Resolution No. 20-782 — Passed February 18, 2020 • The Mayor and City Councilmembers are elected to exercise their discretionary powers pursuant to the laws and the Constitution which may often involve honest disagreement on policy matters; and • In the exercise of these powers the Mayor and the Councilmembers should operate within a framework that will protect the public trust and ensure public confidence in the conduct of elected officials and public employees; and • Good government should operate and conduct itself in an open and impartial manner, and to a standard that ensures an efficient, fair and accountable system; and • The Code of Ethics includes a method to appoint an alternate Board of Ethics member in cases of recusement or other unavailability; and • The Code of Ethics includes sanctions for violations of the Code of Ethics; and • The Code of Ethics grants the Board of Ethics subpoena powers in order for the Board to complete a full and fair investigation of any written complaint before the Board; and • The Code of Ethics provides for the stay of the complaint proceedings during the City Council's consideration of the Board of Ethics application for subpoena power or during any proceeding to compel a person to respond to a properly issued subpoena. The City of Federal Way is committed to conducting its business in a fair, open, efficient and accountable manner. Public Officials and Employees shall conduct their public and private actions and financial dealings in a manner that shall present no apparent or actual conflict of interest between the public trust and that private interest. Each Official and Employee is assumed and expected to act in accordance with all laws and codes of ethics that may apply to his or her position, as well as striving to avoid even an appearance of impropriety in the conduct of his or her office or business. Each Employee should be informed of this Code of Ethics and meet its requirements. Questions regarding its interpretation should be brought to an Employee's Supervisor and the City Attorney for interpretations of this Code and should proceed through processes provided for in the Personnel Policy Manual to act upon allegations of misconduct in violation of this Code. Questions regarding the interpretation of the Code as applied to the Mayor and Councilmembers and allegations of violation of this Code by the Mayor and/or Councilmembers shall be referred to the Board of Ethics through the process established herein. Section 2 - Definitions Throughout this Code of Ethics, the following definitions shall apply. 2.1 Elected Officials For the purposes of this Code of Ethics only, "Elected Officials" or "Mayor" or "Councilmembers" also includes members of City Boards, Commissions, Committees, or other multi -member bodies appointed by the City Council. 2.2 Family Spouse, parent, child, sibling, aunt, uncle, niece, nephew, cousin, grandchild, grandparent or any parent -in-law, son- or daughter-in-law, or brother- or sister-in- law. 2.3 Financial Interest (a) Existence;— A financial interest may be deemed to exist in any of the following situations: (1) A creditor, debtor or ownership interest in any corporation, partnership, joint venture or other entity (including without limitation, ownership evidenced by stock purchase) in an amount or value to or greater than a one percent (1 %) interest in any such entity, or (2) Any paid employee, agent, consultant or officer of any corporation, partnership, joint venture, business or other entity. 2 (b) Exceptions — Notwithstanding the provisions of Section 2.3 (a)(1) and (2), a financial interest shall not be deemed to exist in any component investment within any fund or plan where an owner of an interest in a mutual or other pooled investment fund or in any employee or retirement benefit plan (including without limitation, pension plans, profit sharing plans and deferred compensation plans): 1) has no right to control or influence the selection of component investments; 2) has not influenced the selection of component investments; and 3) has not created or used the fund or plan to subvert the intent of this code. 2.4 Gift A rendering of money, property, services, discount, loan forgiveness, payment of indebtedness, reimbursements from or payments by persons, other than the City of Federal Way for travel or lodging or anything else of value in return for which legal consideration of equal or greater value is not given and received, excluding: (a) Things of minimal value. Minimum value shall be defined as gifts that do not exceed $20 per occasion or $50 from a single source in any given calendar year. (b) Any contribution under chapter 42.17 RCW (Disclosure — Campaign Finances — Lobbying Records). (c) Any informational material transferred for the purpose of informing the recipient about matters pertaining to official City business, and that is not intended to financially benefit the recipient. (d) Any symbolic presentation not intended to financially benefit the recipient. (e) Things of value not used and that, within thirty (30) days after receipt, are returned to the donor or delivered to a charitable organization without being claimed as a charitable contribution for tax purposes; (f) Things of value received in the normal course of private business or social interaction or from family that are not related to public policy decisions or City actions. (g) Payments of enrollment and course fees and reasonable travel expenses attributable to attending seminars and educational programs sponsored by a bona fide nonprofit professional, educational, or trade association or charitable institution are exempt. As used in this subsection, "reasonable expenses" are limited to travel, lodging, and subsistence expenses incurred the day before through the day after the event. (h) The acceptance of a gift on behalf of the City pursuant to City Council rules regarding acceptance of gifts. (i) Admission to, and the cost of food and beverages consumed at, events sponsored by or in conjunction with a civic, charitable, governmental, or community organization. 2.5 Immediate Family Spouse and dependent children. 3