Excerpt from Code of Ordinances, City of Norman, Chapter- 7.5 Elections
Sec. 7.5-22. - Campaign statements filing.
Each candidate for nomination or election to the Office of Council Member or Mayor and any committee acting on behalf of or in opposition to a candidate shall file a campaign statement no later than 12:00 noon on the Friday preceding each Municipal or Municipal runoff election in which he or she is a candidate, a supplemental campaign statement no later than 12:00 noon on the Monday preceding each election in which he or she is a candidate, and a final campaign statement within thirty (30) days subsequent to the final election. The supplemental campaign statement shall not be required to be filed by any candidate who has no additional campaign contributions or expenditures to report since the filing of the initial campaign statement. Any such statements shall be filed in the office of the City Clerk during regular business hours. If the time for filing expires on a Sunday or on a holiday, the statement may be filed on the next regular business day.
Sec. 7.5-23. - Campaign statement contents and preservation of records.
(a) Each campaign statement filed pursuant to section 7.5-22 shall contain the following information:
(1) The cumulative total amount of all contributions received and expenditures made or contracted for by the candidate or any committee or individual on behalf of the candidate during the campaign period preceding each election in which he or she is a candidate; contribution received and expenditure made in aid of the candidate during the period beginning with the date of the earliest contribution received or expenditure made, whichever is earlier; and in the final statement any contributions received and expenditures made which have not previously been declared, including contributions received and expenditures made, if any, subsequent to the general election. It is the intent of this section that statements filed on Friday preceding each election shall be as nearly as possible a total accounting of all money expended in the candidate's campaign; and the candidate shall make every diligent effort to include in each campaign statement any bills outstanding, costs of merchandise or services ordered but not yet paid for, and all expenses of any kind incurred or to be incurred on behalf of the candidate in that election.
(2) The full name, complete mailing address and occupation, if any, of any person from whom a contribution or contributions in excess of fifty dollars ($50.00) was received and the amount received from that contributor. Any contribution in excess of fifty dollars ($50.00) made by one person, which is a collection of contributions from several persons, shall be reported as a contribution from that person. The report shall also contain the names, complete mailing addresses and occupations, and the amounts, of the contributions of those persons who made a contribution as part of the collection regardless of the amount of their individual contribution.
(3) The full name and complete mailing address of each person to whom an expenditure or expenditures have been made or contracted for, together with the total amount contracted for or paid to such person and a brief description of the goods, services or facilities provided.
(b) Where goods, materials, services, facilities or anything of value other than money is contributed or expended, the monetary value thereof shall be the fair market value and such fair market value shall be included in the candidate's list of contributions and expenditures.
(c) Loans of money, property, or other things made to a candidate or committee during the period covered by the campaign statement shall be reported separately in the statement.
(d) No person may contribute more than five hundred dollars ($500.00) per candidate in City Council races. Limitations in the Mayor's race will remain unchanged and be governed by state rules.
(e) Candidates shall be required to preserve all records, accounts, bills, receipts, books, papers, and other documents necessary regardless of physical form or characteristic, to substantiate the reports required to be filed by a candidate or committee as set forth herein related to campaign contributions and expenditures for a period of one (1) year from the date of election in which they are a candidate.
Sec. 7.5-24. - Verification of campaign statement.
Each campaign statement filed by a candidate shall be verified or affirmed before an Oklahoma Notary Public or other Oklahoma official authorized to administer oaths or affirmations and shall include, in addition to other requirements set by this article, an assertion that the candidate has read the campaign statement and that it is true and complete to the best of the candidate's knowledge.
Sec. 7.5-25. - Duties of the City Clerk.
The City Clerk shall:
(1) Supply appropriate forms for campaign statements required by this article to all candidates and committees and other persons required to file such campaign statements;
(2) Furnish written instructions explaining the duties of candidates and committees under the provisions of this article, including required closing and filing dates for all campaign statements;
(3) Examine all campaign statements filed in the Clerk's office pursuant to this article and check for irregularities that do not meet the requirements of this article. (Acceptance of the statement by the City Clerk shall not constitute approval of said statement);
(4) Notify promptly all persons known to have failed to file a statement in the form or at the time required;
(5) Refer all apparent irregularities or failures to file required statements to the Enforcement Authority for subsequent action;
(6) Cooperate with the Enforcement Authority;
(7) Maintain a current list of all campaign statements on file in the City Clerk's office;
(8) Preserve each campaign statement for at least four (4) years from the date upon which it was required to be filed;
(9) Make statements available for public inspection as soon as practicable during regular business hours;
(10) Provide copies of filed campaign statements (contributions and expenditures) or parts of statements at a normal charge;
(11) Distribute without fees or charge to each candidate or campaign committee one (1) copy of the election code of the State and one (1) copy of all city ordinances relating to election campaign matters and all blank forms required for campaign statements.
Sec. 7.5-26. - Duties of the Enforcement Authority.
In addition to any other duties designated by the terms of this article, the Enforcement Authority shall:
(1) Enforce the provisions of this article;
(2) Cooperate with the City Clerk in preparing the design and content of appropriate forms for campaign statements required by this article;
(3) Cooperate with the City Clerk in the preparation and publication of written instructions explaining the duties of person and committees under this article;
(4) Determine whether the statements required to be filed under this article and also the statements required to be filed by State Statute in the Office of the City Clerk have been properly filed;
(5) To review, compare and examine for inconsistencies or other deficiencies all statements filed in the Office of the City Clerk, including forms required to be filed under this article and also State forms required to be filed in the Office of the City Clerk by the applicable State Statutes;
(6) Investigate any substantial discrepancy, including, but not limited to, total expenditures listed in campaign statements filed before the election and expenditures listed in statements filed after the election;
(7) Make a public report to the City Council within forty (40) days after each election and ninety (90) days after the final election, including, but not limited to, ongoing investigations, violations of this article and violations of the election laws of the State of Oklahoma.
(8) Recommend or advise the City Council on possible changes as needed to this article.
Sec. 7.5-27. - Enforcement Authority procedure.
(a) Any person who believes that a violation of any portion of this article has occurred may, within fourteen (14) days after the date in which the final report is filed, file a complaint, verified before an Oklahoma Notary Public or other Oklahoma official authorized to administer oaths or affirmations, with the Office of the City Clerk. For the purpose of this subsection, the fourteen-day filing period shall begin to run following the day on which a candidate files his final report. If the Enforcement Authority determines that there is reason to believe that a violation of this article has occurred, it shall make an investigation.
(b) Whenever the Enforcement Authority has reason to believe a willful violation of this article has occurred, it will send its documentation to the City Attorney with a recommendation for the appropriate legal action to prevent further violations and to punish the offender(s).
(c) Whenever the Enforcement Authority has reason to believe a willful violation of the State Election Laws has occurred, it shall send its documentation to the District Attorney of Cleveland County with a recommendation for appropriate legal action to prevent further violations of the State Election Laws and to punish the offender(s).
(d) The Enforcement Authority shall cause notice of its meetings to be mailed to each candidate required to file statements with the Authority for the current municipal election. This notice shall be accomplished by mailing to the candidate, at the address of the candidate on file in the Office of the City Clerk, a copy of the agenda setting forth the date, time and place of the meeting of the Authority and the matters to be covered at the meeting.
(e) The Enforcement Authority may at any time demand and shall be furnished records of campaign contributions and expenses of a candidate or committee. The Enforcement Authority shall also call a candidate or candidates before the Authority for the purpose of discussing any irregularities or inconsistencies in the candidate's filings.
Sec. 7.5-28. - Penalties.
(a) Any person who knowingly or willfully violates any section of this article is guilty of a misdemeanor. In addition to other penalties provided by law, any knowing or willful failure to report contributors, contributions and/or expenditures done with intent to mislead or deceive, and any falsification of an invoice, bill or statement of account done with intent to mislead, or deceive, shall be punishable by a fine of not less than fifty dollars ($50.00) nor more than seven hundred fifty dollars ($750.00), and/or sixty (60) days in jail.
(b) If, after the election of a candidate to a City office, the candidate is convicted of a violation of any provision of this article, such office shall become vacant immediately thereupon or vacant on the date upon which the candidate, if not an incumbent, would otherwise take office. In such event, the vacancy shall be filled in accordance with the applicable procedures. If a candidate is convicted of a violation of this article at any time prior to election, the candidacy shall be terminated immediately, and the individual shall be no longer eligible for that election.
Ethics Ordinance
Sec. 2-103. Council ethics.
(a) Members of the Council shall refrain from:
(1) Making use of special knowledge or information obtained from their position before that knowledge or information is made available to the general public;
(2) Making decisions involving business associates, customers, clients, friends, and competitors
(3) Using their influence as Council members in attempts to secure contracts, zoning, or other favorable municipal action for friends, customers, clients, immediate family members, or business associates;
(4) Actions benefiting special interest groups at the expense of the City;
(5) Appointments of business associates, clients, or employees to appointive boards and commissions;
(6) Repeated and continued violations of Council rules.
(b) Members of the Council shall:
(1) Conduct themselves so as to bring credit upon the City, setting an example of good, ethical conduct for all citizens of the community;
(2) Comply with all lawful actions, directives and orders of duly constituted municipal officers as such may be issued in the normal and lawful discharge of their duties; and
(3) Insuring within their power, the equal and impartial enforcement of all laws, without respect to race, creed, color, sex, or the economic or social position of individual citizens.
Charter Language -- Ehtics
(Ord. No. 0-7475-35)
Section 4. Officer or employees to have no interest in any City contract.
No officer or employee of the City, elective or appointive, shall be interested, directly or indirectly, in any contract or job for work or for material, or supplies, or the profits thereof, or any purchase made for or sales made by, to or with the City, or own stock in any corporation, having any contract or subcontract, for doing any contract, job or work, and all such contracts with such City officers or employees shall be void, and the violation of this clause shall be deemed a sufficient cause for the removal from office or employment, of such officer or employee. For purposes of this section, the phrase "interested, directly or indirectly" shall also apply to a spouse, and shall embrace any ownership interest greater than five per cent (5%).
City of Norman Ethics Policy for City Council, Boards, Commissions, and Committees of the City of Norman adopted April 14, 2009.
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