Employees shall demonstrate the highest standards of personal integrity, truthfulness, honesty and responsibility in all their duties, assignments and tasks in order to inspire public confidence and trust in the Commission and local government and shall seek to improve the quality and image of Commission and local public services.

Employees hold public positions of trust and shall approach work with dedication and shall strive to understand the purposes, roles, and responsibilities of the Commission and the functions and responsibilities of their individual jobs.

While respecting fully the laws and regulations relating to the public’s right to know and public access to matters of public policy, public business and public record, employees shall respect and protect privileged information to which in the course of their official duties they may have access or be exposed, and employees shall never use privileged information acquired in the course of their official duties to further their personal interests.

Employees shall be dedicated to the concepts of effective and democratic local government by responsible elected officials and shall accept and support the decisions of these local officials concerning the objectives and nature of the professional services to be performed, unless the course of action to be pursued involves conduct which is illegal or violates regulations.

Employees shall avoid any interest or activity which is in conflict with the conduct of official duties and should avoid the appearance of conflict of interest, seeking or accepting no favor, benefit, personal aggrandizement or profit, individually or for family embers or friends, secured by privileged information or by misuse of position, public time or public resources.

Employees shall not directly or indirectly solicit any payments or accept or receive any payments or gifts of material value – whether it be in the form of objects, money, services, loans, travel, entertainment, hospitality, or favors – that may be intended, perceived, inferred, expected or construed to influence them in the performance of their official duties or regard any official action on their part.

Employees shall not engage in, solicit, negotiate for or promise to accept private employment nor should they render services for private interests or conduct a private business, when such employment, service, or business creates a conflict with, impairs or detracts from the proper and faithful discharge of their duties or has the potential for a conflict with their duties or responsibilities.

Employees should never conduct themselves in a manner that gives the impression that they can be improperly influenced in the performance of their professional duties and responsibilities; and employees in the proper and faithful exercise of those duties and responsibilities shall maintain complete impartiality between clients, between member governments, between service providers, between contractors, and between consultants, giving no preferential treatment and showing no favoritism in any manner in conduct of work, performance of services, actions, or altitudes.

Employees shall familiarize themselves with and are responsible for understanding and complying with the laws and regulations under which the Commission and the local governments operate.