Title
Amending section 24.03(B) of the Saint Paul Administrative Code regarding statements of economic interest.
Body
THE COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF SAINT PAUL DOES ORDAIN:
Section 1
That section 24.03(B) of the Saint Paul Administrative Code be amended as follows:
(B) Statements of Economic Interest:
(1) Finding; designation of local officials: The council of the City of Saint Paul finds that the persons who hold elective office in the City of Saint Paul, or who are appointed to or employed in public positions in the City of Saint Paul, who have authority to make, to recommend, or to vote on as a member of the governing body major decisions regarding the expenditure or investment of public money, are:
(a) Members of the city council and their appointed aides;
(b) The mayor and the mayor's appointed assistants and aides; and
(c) All department directors.
Those persons are designated as the City of Saint Paul's local officials for purposes of this subdivision and Minnesota Statutes sections 10A.01 and 10A.09, as amended.
(2) Requirement to file statements; contents, timing, and form of filing; city clerk to be notified of new local officials: In accordance with this subdivision and Minnesota Statutes sections 10A.01 and 10A.09, as amended, the City of Saint Paul's local officials shall file initial and any required supplementary statements of economic interest with the city clerk on a form prescribed by the city clerk. Supplementary statements are required for each year or part of a year a local official remains in office if any information on the local official's most recently filed statement has changed in any way. Statements must contain all information required by state law and must be filed timely according to state law.
Any City official or employee who nominates or employs a local official required by this subdivision to file a statement of economic interest shall notify the city clerk of the name of the individual required to file a statement and the date of the nomination or commencement of employment.
(3) City clerk to notify local officials of failure to file; sanctions: The city clerk shall notify by registered mail any local official who fails to file a statement of economic interest as required by this subdivision. Except for elected officials and candidates, an individual who knowingly fails to submit a statement of economic interest within seven (7) days after receiving notice from the city clerk shall be suspended by his or her appointing officer.
Any local official who is required to file a statement of economic interest and fails to do so after receiving notice from the city clerk or who signs and certifies to be true a statement which he or she knows contains false information or who knowingly omits required information is guilty of a petty misdemeanor.
(1) Definitions:
(a) "Association." Business, corporation, firm, partnership, limited partnership, committee, labor organization, club or any other group of two (2) or more persons, which includes more than an immediate family, acting in concert.
(b) "Business with which a public official is associated."
1. Any association doing business in Minnesota in connection with which a public official is compensated in excess of fifty dollars ($50.00) except for actual and reasonable expenses in any month as a director, officer, owner, member, partner, employer or employee, or is holder of securities worth two thousand five hundred dollars ($2,500.00) or more at fair market value.
2. Any association doing business in Minnesota in connection with which a public official owes money except for customary household expenses, retail credit accounts and mortgage contracts on the principal place of dwelling.
(c) "Financial interest." Any interest which shall yield, directly or indirectly, a monetary or other material benefit (other than duly authorized salary or compensation for services to the city) to the public official, the spouse of the public official and all minor children within the custody and control of the public official.
(d) "Public official." For purposes of this subdivision, "public official" shall include:
1. Members of the city council and their appointed aides;
2. The mayor and the mayor's appointed assistants and aides;
3. The following individuals for as long as their titles are exempt or unclassified:
Budget director.
Chief of police.
Deputy chief of police.
City attorney.
Deputy city attorney.
City clerk.
City information and complaint officer.
Director of community services.
Director of office of financial services.
Property manager.
Director of human rights.
Director of planning and economic development.
Deputy director-Community development.
Deputy director-Downtown development.
Deputy director-Housing.
Deputy director-Neighborhood development.
Deputy director-Planning.
Director of public works.
Fire chief.
Assistant fire chief.
Labor relations manager.
Director of the office of human resources.
Director of technology.
(2) Contents. A statement of economic interest required by this section shall be on a form prescribed by the city clerk. The public official filing it shall provide the following information:
(a) Name, address, occupation and principal place of business.
(b) The name of each business with which the public official is associated and the nature of that association.
(c) A listing of all real property within the city, excluding homestead property, in which the public official has a fee simple interest, a contract for deed, an option to buy, or any other financial interest, whether direct or indirect, and which interest is valued in excess of two thousand five hundred dollars ($2,500.00). The filing shall indicate the location of such property.
(d) The public official's signature and certification of the veracity of the statement.
(3) Filing. Unless precluded from doing so by state law, a public official or candidate for city elective office shall file a statement of economic interest with the city clerk:
(a) Within ten (10) days of accepting employment as a public official; or
(b) Within fourteen (14) days after filing an affidavit of candidacy or petition to appear on the ballot for an elective city office; or
(c) In the case of a public official whose appointment requires the advice and consent of the city council, prior to the submission of the official's name to the city council; and if there is insufficient time to file the statement before the name is submitted to the city council, within ten (10) days after the duties of the office are undertaken; or
(d) In order to comply with any amendments to this chapter, within fourteen (14) days after the effective date of those amendments or within fourteen (14) days after the city clerk issues revised statement of economic interest forms where such revised forms are necessary to comply with the adopted amendments.
A public official who is required to file a statement of economic interest shall file a supplementary statement on April 15 of each year except those who file a statement during that calendar year under item (3)(a) of this subdivision.
Any public official who nominates or employs a public official required by this section to file a statement of economic interest shall notify the city clerk of the name of the individual required to file a statement and the date of the nomination or commencement of employment.
(4) Sanctions:
(a) The city clerk shall notify by registered mail any public official who fails to file a statement of economic interest as required by this subdivision. Except for elected officials and candidates, an individual who knowingly fails to submit a statement of economic interest within seven (7) days after receiving notice from the city clerk shall be suspended by his or her appointing officer.
(b) Any public official who is required to file a statement of economic interest and fails to do so after receiving notice from the city clerk or who signs and certifies to be true a statement which he or she knows contains false information or who knowingly omits required information is guilty of a petty misdemeanor.
Section 2
That this ordinance take effect and be in force thirty days following its passage, approval and publication.