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PROPOSED ORDINANCE AMENDMENT
AN AMENDMENT TO THE COOK COUNTY ETHICS ORDINANCE
BE IT ORDAINED, by the Cook County Board of Commissioners, that CHAPTER 2. Administration, ARTICLE VII. Ethics, DIVISION 2. Code of Ethical Conduct, Sections 2-561 and 2-571 of the Cook County Code is hereby amended as follows:
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Sec. 2-561. - Purpose.
(a) The purpose of this division is to establish the code of conduct for every Official, Board or Commission Appointee, and Employee of the County. All Officials, Board or Commission Appointees, and Employees of the County shall:
(1) Owe a fiduciary duty to the County;
(2) Treat members of the public with respect and be responsive and forthcoming in meeting their requests for information;
(3) Protect the County’s interests when contracting for outside services;
(4) Put forth honest effort in the performance of their duties;
(5) Conduct business on behalf of the County in a financially responsible manner;
(6) Protect and conserve County property and assets, and use County property and assets for authorized purposes or activities;
(7) Adhere to all applicable laws and regulations; and
(8) Report any violations, suspected violations, or other misconduct under this article to the Board of Ethics or the Office of the Independent Inspector General of Cook County in a timely manner.
(b) This division is not intended to, and does not, create any right or benefit, substantive or procedural, enforceable at law or in equity by any party against the County, its departments, agencies, or entities, its officers, employees, or agents, or any other person.
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Sec. 2-571. - Fiduciary duty.
(a) Officials and employees shall at all times in the performance of their public duties owe a fiduciary duty to the County. Board or commission appointees appointed under County Ordinance owe a fiduciary duty to the County in the performance of their public duties and appointed board or commission appointees appointed under State Statute owe a fiduciary duty to the members of the public for which they have been appointed to serve.
(b) The fiduciary duty owed by officials, Board or commission appointees and employees shall include the following duties:
(1) Avoid the appearance of impropriety;
(2) Comply with laws and regulations by avoiding both the violation of any applicable law or regulation and the creation of a strong risk of a violation of any other law or regulation;
(3) Conserve County property and assets and avoid their wasteful use;
(4) Conduct business on behalf of the County in a financially responsible manner;
(5) Protect the County’s best interests when contracting for outside services; and
(6) Report any violations, suspected violations, or other misconduct under this article to the Board of Ethics or the Office of the Independent Inspector General of Cook County in a timely manner.
Effective Date: This Ordinance shall take effect immediately upon passage.
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