§ 2-206. Gifts.

(a)

No public servant shall accept any gift, directly or indirectly, if he or she knows or reasonably should have known that the gift was given with the intent to reward or influence him or her in the performance or nonperformance of his or her public duties.

(b)

No public servant shall participate in the selection of a vendor or the approval of a contract if that employee has received a gift, directly or indirectly, from someone representing the vendor or a contracting party, including gifts from relatives. Furthermore, no public servant shall participate in permitting or inspection decisions if that employee has received a gift from the permit or inspection applicant/potential recipient or the applicant/potential recipient's principal, including gifts from relatives.

(c)

The following provisions regarding gifts from lobbyists are enacted as more stringent standards of conduct and disclosure requirements than those specified in Section 112.3148, Florida Statutes:

(1)

No reporting individual, purchasing agent, or any person acting on the behalf of a reporting individual or purchasing agent may knowingly accept, directly or indirectly, any gift from a political committee or a committee of continuous existence, as defined in Section 106.011, Florida Statutes, or from a lobbyist who lobbies the reporting individual's or purchasing agent's agency. However, such a gift may be accepted on behalf of a governmental entity or a charitable organization. If the gift is accepted on behalf of a governmental entity or charitable organization, the person receiving the gift shall not maintain custody of the gift for any period of time beyond that reasonably necessary to arrange for the transfer of custody and ownership of the gift.

(2)

The following persons and entities are prohibited from giving gifts to a reporting individual, purchasing agent, or any person acting on behalf of a reporting individual or purchasing agent:

a.

A political committee or committee of continuous existence, as defined in Section 106.011, Florida Statutes;

b.

A lobbyist who lobbies the reporting individual's or purchasing agent's agency; and

c.

A partner, firm, employer, or principal of a lobbyist or any person acting on behalf of a partner, firm, employer, or principal of a lobbyist.

(3)

Notwithstanding the provisions of this paragraph, a person otherwise prohibited under this paragraph from giving or receiving a gift may give a gift to a reporting individual or procurement employee, who may receive the same, if the gift is intended to be transferred to a governmental entity or a charitable organization.

(d)

This section does not prohibit public servants from participating in fund-raising activities for charitable purposes.

(Ord. No. 2007-37, § 1, 6-26-07)