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An Ordinance of the County of Allegheny, Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, amending article 1013 of the Administrative Code, which is known as the “Accountability, Conduct and Ethics Code of Allegheny County” in order supplement the provisions pertaining to political activity as set forth in section 5-1013.09o to clarify the term “public employee” as set forth in section 5-1013.03 thereof and provide additional definitions to section 5-1013.03.
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WHEREAS, by Ordinance No. 35-01 the County of Allegheny on April 3, 2001 adopted the Accountability, Conduct and Ethics Code, §5-1013.01, et seq. (hereinafter, the “Ethics Code”); and
WHEREAS, a stated purpose of the Ethics Code is: “Allegheny County's elected and chief appointed officials set the ethical tone and environment that will prevail in the County. It is the special obligation of these officials to set the example of proper comportment [and] to communicate to all County personnel the ethical conduct, that is expected”…Ethics Code, §5-1013.02 B; and
WHEREAS, pursuant to §5-1013-09 A (1) of the Ethics Code, all “covered persons”, including all County employees are to “dedicate themselves to the highest ideals of honor and integrity in all public relationships in order to merit the respect and confidence of the public; and
WHEREAS, recent petition efforts to cause a public referendum concerning the consolidation of the Allegheny County Police under the Sheriff have demonstrated that there is confusion and uncertainty as to the standard of conduct required of County employees under the Ethics Code with respect to political activity; and
WHEREAS, as a consequence, it has been found that considerable tension and friction arose between members of the County Police and the Sheriff's Office, which in turn is found to have impaired the morale of these employees as well as their ability to work with each other; and
WHEREAS, the foregoing undermines the respect and confidence of...
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