Conflicts & Prohibited Sources

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Appropriate dealings and relationships between officials and employees of the City of Atlanta and city contractors, vendors, customers and other prohibited sources play a key role in building an ethical culture which promotes public trust and protects the integrity of city government.

What do you mean by "Prohibited Sources?"

Prohibited sources fall into several categories. They include a person, business, or entity that is:

  • Seeking official action from the city;
  • Doing or seeking city business;
  • Representing a client doing business, seeking business, or seeking official action from the city;
  • Registered as a lobbyist with the Georgia Government Transparency and Campaign Finance Commission; or
  • Has an interest that could be substantially affected by how an official or employee performing his or her official duties.

What do you mean by a "Conflict of Interest?"

Officials or employees have a conflict of interest when they place their own financial or personal interests over the best interests of the city.

Examples

  • The cashier who assists a water customer, who is a prohibited source, with his accounts cannot accept $20 for lunch from the customer in appreciation for the employee's services.

  • A city employee may not send emails or make telephone calls to department contractors and vendors, who are prohibited sources, to raise funds for an employee picnic during National Public Works Week.

  • The city's fire marshal with oversight authority over fire safety inspectors and permits at public venues, such as a nightclub, may not be hired as an in-house fire marshal at one of those venues.

  • An employee in the airport's concessions office cannot develop or approve the specifications for the request for proposal for food and beverage concessions when she is discussing future employment with a concessionaire that plans to submit a bid.

  • A councilmember who is a member of the board of directors of a non-profit organization should not vote on legislation awarding city funds to it.

*Note: The information above is not intended as a guide in any specific situation. For questions about how these rules apply to a particular situation, please contact the Ethics Office.