Welcome to Atlanta Ethics

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NEXT REGULAR BOARD MEETING: Thursday, May 17, 2018 at 6pm EST.
Board Meetings are open to the public and can be viewed live on Channel 26
or online at www.atlantaga.gov. Click here for more information

ABOUT THE BOARD OF ETHICS
The Atlanta Board of Ethics is an independent city agency charged with bringing the City of Atlanta into compliance with the Code of Ethics and instilling a culture of ethics within city government. The Code of Ethics covers conflicts of interest, gifts, and financial disclosure. 

The Board's mission is to build public trust, promote open and transparent government, and foster a strong ethical culture through educating, advising, and enforcing the city’s ethical standards and encouraging city officials and employees to act with honesty, integrity, and accountability.  Its staff provides ethics training to city employees, elected officials, and city board members; gives advice on the city’s standards of conduct; investigates ethics complaints; enforces the city’s ethics law; and monitors the financial disclosure process. Click here to learn more about the Board of Ethics

CITY WELCOMES NEW ETHICS OFFICER
The City of Atlanta Board of Ethics has appointed Jabu M. Sengova as the City of Atlanta's new Ethics Officer. She begins her six-year term of office following confirmation by the Atlanta City Council on February 20, 2017, with approval by the Mayor following shortly after. As Ethics Officer, Ms. Sengova brings her passion, experience and commitment to building a strong ethical culture through enforcement of the City's Standards of Conduct (Code of Ethics). She will provide sound leadership and direction to the City in the areas of advice, training, public education and outreach, financial disclosure, and enforcement. Click here to read the full press release

2017 MUNICIPAL ELECTIONS
The Board of Ethics has limited jurisdiction over election-related issues. The Board's primary jurisdiction concerning elections is based on the code provision that requires public property to be used for official city business, and prohibits the use of public property for private advantage.

NOTE: The City of Atlanta Municipal Clerk's Office is the filing agency for all local Campaign Contribution Disclosure Reports. To view or obtain more information on local campaign reports, please visit www.gaeasyfile.com or contact the Municipal Clerk's Office directly at 404-330-6500.

2017 TRANSPARENT DIAMOND AWARDS
The Board of Ethics and the Ethics Office held the 11th Annual Transparent Diamonds Awards ceremony on May 18, 2017, at City Hall. This year, nine city departments and 40 city boards received the Diamond Award for 100% compliance with the City's financial disclosure requirements. To receive the Diamond Award, every required filer in the department, including former employees, must meet the April 1st deadline for filing. In addition, six departments received the Honorable Mention Award for having met the filing requirement before the grace period, which ended on April 17.

Click here to watch the ceremony (opens in new window)

Pictured left to right: Board of Ethics member, Todd Gray, presents the Diamond Award to Assistant Chief, Byron Kennedy, and Deputy Chief, Chad Jones, accepting on behalf of the Atlanta Fire Rescue Department.

ETHICS OFFICE HOSTS LUNCH AND LEARN ON CONFLICTS OF INTEREST
Nearly 200 city employees attended an Ethics Lunch & Learn Series event hosted by the Atlanta Ethics Office on November 15, 2016, at City Hall. The program focused on issues involving conflicts of interest under the City's Code of Ethics and attendees engaged in an interactive question and answer session led by Associate Ethics Officer, Jabu Sengova.
Click here for to view pictures from the event

ETHICS OFFICER ACCEPTS NEW POST
On April 8, 2016, Atlanta Beltline, Inc., announced the appointment of former City of Atlanta Ethics Officer, Nina R. Hickson, to serve as Vice President and General Counsel. Ms. Hickson served as the City's Ethics Officer from 2012 to 2016. The Board of Ethics sincerely thanks Ms. Hickson for her service to the City and wishes her the best with her new endeavor.

FORMER BOARD CHAIR HONORED
The City of Atlanta, the Board of Ethics, and the Ethics Office honored former Board Chair, The Honorable Shukura Ingram Millender, at the Board's February 2016 meeting. Appointed to the Board by the Gate City Bar Association in 2010 and reappointed in 2014, Judge Millender served as the Chair of the Board from January 2015 until her appointment to the Fulton County Magistrate Court in May of 2015. During her tenure, she was a diligent and committed member and was a key member of the team which recruited, interviewed and selected the second Ethics Officer for the City of Atlanta. She provided sound, well-reasoned advice; interpreted the City's ethical standards in an effective manner; adhered to the purpose and text of the Code of Ethics; ensured that the Board's decisions were based in the law and ensured that violators were dealt with in a firm, and reasonable manner; consistent with the tenets of due process. Her outstanding judgement, strong analytical skills, excellent editing ability, consistency and strength of character will be missed.

 
Pictured left to right: Carol Snype Crawford, Kai Williamson, Jessica Stern, Kate Wasch, and Hon. Shukura Ingram Millender

ETHICS OFFICE LAUNCHES E-LEARNING COURSE FOR CITY EMPLOYEES
The City of Atlanta Ethics Office, in partnership with the Department of Atlanta Information Management, recently developed and launched an e-learning course for city officials and employees. Learn more