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Hamilton City adopts conflict-of-interest policy to meet state grant requirements
Summary
Hamilton City Council approved a written conflict-of-interest policy May 16 to align local practice with Alabama ethics law and to satisfy requirements for some state grant applications.
Hamilton City on May 16 adopted a written conflict-of-interest policy to reflect state ethics requirements and to meet documentation requirements for certain grant programs.
The policy was presented to the council during a scheduled call meeting. Jeremy, the city attorney, told the council the policy “recognizes what those laws are and that everyone is supposed to follow those laws,” and that written notification of potential conflicts is required in some cases when federal or state money is involved. The council voted to adopt the policy; the motion was made by Sherry and seconded by Scott Robertson, and the mayor announced the measure was approved by the council.
The policy, as described in the meeting, does not replace the state Code of Ethics; Jeremy said the relevant statute is Title 36, Chapter 25 of the Alabama code and that it applies to elected officials, employees and appointees. He told the council the local policy is primarily a formal acknowledgment that the city will follow the law and provide the required written notices when applications for state or federal funding require them.
Council members asked whether the policy would cover other areas such as bidding rules; Jeremy said Title 36, Chapter 25 covers a broad range of ethics topics but that the new local policy is intended specifically to document compliance with those statutes when grant applications require it. The council did not add additional provisions during the meeting.
The council moved on after adopting the policy to consider a separate item related to an application to the Growing Alabama tax-credit program for industrial site work.
The city clerk's office will handle the signed policy document and the city staff said they will distribute a written summary of the policy to council members and relevant appointees.
