Ethics

Ethics Inquiries

Good Words for the Hospital

Q: After the city manager delivered her baby at a local hospital, she and her husband were appreciative of the high quality of care they experienced there. The baby needed special attention, and the manager and her husband thought the nurses and doctors performed exceptionally well. After the experience, the couple wrote to the hospital to thank everyone for their support and the excellent care they received.

A few weeks later, the hospital administrator called to ask if the couple would be willing to appear in an advertisement for the hospital. The county manager asked for advice on whether or not this sort of promotion would pose ethical problems.

A. It would be inappropriate for the city manager to appear in an advertisement for the hospital. The ICMA Code of Ethics has a guideline on endorsements that reminds members not to endorse "commercial products or services by agreeing to use their photograph, endorsement, or quotation in paid or other commercial advertisements, whether or not for compensation."

There are certain exceptions to the prohibition on endorsements. For example, members are permitted to endorse a professional development or educational service as long as they receive no compensation. For more information on the ICMA Code of Ethics and the guideline on endorsements, go to http://icma.org/ethics.

The Supervisor is in the Refinancing Business

Q: The county administrator plans to refinance his home and has asked for proposals from a few banks. One of the county supervisors works for a bank that he has contacted, although the supervisor is a regional manager and does not get directly involved in refinancing transactions. The county administrator asks if he should eliminate that bank from consideration to avoid any appearance of a conflict of interest.

A. The ICMA Code of Ethics does not prohibit conducting personal business with a company that employs one of the county administrator's bosses, although such situations do call for sensitivity. The county administrator is approaching the refinancing thoughtfully by seeking multiple quotes.

If the supervisor's bank provides the lowest quote, the county administrator can disclose the transaction to the board of supervisors so they are aware of his decision and the process. Some local governments and state laws also require that such transactions are included on financial disclosure forms.

For advice on the ICMA Code of Ethics, or to find out more on ethics training and technical assistance available to local governments, call the Ethics Center at ICMA at 202/962-3521, or visit the Web site at http://icma.org/ethics. Calls or e-mails can also be directed to ICMA’s ethics advisers Martha Perego, 202/962-3668, mperego@icma.org, and Elizabeth Kellar, 202/962-3611, ekellar@icma.org.

Learn about the benefits of joining ICMA and receiving PM magazine as part of your benefits package at http://icma.org/join. To subscribe to PM, call 202/289-ICMA (202/289-4262) or e-mail bookstoremanager@icma.org.