At its June 10 meeting, the ICMA Executive Board voted to publicly censure Jack Schnirman, city manager of Long Beach, New York, and to bar Schnirman from membership in ICMA.  

While serving as city manager, Schnirman established a committee to explore the possibility of running for elected office in Nassau County, home to Long Beach. Through a committee called “Nassau Forward,” Schnirman raised funds and created a very visible online presence. This conduct constitutes a violation of Tenet 7 of the ICMA Code of Ethics.

In reviewing the case, the ICMA Committee on Professional Conduct (CPC) concluded that Schnirman also leveraged his position and office with the city for the benefit of his political aspirations. The CPC cited two specific examples. An invitation to a January 10 Nassau Forward event listed Schnirman’s position as city manager and referenced his accomplishments during his tenure with Long Beach. In an interview with the local media held in his city office, Schnirman talked about his successes as city manager and his interest in running for elected office. Schnirman is now a candidate for Nassau county comptroller.

The profession’s commitment to political neutrality, as outlined in Tenet 7, is longstanding. Every edition of the ICMA Code of Ethics since 1924 has reaffirmed political neutrality as a core value of the local government management profession. Every member of ICMA who is working for a local government must adhere to Tenet 7. As noted in the Guideline on Running for Office, “Members shall not run for elected office or become involved in political activities related to running for elected office, or accept appointment to an elected office. They shall not seek political endorsements, financial contributions or engage in other campaign activities.”

Members are encouraged to read the ICMA Code of Ethics and Guidelines. As a member benefit, ICMA provides confidential advice to members who are uncertain of their ethical obligation or who need guidance to resolve an ethical dilemmas. Contact Martha Perego, ICMA director of Ethics at 202-962-3668, mperego@icma.org or Michelle Bailey-Hedgepeth at 202-962-3513, mbailey@icma.org. Ethics advice, information, and the ICMA Code of Ethics is available online.