Questions of Note include samplings of informal guidance inquiries received by Board of Ethics’ staff from City employees, officers, and other stakeholders.

1. May a City employee accept a meal offered as part of a business meeting organized by someone who is seeking official action from them?

• Yes. City Code Section 20-604(3)(f) permits City employees to accept food and beverages provided in the ordinary course of a meeting as long as they are provided on-site and are offered to all participants.

2. May a City employee donate to a toy drive organized by a business that interacts with the employee and their City department?

• Yes. The City’s Ethics Code restricts gifts to a City officer or employee. Here, the City employee is giving, rather than receiving, a gift. As a result, even if the business in question is a restricted source for the employee, that restriction does not extend to gifts from the employee to the business.

3. May an individual contribute $3,100 to a candidate for City office on December 30, 2021 and make another $3,100 contribution to the same candidate three days later?

• Yes. The City’s Campaign Finance Law limits individual contributions to a candidate to $3,100
  per calendar year. As such, the contributions the requestor asked about are permissible even
  though they are only three days apart because they are made in different calendar years.