A conflict of interest, in its simplest form and by its very definition, occurs when your personal interests or loyalties compete with your professional obligations.  The ICMA Code of Ethics references conflicts of interest over 10 times and includes guidelines to address conflicts that may stem from performing your official duty, personal relationships, investments, private employment, giving policy advice, advocating for your personal cause, and confidential information, just to name a few.

The sheer coverage of the issue in the Code serves as one more reminder: it is critical for public leaders and staff to discern when they have a conflict of interest and appropriately address it, keeping in mind their conduct directly impacts public confidence and trust in the organization, as well as the local government management profession.

Sometimes a potential issue is not a conflict of interest in actuality, but it creates the perception of one.  Even the perception of a conflict of interest can be damaging to public confidence and trust for either a member personally or for the organization.  It is crucial for a member to consider how elected officials, staff members, and the community will view the approach to managing any potential conflicts.  ICMA’s ethics director, Jessica Cowles, is available to members for a confidential conversation to discuss the issue, provide advice and can be reached at jcowles@icma.org.

Applicable Tenets and Guidelines

Tenet 3. Demonstrate by word and action the highest standards of ethical conduct and integrity in all public, professional, and personal relationships in order that the member may merit the trust and respect of the elected and appointed officials, employees, and the public.

GUIDELINES

Public Confidence.  Members should conduct themselves so as to maintain public confidence in their position and profession, the integrity of their local government, and in their responsibility to uphold the public trust.

Relationships in the Workplace. Members should not engage in an intimate or romantic relationship with any elected official or board appointee, employee they report to, one they appoint and/or supervise, either directly or indirectly, within the organization.

This guideline does not restrict personal friendships, professional mentoring, or social interactions with employees, elected officials and Board appointees.

Influence. Members should conduct their professional and personal affairs in a manner that demonstrates that they cannot be improperly influenced in the performance of their official duties.

Conflicting Roles. Members who serve multiple roles – either within the local government organization or externally – should avoid participating in matters that create either a conflict of interest or the perception of one. They should disclose any potential conflict to the governing body so that it can be managed appropriately.

Tenet 7. Refrain from all political activities which undermine public confidence in professional administrators. Refrain from participation in the election of the members of the employing legislative body.

GUIDELINES

Elections.  Members share with their fellow citizens the right and responsibility to vote. However, in order not to impair their effectiveness on behalf of the local governments they serve, they shall not participate in political activities to support the candidacy of individuals running for any city, county, special district, school, state or federal offices.  Specifically, they shall not endorse candidates, make financial contributions, sign or circulate petitions, or participate in fund-raising activities for individuals seeking or holding elected office.

Personal Advocacy of Issues. Members share with their fellow citizens the right and responsibility to voice their opinion on public issues. Members may advocate for issues of personal interest only when doing so does not conflict with the performance of their official duties.

Tenet 12. Public office is a public trust. A member shall not leverage his or her position for personal gain or benefit.

GUIDELINES

Gifts. Members shall not directly or indirectly solicit, accept or receive any gift if it could reasonably be perceived or inferred that the gift was intended to influence them in the performance of their official duties; or if the gift was intended to serve as a reward for any official action on their part.

The term “Gift” includes but is not limited to services, travel, meals, gift cards, tickets, or other entertainment or hospitality. Gifts of money or loans from persons other than the local government jurisdiction pursuant to normal employment practices are not acceptable.

Members should not accept any gift that could undermine public confidence. De minimus gifts may be accepted in circumstances that support the execution of the member’s official duties or serve a legitimate public purpose. In those cases, the member should determine a modest maximum dollar value based on guidance from the governing body or any applicable state or local law.

The guideline is not intended to apply to normal social practices, not associated with the member’s official duties, where gifts are exchanged among friends, associates and relatives.

Investments in Conflict with Official Duties. Members should refrain from any investment activity which would compromise the impartial and objective performance of their duties. Members should not invest or hold any investment, directly or indirectly, in any financial business, commercial, or other private transaction that creates a conflict of interest, in fact or appearance, with their official duties.

In the case of real estate, the use of confidential information and knowledge to further a member’s personal interest is not permitted. Purchases and sales which might be interpreted as speculation for quick profit should be avoided (see the guideline on “Confidential Information”). Because personal investments may appear to influence official actions and decisions, or create the appearance of impropriety, members should disclose or dispose of such investments prior to accepting a position in a local government. Should the conflict of interest arise during employment, the member should make full disclosure and/or recuse themselves prior to any official action by the governing body that may affect such investments.

This guideline is not intended to prohibit a member from having or acquiring an interest in or deriving a benefit from any investment when the interest or benefit is due to ownership by the member or the member’s family of a de minimus percentage of a corporation traded on a recognized stock exchange even though the corporation or its subsidiaries may do business with the local government.

Personal Relationships. In any instance where there is a conflict of interest, appearance of a conflict of interest, or personal financial gain of a member by virtue of a relationship with any individual, spouse/partner, group, agency, vendor or other entity, the member shall disclose the relationship to the organization. For example, if the member has a relative that works for a developer doing business with the local government, that fact should be disclosed.

Confidential Information. Members shall not disclose to others, or use to advance their personal interest, intellectual property, confidential information, or information that is not yet public knowledge, that has been acquired by them in the course of their official duties.

Information that may be in the public domain or accessible by means of an open records request, is not confidential.

Private Employment. Members should not engage in, solicit, negotiate for, or promise to accept private employment, nor should they render services for private interests or conduct a private business when such employment, service, or business creates a conflict with or impairs the proper discharge of their official duties.

Teaching, lecturing, writing, or consulting are typical activities that may not involve conflict of interest, or impair the proper discharge of their official duties. Prior notification of the appointing authority is appropriate in all cases of outside employment.

Representation. Members should not represent any outside interest before any agency, whether public or private, except with the authorization of or at the direction of the appointing authority they serve.

Endorsements. Members should not endorse commercial products or services by agreeing to use their photograph, endorsement, or quotation in paid or other commercial advertisements, not for the member’s support. Members may, however, provide verbal professional references as part of the due diligence phase of competitive process or in response to a direct inquiry.

Members may agree to endorse the following, provided they do not receive any compensation: (1) books or other publications; (2) professional development or educational services provided by nonprofit membership organizations or recognized educational institutions; (3) products and/or services in which the local government has a direct economic interest.

Members’ observations, opinions, and analyses of commercial products used or tested by their local governments are appropriate and useful to the profession when included as part of professional articles and reports.

PM Magazine Articles

• Asked and Answered on Conflicts of Interest, Part 2 (September 2024)
• Asked and Answered on Conflicts of Interest, Part 1 (February 2024)
• Be Alert to Conflicts of Interest (February 2023)
• Guardrails for Managing Relationships with Vendors (October 2022)
• Err on the Side of Caution (September 2022)
• Conflicts of Interest (February 2020)

• Seek No Favor (February 2014) 

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The relationship between the manager and the governing body is crucial to the organization’s success.  Honesty, transparency, and authenticity are keys to a productive relationship while dysfunction and trust issues in this relationship will likely inhibit organizational and community well-being.  Since this relationship is so critical to the organization, each of the articles below offers guidance and advice on strengthening the manager-governing body dynamic. 

Applicable Tenets and Guideline

Tenet 1.  We believe professional management is essential to efficient and democratic local government by elected officials.

Tenet 5.  Submit policy proposals to elected officials; provide them with facts, and technical and professional advice about policy options; and collaborate with them in setting goals for the community and organization.

Tenet 6.  Recognize that elected representatives are accountable to their community for the decisions they make; members are responsible for implementing those decisions.

Tenet 10. Resist any encroachment on professional responsibilities, believing the member should be free to carry out official policies without interference, and handle each problem without discrimination on the basis of principle and justice.

Guideline on Information Sharing. The member should openly share information with the governing body while diligently carrying out the member’s responsibilities as set forth in the charter or enabling legislation.

PM Magazine Articles

• Whose Lane Is It? (March 2024)
• What’s on Your Wall? (May 2021)
• Do You Take the Code of Ethics for Granted? (December 2020)
• Ethics on the Global Stage (April 2020)
• Surviving the Election Season (July 2019)
• Ethics Disaster Preparedness (June 2018)
• Making Democracy Work (February 2018)
• Stay in Your Own Lane (December 2017)
• Upstream Challenges (June 2015)

Topics of Interest

Access ethics advice along with real world examples published in P.M. magazine. Can't find your issue and in need of ethics advice? ICMA members can contact Jessica Cowles, ICMA's ethics director, at jcowles@icma.org.