Councilwoman Hart Proposes Ethics Resolution for Elected Officials and City Employees

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The following Ethics Resolution was proposed by Melody Joy Hart to Cleveland Heights City Council on March 15, 2021. During that meeting, the resolution was supported by 5 out of 6 council members and it will likely be voted on at the next Cleveland Heights City Council meeting.

Updated 3/16/2021, 6:34 p.m.

Because elected officials and other employees of the City must maintain a high standard of ethics and because it must not appear that the city is favoring any candidate for public office, the City Council adopts the following rules governing members of City Council, the Mayor, and all other City officials;

  1. No one may attach the city’s logo or any branding (i.e. tagline, etc.) to any publication, website, or social media site or use the logo or branding during any event that is not officially sponsored by the City of Cleveland Heights as evidenced by either a vote of Council or an approval by the Mayor; and

  2.  No one may attach the city’s name – i.e. City of Cleveland Heights - to any publication, website, or social media site or use the logo during any event that is not officially sponsored by the City of Cleveland Heights as evidenced by either a vote of Council or an approval by the Mayor; and

  3. Every effort, including disclaimers where appropriate, must be made to make it clear to participants in non-city sponsored events that the event – whether educational or political – is not sponsored by nor sanctioned by the City of Cleveland Heights; and

  4. No candidate for elected office in the city may be a host or primary speaker at a city sponsored event during the relevant election cycle; 

  5. If an individual uses the title of Vice President of Council or President of Council or Councilperson during an event that is not city sponsored, extra care must be taken to ensure the public and participants are aware that they are not acting in their official capacity for the city.

It is expected that all elected and appointed officials shall follow these rules and any violation may subject the person accused of violating this resolution to disciplinary action by Council.

Pam Turos