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ORANGE COUNTY <br />BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS <br />ACTION AGENDA ITEM ABSTRACT <br />Meeting Date: June 1, 2010 <br />Action Agee <br />Item No. , <br />SUBJECT: Adoption of a Code of Ethics for the County Commissioners and Consideration <br />of Recommending the North Carolina General Assembly Repeal Portions of <br />Session Law 1987 -460 <br />DEPARTMENT: County Attorney PUBLIC HEARING: (Y /N) No <br />ATTACHMENT(S): INFORMATION CONTACT: <br />(1) Recommended Code of Ethics John Roberts, 245 -2318 <br />(2) Session Law 1987 -460 <br />PURPOSE: To provide the Board of County Commissioners with a recommended Code of <br />Ethics to guide the Commissioners in the performance of their duties and to consider <br />recommending the General Assembly repeal portions of Session Law 1987 -460. <br />BACKGROUND: During the 2009 Long Session of the North Carolina General Assembly, <br />North Carolina General Statute §160A -86 was adopted by both houses of the General <br />Assembly and signed into law by Governor Beverly Perdue. This statute requires that local <br />governing boards adopt a code of ethics. Prior to this action by the General Assembly, the <br />Board of County Commissioners had discussed and attempted to develop its own code of <br />ethics. Former County Attorney Geof Gledhill spent considerable time drafting a model code, <br />but ultimately it was not adopted. Subsequent to the passage of General Statute §160A -86, the <br />School of Government at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill began work on a model <br />code of ethics for the benefit of local governments across the state. The current County <br />Attorney has made revisions to the School of Government model and presents for adoption a <br />recommended Code of Ethics. This more comprehensive Code of Ethics can, if the Board so <br />chooses, replace an outdated and poorly worded disclosure law, Session Law 1987 -460. At the <br />May 6, 2010 Board meeting, the Code of Ethics was discussed and changes were <br />recommended. Attachment 1 reflects those changes. <br />FINANCIAL IMPACT: There is no financial impact associated with consideration of the Code of <br />Ethics. <br />RECOMMENDATION(S): The Manager recommends the Board review and adopt the <br />recommended Code of Ethics and upon adoption of the Code of Ethics discuss whether to <br />recommend the General Assembly repeal portions of Session Law 1987 -460. <br />