A. The city council creates the position of ethics officer. The city council will interview and choose the ethics officer(s) who shall operate under contract with the city of Bellevue. Such selection shall be by unanimous vote, and the ethics officer shall be admitted to the practice of law and shall have sufficient experience and training. The services of the ethics officer may be terminated only by a supermajority vote of the council.

B. The ethics officer will provide for annual review of this code of ethics, review of training materials provided for education regarding the code of ethics, and advisory opinions concerning the code of ethics. The ethics officer shall also be responsible for the prompt and fair enforcement of its provisions when necessary, and shall at all times maintain the impartiality of the office by revealing information provided to the officer only in the context of rendering opinions to the city and its officials and staff as necessary or in response to legal process.

C. The ethics officer, in addition to other duties, shall conduct a review of this ethics code in 2015 and again in 2017 and may recommend changes or additions to this code of ethics to the city council designed to improve the effectiveness and efficiency of processing ethics questions.

D. In rendering opinions under BCC 3.92.070 or 3.92.080, the ethics officer shall consider the Intent section contained in BCC 3.92.010 and in RCW 42.23.010. (Ord. 6110 § 2, 2013.)