From the Daily Herald

County board set to vote on tougher ethics ordinance

By Robert Sanchez Daily Herald Staff Writer
Months after adopting a state-imposed ethics ordinance, the DuPage
County Board is poised to take it a step further.
Board members next week are expected to vote on a list of additions
to the minimum ethics ordinance required by the state. It's something
they promised to do since adopting the original ethics rules in May.
"We want our employees and other elected officials to know that
we are serious about making sure that county business is county business
and that political business is political business - and they are not
to be mingled," said board member Roger Jenisch of Bloomingdale.
The proposed additions, which a county committee reviewed on Tuesday,
include a requirement that no-bid contractors seeking contracts of
$15,000 or greater disclose campaign contributions of more than $1,000
they've made to officials who vote on contracts.
Officials also would be required to abstain from votes on matters
where a conflict exists "because they or their firm would get a financial
benefit."
In addition, officials are recommending annual ethics training for
all employees. An ethics officer, investigator general and a five-member
ethics commission would be created.
By expanding what the state requires, county leaders say they hope
to draft "a stronger, more comprehensive ordinance."
"This is not just a paper tiger," said board member John Noel of
Glen Ellyn. "We've got fines in here of $5,000. So you either pay
attention to this ethics ordinance and follow it, or you are going
to have some substantial fines."
Noel said it's especially important to have a strict ethics ordinance
in a county like DuPage, where Republicans have lopsided control of
county government.
"Government and politics are two separate things," Noel said. "And
we are here to have an ethics ordinance that makes it clear that people
on government time in government buildings are not doing political
work."
One suggested addition to the ordinance bars solicitation of employees
during working hours and on county property.
"We don't want to deal with issues such as elected officials forcing
their employees to buy or sell on their behalf and do fund-raising
when they are on county time," Jenisch said.
To prevent ethics violations, candidates and elected officials would
be able to consult with the independent ethics officer for advice.
Plans also call for the ethics commission to have three Republican
members and two Democrats.