Knox County ethics subcommittee keeps one‑year ban on former officials lobbying the county

Knox County — The Ethics Committee subcommittee voted to keep the existing one‑year restriction barring former county officeholders from personally representing another person or entity for compensation before the county. The rule as written now reads one year; some committee research noted a national practice of a two‑year standard.

At the meeting, Ms. Gibson told members her review showed the "national standard is 2 years," prompting discussion about whether to extend the county's prohibition. Committee members deferred to the majority. Marcus Kennedy said, "I'm Switzerland as well," and Mr. Hilliard seconded a motion to leave the prohibition at one year. The motion passed by voice vote; the transcript does not record a numerical roll call tally.

The provision under consideration is section 4.6, which currently bars a person who has been elected to any county office from representing another for compensation before the governing body of which the person was an officer for one year after leaving office. Supporters of a longer restriction cited the two‑year practice used elsewhere, while others said local circumstances counsel caution.

The decision to retain the one‑year timeframe means the revised Code of Ethics will be forwarded to the full Ethics Committee for consideration without changing the lobbying prohibition. The subcommittee made that referral by voice vote during the same session.