Link to Lobbyist Registration Form
Link to Lobbyist Expenditure Report Form

Sec. 2-1.2. Lobbyists; registration and disclosure; enforcement.
"Lobbyist" shall mean all persons, firms, corporations (and their staff members) employed, retained or otherwise compensated by a principal or client who, acting on behalf of the principal or client, seeks to encourage the passage, defeat, or modification of any ordinance, resolution, contract, bid award, action or decision of the City Commission; or any resolution, action, decision or recommendation of any City board, agency or committee; or any action, decision or recommendation of the City Manager or City staff during the time period of the entire decision-making process on such action, decision or recommendation which foreseeably will be reviewed by the City Commission, or a City board, agency or committee.

"Lobbyist" does not mean a City employee when acting in his official capacity. "Lobbyist" does not mean any person who merely appears before the City Commission, City board or committee, or the City Manager in an individual capacity for the purpose of self-representation or for the representation of others without compensation or reimbursement to express support of or in opposition to any ordinance, resolution, decision or action of the Commission; or any resolution, action, recommendation or decision of any City board, agency or committee; or any action, decision or recommendation of the City Manager. "Lobbyist" does not mean a person who, pursuant to the terms of a collective bargaining agreement, has been designated, and so recognized by the City as being a representative of a collective bargaining unit composed of City employees.

"Principal" or "client" shall mean the person, firm, corporation or other entity which has employed or retained a lobbyist and pays such lobbyist any remuneration or expenses for lobbying activities in the City.

Commencing fifteen (15) days after the effective date of this section and continuing thereafter, every lobbyist shall, before engaging in any lobbying activity in the City, register with the City Clerk's Office on the forms provided by the City. Every person, firm or corporation required to register as a lobbyist shall register on forms prepared by the City Attorney and shall state under oath the lobbyist's name, business address, the name and business address of each principal and client represented on City matters, any previous principal and client represented who has, at the time of registration, any matters pending where the City is involved, and the general and specific areas of lobbyist interest in any City matter. Separate registration is required for each principal represented. All registration forms shall be public records and open to the public upon the filing thereof.

Commencing December 31, 1993, and annually thereafter, every registered lobbyist shall annually submit to the City Clerk's Office a signed statement under oath listing all lobbying expenditures incurred in the past twelve (12) months on behalf of each of their respective principals or clients represented on City matters. The lobbying expenditures to be disclosed shall include all expenses of any nature or kind for or on behalf of the lobbyist and for expenses for lodging, meals, entertainment and travel of the lobbyist. Such annual disclosure statements shall be submitted on the forms provided by the City Clerk's Office and shall be open to public inspection. Such statements shall be filed even if there have been no expenditures during an annual reporting period until such time as a notice of withdrawal of lobbying activities is filed by the lobbyist with the City Clerk.

At the request of the City Commission, the City Attorney shall investigate any person engaged in lobbying activities which may be in violation of this section or any subsection hereof. The City Attorney shall report the results of the investigation to the City Commission. Upon a finding by the City Commission of a violation by a lobbyist of this section or any subsection hereof, the City Commission may publicly reprimand, censure and/or prohibit such person or firm from lobbying before the City Commission or a City administrative board, agency, committee or City staff for a period of up to but not to exceed two (2) years.
(Ord. No. 01-93, § 2, 1-12-93)
Sec. 2-1.4. Annual lobbyist registration fee.
There shall be a one-hundred-dollar ($100.00) annual registration fee required of each lobbyist who registers with the City Clerk's Office. It shall be the responsibility of the City Clerk to notify each registered lobbyist of the fee requirement and to collect the fees when the annual reporting form is requested from lobbyists covering their previous year's activities.
(Ord. No. 2004-003, § 1, 1-13-04)