Knox County Charter
Section 9.08 Non-Conflict of Interest

A. It shall be unlawful for any member of the Commission, the Mayor, other elected office-holder, or any administrative assistant, executive assistant, head of any division or department of County Government, or any other person employed by the County to vote for, let out, overlook, or in any manner to superintend any work or contract with the County for the sale of any land, materials, supplies, or services to, or by the County, or to a contractor supplying the County, where such person has a substantial financial interest, direct or indirect, as defined by Tennessee Code Annotated, Section 12-4-101, and any subsequent amendment thereto.

B. Any person who willfully conceals such a substantial financial interest or willfully violates the requirements of this Section shall be guilty of malfeasance in office or position and shall be subject to ouster from office or termination of employment. Violation of this Section with the knowledge, express or implied, of the person or corporation contracting with or making a sale to the County shall render the contract voidable by the Mayor or the Commission.

C. Any member of the Commission who is also an employee of the County may vote on matters in which he has a conflict of interest arising from his/her employment with the County if the member informs the Commission immediately prior to the vote as follows: ''Because I am an employee of (name of governmental unit), I have a conflict of interest in the proposal about to be voted. However, I declare that my argument and my vote answer only to my conscience and to my obligation to my constituents and to the citizens this body represents.''

D. In the event a member of the Commission has a conflict of interest in a matter to be voted upon by the body, he/she may abstain for cause by announcing such to the presiding officer.

E. The vote of any member of the Commission having a conflict of interest who does not inform the Commission of such conflict shall be void if challenged by a member of the Commission in a timely manner and ruled to be a conflict of interest by the Chair of the Commission. As used in this Section, ''timely manner'' shall mean during the same meeting at which the vote was cast and prior to the transaction of any further business by the body.