§ 2.78.050 — Core values

2.78.050 - Core values.

The people of the City of Riverside share a set of core values that constitute the guiding principles for the establishment of this chapter. These core values are expressed in the following aspirations: A. To strive to create a government that is trusted by everyone. The public officials of the City of Riverside shall aspire to operate the City government and exercise their responsibilities in a manner which creates trust in their decisions and the manner of delivery of programs through the local government. The public officials shall aspire to create a transparent decision making process by providing easy access to all public information about actual or potential conflicts between their private interests and their public responsibilities. The public officials shall aspire to make themselves available to the people of the City to hear and understand their concerns. They shall aspire to make every effort to ensure that they have accurate information to guide their decisions and to share all public information with the community to ensure the community understands the basis of the officials' decisions. B. To strive to make decisions that are unbiased, fair, and honest. The public officials of the City of Riverside shall aspire to ensure that their decisions are unbiased, fair, and honest. They shall strive to avoid participation in all decisions which create a real or perceived conflict of interest and to disclose any personal interest that could be perceived to be in conflict with the fair and impartial exercise of their responsibilities. C. To strive to ensure that everyone is treated with respect and in a just and fair manner. The public officials of the City of Riverside have a responsibility to make extraordinary attempts to treat all people in a manner which would be considered just and fair. They shall strive to value and encourage input from members of the community and encourage open and free discussion of public issues. They shall strive to have all persons treated with respect as they come before the body on which they serve. They shall aspire to create an atmosphere of genuine interest in the point of view expressed by members of the community even if it differs from their own. D. To strive to create a community that affirms the value of diversity. The public officials of the City of Riverside shall aspire to recognize and affirm the value of all persons, families, and communities within the City of Riverside. They will encourage full participation of all persons and groups, be aware and observe important celebrations and events which reflect the values of the City's diverse population, and provide assistance for those who find it difficult to participate due to language barriers or disabilities. E. To strive to ensure that all public decisions are well informed, independent, and in the best interests of the City of Riverside. The public officials of the City of Riverside will encourage and support research and information gathering from verifiable sources. They will seek to ensure that information provided by the City Government to the public is accurate and clear. They will ensure that all information utilized in the decision making process, except that which by law is confidential, will be shared with the public. F. To strive to maintain a nonpartisan and civic minded local government. The public officials of the City of Riverside shall affirm the value of a nonpartisan council-manager form of government. G. To strive to ensure that all public officials are adequately prepared for the duties of their office. The public officials of the City of Riverside shall commit to participation in all orientation and training sessions which are presented to ensure full preparation for the exercise of their public duties. H. To strive to ensure that appointed members of boards, commissions and committees attend regularly scheduled meetings. Appointed members of boards, commissions and committees of the City of Riverside shall make a diligent effort to attend all regularly scheduled meetings of their respective board, commission or committee. I. Digital communication must reflect the City's commitment to impartiality, fairness, and integrity. Online activity, messages or actions should not create, or appear to create, bias, partisanship, or predisposition on City matters that fall within the subject matter jurisdiction of the public official and are quasi-judicial proceedings.

(Ord. No. 7770, §§ 1, 2, 2026; Ord. 7632 § 1(Exh. A), 2023; Ord. 7328 § 3, 2016)