Editor, On Oct. 26, a resolution was signed at a public meeting in Ludowici City Hall. The mayor, four council members and the city clerk signed the document. The code of ethics is a state law under Georgia Code Title 45 (OCGA 45-10-1) for public officers and employees.
Here is the Code of Ethics for Government Service:
“Put loyalty to the highest moral principles and to the city above loyalty to persons or departments;
“Uphold the charter, ordinances, resolutions and regulations of the city and never be a party to their evasion;
“Perform a full day’s work for a full day’s pay; giving to the performance of your duties your earnest effort and best thought;
“Seek to find and employ more efficient and economical ways of getting tasks accomplished;
“Never discriminate unfairly by the dispensing of special favors or privileges to anyone, whether for pay or not; and never accept, for self or family, favors or benefits under circumstances that might be construed by reasonable persons as influencing the performance of governmental duties;
“Make no private promises of any kind binding upon the duties of office;
“Never use any information received confidentially in performance of duties as a means for making private profits;
“Expose corruption wherever discovered;
“Uphold these principals ever conscious that public office is a public trust.
“Employees qualifying as a candidate for public office must take leave of absence or leave upon qualifying until after the general election upon which that candidate qualified.”
It is time for us to hold our elected officials responsible for their actions and not allow the same old politics. I urge you, as citizens, to attend the meetings, which should be held — as stated in the charter — in the evening for convenience of the working public.
The same document states under “prohibited political activities” that employees are prohibited from engaging in the following political activities:
• Political activities of any nature during work hours.
• Political activities of any nature while on work premises.
• Solicitation of other employees for any political purpose, whether or not during working hours or work premises.
• Seeking, using or attempting to use any coercive political pressure to secure for themselves or any other person an appointment, promotion, etc.
 I challenge our new government to abide by these rules in 2012. If you live by God’s law, this won’t be difficult.

— Janis M. Goode
Ludowici