DP1

@prefix case104: <http://proethica.org/ontology/case/104#> . @prefix owl: <http://www.w3.org/2002/07/owl#> . @prefix proeth: <http://proethica.org/ontology/intermediate#> . @prefix proeth-cases: <http://proethica.org/ontology/cases#> . @prefix prov: <http://www.w3.org/ns/prov#> . @prefix rdfs: <http://www.w3.org/2000/01/rdf-schema#> . @prefix xsd: <http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema#> . case104:DP1 a proeth-cases:DecisionPoint, owl:NamedIndividual ; rdfs:label "DP1" ; proeth:decisionPointId "DP1" ; proeth:decisionQuestion "Should the municipality fulfill its state-mandated municipal engineer requirement by retaining a consulting firm and designating one of its principals as municipal engineer, accepting the dual-role arrangement and its attendant ethical constraints?" ; proeth:focus "A small municipality, fiscally unable to hire a full-time municipal engineer as required by state law, must decide how to fulfill its statutory obligation. The choice is between retaining a consulting firm whose principal will be designated as municipal engineer — a dual-role arrangement — or pursuing some alternative that avoids the structural conflict inherent in that arrangement. The municipality's decision sets the foundational conditions under which all subsequent ethical tensions will arise." ; proeth:option1 "Appoint a consulting firm principal as municipal engineer on a retainer or fee basis, explicitly acknowledging the dual-role arrangement in writing, confirming the engineer-to-client (not employer-employee) relationship, and establishing in advance that the municipality retains independent authority to approve or disapprove the engineer's recommendations — including decisions about retaining the same firm for capital projects." ; proeth:option2 "Pursue an inter-municipal agreement or regional authority arrangement to share a qualified municipal engineer with neighboring municipalities, thereby satisfying the state mandate without creating a single-firm dual-role conflict, at the cost of potentially reduced service availability and responsiveness." ; proeth:option3 "Appoint a consulting firm principal as municipal engineer without formally establishing recusal protocols, disclosure requirements, or independent approval mechanisms, relying informally on the engineer's professional judgment to manage conflicts as they arise — a course that satisfies the letter of the state mandate but leaves the municipality structurally vulnerable to undisclosed conflicts of interest." ; proeth:roleLabel "Small Municipality (Governing Body)" ; prov:generatedAtTime "2026-03-02T11:24:27.270776"^^xsd:dateTime ; prov:wasGeneratedBy "ProEthica Case 104 Extraction" .