Nutter presented with award for integrity, ethics

Philadelphia Mayor Michael Nutter has received an award for ethics and integrity in government. The Joan Markman Integrity Award, named is in honor of the city’s late chief integrity officer, was presented to Nutter from the Committee of Seventy Thursday.

In his final weeks of two terms, the mayor said the city has risen above its corrupt pay-to-play culture of the past.

“We continue to make ethics and integrity a priority, and I am very proud as I watched during the campaign that Mayor-elect Kenney upholds those same standards himself,” said Nutter.

Kenney, who also spoke at the luncheon, said he will continue efforts to promote integrity and ethics that Nutter started.

“We are not going backwards, we are going to go forward and build on the things that the Nutter administration began to bring about integrity in government,” said the city’s next mayor.

Kenney has offered the city’s Inspector General Amy Kurland a job in his administration that begins in January.

The Markman Award is presented to someone who demonstrates a strong commitment to integrity, diligence, and transparency on behalf of the City of Philadelphia. The award honors Joan Markman who passed away on Jan. 15 after serving in city government since Jan. 7, 2008.