[HISTORY: Adopted by the Mayor and Council of the Borough of Totowa 8-13-1991 by Ord. No. 10-91 (Ch. 12 of the 1974 Code). Amendments noted where applicable.]
GENERAL REFERENCES
Boards, committees and commissions — See Ch. 6.
Officers and employees — See Ch. 61.
This chapter shall be known and may be cited as the "Borough of Totowa Code of Ethics."
The Borough Council finds and declares that:
A. 
Public office and employment are a public trust.
B. 
The vitality and stability of representative democracy depend upon the public's confidence in the integrity of its elected and appointed representatives.
C. 
Whenever the public perceives a conflict between the private interests and the public duties of a government officer or employee, that confidence is imperiled.
D. 
Governments have the duty both to provide their citizens with standards by which they may determine whether public duties are being faithfully performed and to apprise their officers and employees of the behavior which is expected of them while conducting their public duties.
A. 
It is the purpose of this chapter to provide a method of assuring that standards of ethical conduct and financial disclosure requirements for officers and employees of the Borough of Totowa shall be clear, consistent, uniform in their application and enforceable and to provide those officers or employees with advice and information concerning possible conflicts of interest which might arise in the conduct of their public duties.
B. 
It is the further purpose of this chapter to implement the provisions of the Local Government Ethics Law, P.L. 1991, c. 29, N.J.S.A. 40A:9-22.1 et seq.
C. 
This chapter is enacted under the authority of the Local Government Ethics Law, P.L. 1991, c. 29, N.J.S.A. 40A:9-22.1 et seq., and under the further authority granted to the Borough of Totowa under the provisions of Titles 40 and 40A of the New Jersey Statutes Annotated.
[Added 4-26-2016 by Ord. No. 06-2016[1]]
The Local Government Ethics Law, N.J.S.A. 40A:9-22.1, et seq., as amended and supplemented, is hereby adopted by reference and incorporated herein, as though the entire provisions of said law were set forth verbatim and at length herein.
[1]
Editor's Note: This ordinance also renumbered former §§ 38-4 through 38-7 as §§ 38-5 through 38-8, and repealed former §§ 38-8 through 38-14.
As used in this chapter, the following terms shall have the meanings indicated:
AGENCY
Any agency, board, governing body, including the chief executive officer, office commission or other instrumentality within the Borough of Totowa and any independent local authority created by or appointed under the authority of the Borough of Totowa which performs functions other than of a purely advisory nature.
BUSINESS ORGANIZATION
Any corporation, partnership, firm, enterprise, franchise, association, trust, sole proprietorship, union or other legal entity.
EMPLOYEE
Any person, whether compensated or not, whether part-time or full-time, employed by or serving on an agency who is not a local government officer.
INTEREST
The ownership or control of more than 10% of the profits, assets or stock of a business organization but shall not include the control of assets in a nonprofit entity or labor union.
[Amended 10-26-2010 by Ord. No. 12-2010]
MEMBER OF IMMEDIATE FAMILY
The spouse or dependent child of an officer or employee residing in the same household.
OFFICER
Any person, whether compensated or not, whether part-time or full-time, who is one of the following:
Mayor
Member of the Borough Council
Borough Clerk
Deputy Borough Clerk
Construction Code Official and/or Zoning Officer
Superintendent of Public Works
Superintendent of Sewers
Water Registrar
Director, Department of Recreation
Chief of Police
Captain, Police Department
Fire Chief
Tax Assessor
Tax Collector
Treasurer, Chief Financial Officer
Borough Attorney
Borough Engineer
Borough Planning Consultant
Borough Auditor
Municipal Judge
Borough Prosecutor
Borough Public Defender
Planning Board member
Planning Board Attorney
Zoning Board of Adjustment member
Zoning Board of Adjustment Attorney
Local Assistance Board member
Director of Public Assistance
Pool Commission member
Member, Totowa Board of Health
Totowa Board of Health Attorney
Board of Fire Commissioners member
Board of Fire Commissioners Attorney
Library Board of Trustees member
Director, Borough of Totowa Library
Any other person who is a managerial executive or confidential employee, as defined in Section 3 of the New Jersey Employer-Employee Relations Act, N.J.S.A. 34:13A-3, of the Borough of Totowa or of an agency created under the authority of or appointed by the Borough of Totowa.
OFFICER or EMPLOYEE
An officer or employee of the Borough of Totowa or of an agency under the authority or appointed by the Borough of Totowa.
Officers and employees of the Borough of Totowa shall comply with the following provisions:
A. 
No officer or employee of the Borough of Totowa or member of his or her immediate family shall have an interest in a business organization or engage in any business, transaction or professional activity, which is in substantial conflict with the proper discharge of his or her duties in the public interest.
B. 
No officer or employee shall use or attempt to use his or her official position to secure unwarranted privileges or advantages for himself or others.
C. 
No officer or employee shall act in his or her official capacity in any matter where he, a member of his or her immediate family or any business organization in which he or she has an interest has a direct or indirect financial or personal involvement that might reasonably be expected to impair his or her objectivity or independence or judgment.
D. 
No officer or employee shall undertake any employment or service, whether compensated or not, which might reasonably be expected to prejudice his or her independence of judgment in the exercise of his or her official duties.
E. 
No officer or employee, member of his or her immediate family or any business organization in which he or she has an interest shall solicit or accept any gift, favor, political contribution, service, promise of future employment or other thing of value based upon an understanding that the gift, favor, loan, contribution, service, promise or other thing of value was given or offered for the purpose of influencing him, directly or indirectly, in the discharge of his or her official, duties. This provision shall not apply to the solicitation or acceptance of contributions to the campaign of an announced candidate for elective public office, if the officer has no knowledge or reason to believe that the campaign contribution, if accepted, was given with the intent to influence the officer in the discharge of his or her official duties.
F. 
No officer or employee shall use, or allow to be used, his or her public office or employment, or any information not generally available to the members of the public, which he or she receives or acquires in the course of and by reason of his or her office or employment, for the purpose of securing financial gain for himself, any members of his or her immediate family or any business organization with which he or she is associated.
G. 
No officer or employee or any business organization in which he or she has an interest shall represent any person or party other than the Borough in connection with any cause, proceeding, application or other matter pending before any agency of the Borough of Totowa. This provision shall not be deemed to prohibit an employee from representing another employee where the representation is within the context of official labor union or similar representational responsibilities; nor shall this provision be applicable to the Borough Public Defender with respect to representation of defendants in the Municipal Court.
[Amended 10-26-2010 by Ord. No. 12-2010]
H. 
No officer shall be deemed in conflict with these provisions if, by reason of his or her participation in the enactment of any ordinance, resolution or other matter required to be voted upon or which is subject to executive approval or veto, no material or monetary gain accrues to him or her as a member of any business, profession, occupation or group, to any greater extent than any gain could reasonably be expected to accrue to any other member of such business, profession, occupation or group.
I. 
No elected officer shall be prohibited from making an inquiry for information on behalf of a constituent, if no fee, reward or other thing of value is promised to, given to or accepted by the officer or a member of his or her immediate family, whether directly or indirectly, in return therefor.
J. 
Nothing shall prohibit any officer or employee of the Borough of Totowa, or members of his or her immediate family, from representing himself, herself or themselves in negotiations or proceedings concerning his, her or their own interests.
K. 
No officer or employee elected or appointed in the Borough shall, without receiving formal written authorization from the appropriate person or body, disclose any confidential information concerning any other officer or employee or any other person or any property or governmental affairs of the Borough.
L. 
No officer or employee shall approve or disapprove or in any way recommend the payment of any bill or indebtedness owed or allegedly owed by the Borough in which he has a direct or indirect personal, pecuniary or private interest.
M. 
No officer or employee elected or appointed in the Borough shall request, use or permit the use of any public property, vehicle, equipment, labor or services for personal convenience or the private advantage of himself or any other person. This prohibition shall not be deemed to prohibit an official or employee from requesting, using or permitting the use of such public property, vehicle, equipment, material, labor or service which it is the general practice to make available to the public at large or which are provided as a matter of stated public policy for the use of officials and employees in the conduct of official business.
A. 
Officers of the Borough shall annually file a financial disclosure statement. All financial disclosure statements shall include the following information which shall specify, where applicable, the name and address of each source and the officer's job title:
(1) 
Each source of income, earned or unearned, exceeding $2,000 received by the officer or a member of his or her immediate family during the preceding calendar year. Individual client fees, customer receipts or commissions on transactions received through a business organization need not be separately reported as sources of income. If a publicly traded security is the source of income, the security need not be reported unless the local government officer or member of his or her immediate family has an interest in the business organization.
(2) 
Each source of fees and honorariums having an aggregate amount exceeding $250 from any single source for personal appearances, speeches or writings received by the local government officer or a member of his or her immediate family during the preceding calendar year.
(3) 
Each source of gifts, reimbursements or prepaid expenses having an aggregate value exceeding $400 from any single source, excluding relatives, received by the local government officer or a member of his or her immediate family during the preceding calendar year.
(4) 
The names and addresses of all business organizations in which the local government officer or a member of his or her immediate family had an interest during the preceding calendar year.
(5) 
The address and brief description of all real property in the state in which the local government officer or a member of his or her immediate family held an interest during the preceding calendar year.
B. 
The Borough of Totowa Ethical Standards Board shall prescribe a financial disclosure statement form for filing purposes. If a financial disclosure statement form has been promulgated by the New Jersey Local Finance Board, in accordance with the New Jersey Local Government Ethics Law,[1] then that form shall be used. The Borough Clerk shall make the forms available to the officers and employees required to file a financial disclosure statement.
[1]
Editor's Note: N.J.S.A. 40A:9-22.1 et seq.
C. 
The original statement shall be filed with the Borough Clerk within 90 days after the effective date of the New Jersey Local Government Ethics Law. All subsequent statements shall be filed on or before April 30 of each year. A copy of the statement shall be filed with the Borough of Totowa Ethical Standards Board.
D. 
All financial disclosure statements filed shall be public records.
[Amended 4-26-2016 by Ord. No. 06-2016]
The Local Finance Board in the Division of Local Government Services in the New Jersey Department of Community Affairs shall have jurisdiction to govern and guide the conduct of local government officers and employees regarding violations of this chapter.