[HISTORY: Adopted by the Board of Trustees of the Village of Kings
Point 12-14-1970 by Ord. No. 34. Amendments
noted where applicable.]
Pursuant to the provisions of § 806 of the General Municipal
Law, the Board of Trustees of the Village of Kings Point recognizes that there
are rules of ethical conduct for public officers and employees which must
be observed if a high degree of moral conduct is to be obtained and if public
confidence is to be maintained in our unit of local government. It is the
purpose of this chapter to promulgate these rules of ethical conduct for the
officers and employees of the Village of Kings Point. These rules shall serve
as a guide for official conduct of the officers and employees of the Village
of Kings Point. The rules of ethical conduct of this chapter, as adopted,
shall not conflict with but shall be in addition to any prohibition of Article
18 of the General Municipal Law or any other general or special law relating
to ethical conduct and interest in contracts of municipal officers and employees.
As used in this chapter, the following terms shall have the meanings
indicated:
A pecuniary or material benefit accruing to a municipal officer or
employee, unless the context otherwise requires.
An officer or employee of the Village of Kings Point whether paid
or unpaid, including members of any administrative board, commission or other
agency thereof. No person shall be deemed to be a "municipal officer or employee"
solely by reason of being a volunteer fireman or civil defense volunteer,
except a Chief Engineer or Assistant Chief Engineer.
Every officer or employee of the Village of Kings Point shall be subject
to and abide by the following standards of conduct:
A.
Gifts. He shall not, directly or indirectly, solicit
any gift or accept or receive any gift having a value in excess of the value
of gifts permitted to be accepted by officers or employees of a state agency,
as set forth in Subdivision 5 of § 73 of the Public Officers Law,
or any successor statute thereto, whether in the form of money, services,
loan, travel, entertainment, hospitality, thing or promise, or any other form,
under circumstances in which it could reasonably be inferred that the gift
was intended to influence him or could reasonably be expected to influence
him in the performance of his official duties or was intended as a reward
for any official action on his part.
[Amended 2-8-2000 by L.L. No. 1-2000]
B.
Confidential information. He shall not disclose confidential
information acquired by him in the course of his official duties or use such
information to further his personal interest.
C.
Representation before one's own agency. He shall not
receive or enter into any agreement, express or implied, for compensation
for services to be rendered in relation to any matter before any municipal
agency of which he is an officer, member or employee or of any municipal agency
over which he has jurisdiction or to which he has the power to appoint any
member, officer or employee.
D.
Representation before any agency for a contingent fee.
He shall not receive or enter into any agreement, express or implied, for
compensation for services to be rendered in relation to any matter before
any agency of his municipality whereby his compensation is to be dependent
or contingent upon any action by such agency with respect to such matter,
provided that this subsection shall not prohibit the fixing at any time of
fees based upon the reasonable value of the services rendered.
E.
Disclosure of interest in legislation. To the extent
that he knows thereof, a member of the Board of Trustees and any officer or
employee of the Village of Kings Point, whether paid or unpaid, who participates
in the discussion or gives official opinion to the Board of Trustees on any
legislation before the Board of Trustees shall publicly disclose on the official
record the nature and extent of any direct or indirect financial or other
private interest he has in such legislation.
F.
Investments in conflict with official duties. He shall
not invest or hold any investment, directly or indirectly, in any financial,
business, commercial or other private transaction which creates a conflict
with his official duties.
G.
Private employment. He shall not engage in, solicit,
negotiate for or promise to accept private employment or render services for
private interest when such employment or service creates a conflict with or
impairs the proper discharge of his official duties.
H.
Future employment. He shall not, after the termination
of service or employment with such municipality, appear before any board or
agency of the Village of Kings Point in relation to any case, proceeding or
application in which he personally participated during the period of his service
or employment or which was under his active consideration.
Nothing herein shall be deemed to bar or prevent the timely filling
by a present or former municipal officer or employee of any claim, account,
demand or suit against the Village of Kings Point or any agency thereof on
behalf of himself or any member of his family arising out of any personal
injury or property damage or for any lawful benefit authorized or permitted
by law.
[Amended 3-8-1983 by L.L. No. 4-1983]
The Village Clerk of the Village of Kings Point shall cause a copy of
this Code of Ethics to be distributed to every officer and employee of the
Village within 30 days after the effective date of this chapter. Each officer
and employee elected or appointed thereafter shall be furnished a copy before
entering upon the duties of his office or employment. Neither the failure
of the Village Clerk to cause a copy of the code to be distributed nor the
failure of any officer or employee to receive a copy of the code shall relieve
any officer or employee from his duty to comply with the code nor shall it
preclude the enforcement of the provisions of the code against any such officer
or employee.
[Amended 5-19-2003 by L.L. No. 8-2003]
In addition to the penalty provisions of Chapter 116 and any other provisions of law, any officer or employee of the Village who shall knowingly and intentionally violate any of the provisions of the Village Code may be suspended or removed from office or employment, as the case may be, in the manner provided by law.
