Pursuant to the provisions of § 806 of the General Municipal
Law, the Board of Trustees of the Village of Scottsville recognizes that there
are rules of the 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 Scottsville. These rules shall serve
as a guide for official conduct of the officers and employees of the Village
of Scottsville. 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:
INTEREST
A direct or indirect pecuniary or material benefit accruing to a
village employee as the result of a contract with the village. For the purposes
of this chapter, a village employee shall be deemed to have an interest in
the contract of:
A.
His or her spouse, minor children and dependents, except a contract
of employment with the Village of Scottsville.
B.
A firm, partnership or association of which such village employee is
a member or employee.
C.
A corporation of which such village employee is an officer, director
or employee.
D.
A corporation, any stock of which is owned or controlled directly or
indirectly by such village employee.
MUNICIPAL OFFICER OR EMPLOYEE
An officer or employee of the Village of Scottsville, 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 Fire Chief or Assistant Fire Chief.
Every officer or employee of the Village of Scottsville shall be subject
to and abide by the following standard of conduct:
A. Gifts. He or she shall not directly or indirectly solicit
any gift or accept or receive any gift having a value of $75 or more, 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 her
or could reasonably be expected to influence him or her in the performance
of his or her official duties or was intended as a reward for any official
action on his or her part.
B. Confidential information. He or she shall not disclose
confidential information acquired by him or her in the course of his or her
official duties or use such information to further his or her personal interest.
C. Representation before one's own agency. He or she
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 or she is an officer, member or employee or of any municipal
agency over which he or she has jurisdiction or to which he or she has the
power to appoint any member, officer or employee.
D. Representation before any agency for a contingent fee.
He or she 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 or her municipality, whether his or her 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 or she knows thereof, a member of the Board of Trustees and any officer
or employee of the Village of Scottsville, whether paid or unpaid, who participates
in the discussion or gives official opinion to the Village Board 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 or she has in such legislation.
F. Investments in conflict with official duties. He or she
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 or her official duties.
G. Private employment. He or she shall not engage in, solicit,
negotiate for or promise to accept private employment or render services for
private interests when such employment or services creates a conflict with
or impairs the proper discharge of his or her official duties.
H. Future employment. He or she shall not, after the termination
of service or employment with such municipality, appear before any board or
agency of the Village of Scottsville in relation to any case, proceeding or
application in which he or she personally participated during the period of
his or her service or employment or which was under his or her active consideration.
Nothing herein shall be deemed to bar or prevent the timely filing by
a present or former municipal officer or employee of any claim, account, demand
or suit against the Village of Scottsville or an agency thereof on behalf
of himself or herself or any member of his or her family arising out of any
personal injury or property damage or for any lawful benefit authorized or
permitted by law.
The Mayor of the Village of Scottsville shall cause a copy of this Code
of Ethics to be distributed to every officer and employee of the Village of
Scottsville within 10 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 or her office or employment. Failure
to distribute any such copy or failure of any officer or employee to receive
such copy shall have no effect on the duty of compliance with such code, nor
the enforcement provisions thereof.
In addition to any penalty contained in any other provision of law,
any person who shall knowingly and intentionally violate any of the provisions
of this code may be fined, suspended or removed from office or employment,
as the case may be, in the manner provided by law.