Pursuant to the provisions of § 806 of the General Municipal Law, the Village Board of Trustees 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. These rules shall serve as a guide for official conduct of the officers and employees of the Village. 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. Section
9-5 also provides for the establishment of a Board of Ethics for the Village pursuant to Article 18 of the General Municipal Law.
For the purposes of this chapter, the following
definitions shall apply:
INTEREST
A pecuniary or material benefit accruing to a municipal officer
or employee, unless the context otherwise requires.
MUNICIPAL OFFICER OR EMPLOYEE
An officer or employee of the Village, 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 shall
be subject to and abide by the following standards of conduct:
A. Gifts. No municipal officer or employee shall, directly
or indirectly, solicit any gift, or accept or receive any gift having
a value greater than that set forth in New York State General Municipal
Law § 805-a, 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 the municipal officer or employee
or could reasonably be expected to influence the municipal officer
or employee in the performance of his or her official duties or was
intended as a reward for any official action on his or her part.
[Amended 6-25-2001 by L.L. No. 5-2001]
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 before 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 of the Village. No
officer or employee of the Village shall 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 the Village,
whereby 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.
[Amended 2-25-2002 by L.L. No. 2-2002]
E. Disclosure of interest in legislation. To the extent
that he knows thereof, a member of the Village Board of Trustees and
any officer or employee of the Village, whether paid or unpaid, who
participates in the discussion or gives official opinion to the Village
Board of Trustees on any legislation before the Village 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 interests 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 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 in this chapter 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
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 1-14-1991 by L.L. No. 1-1991]
Each officer and employee elected or appointed
shall be furnished a copy of this Code of Ethics before entering upon
the duties of his office or employment, provided that 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 of provisions thereof.
[Amended 1-23-2012 by L.L. No. 4-2012]
See Ch.
113, Penalties for Offenses.