The Town Board of the Town of Ontario recognizes
that there are state statutory provisions mandating towns to establish
rules and standards of ethical conduct for public officers and employees
which, if observed, can enhance public confidence in local government.
In the light of tendency today on the part of some people to downgrade
our local governments and to discredit our public servants and our
free institutions generally, it appears necessary that every effort
be made to assure the highest caliber of public administration of
this Town as part of our state's important system of local government.
It is the purpose of this code to implement this objective through
the establishment of standards of conduct, to provide for punishment
of violation of such standards and to create a Board of Ethics to
render advisory opinions to the Town's officers and employees as provided
for herein.
The standards, prohibited acts and procedures
established herein are in addition to any prohibited acts, conflict
of interest provisions or procedures prescribed by statute of the
State of New York and also in addition to common law rules and judicial
decisions relating to the conduct of Town officers to the extent that
the same are more severe in their application than this code.
As used in this chapter, the following terms
shall have the meanings indicated:
BOARD
The Town Board, and any board of the Town of Ontario appointed
by the Town Board, including but not limited to the Zoning Board of
Appeals, the Planning Board, Watershed Management Advisory Council,
the Board of Ethics, the Recreation and Parks Advisory Board, and
the Board of Assessment Review.
CODE
The Code of Ethics of the Town of Ontario, codified by this
chapter.
TOWN
The Town of Ontario, including any board, commission, district,
council or other agency, department or unit of the government of the
Town of Ontario.
TOWN EMPLOYEE
Any Town official or employee, elected or appointed, including
board members, whether serving in a full-time, part-time or advisory
capacity.
In addition to any penalty contained in any
other provision of law, any such Town employee who shall knowingly
and intentionally violate any of the provisions of this code may be
fined, suspended or removed from office or employment in the manner
provided by law.
The Town Board may appropriate moneys from the
general Town funds for the maintenance of and for personal services
to the Board of Ethics established hereunder, but such Board of Ethics
may not commit the expenditure of Town moneys except within the appropriations
provided herein.
If any provision of this code is determined
to be unconstitutional or invalid, the validity and enforceability
of the remainder of this code shall not be affected.