Pursuant to the provisions of § 806
of the General Municipal Law, the Board of Trustees of the Incorporated
Village of Laurel Hollow 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 Incorporated Village of Laurel Hollow.
These rules shall serve as a guide for official conduct of the officers
and employees of the Incorporated Village of Laurel Hollow. 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 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 Incorporated Village of Laurel
Hollow, 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 Incorporated
Village of Laurel Hollow 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 of twenty-five
dollars ($25.) 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 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.
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 Incorporated Village of Laurel Hollow, 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 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 Incorporated Village of Laurel Hollow 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 filing by a present or former municipal officer or employee
of any claim, account, demand or suit against the Incorporated Village
of Laurel Hollow 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.
The Mayor of the Incorporated Village of Laurel
Hollow shall cause a copy of this Code of Ethics to be distributed
to every officer and employee of the Incorporated Village of Laurel
Hollow within twenty (20) 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.
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 chapter may be fined, suspended
or removed from office or employment, as the case may be, in the manner
provided by law.