These rules of ethical conduct 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
municipal officer or employee as the result of a contract with the town. For
the purposes of this chapter, a municipal officer or employee shall be deemed
to have an "interest" in the contract of his spouse, minor children and dependents,
except a contract of employment with the town; a firm, partnership or association
of which such officer or employee is a member or employee; a corporation of
which such officer or employee is an officer, director or employee; and a
corporation any stock of which is owned or controlled directly or indirectly
by such officer or employee.
MUNICIPAL OFFICER OR EMPLOYEE
An officer or employee of the Town of Jerusalem, 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.
Every officer or employee of the Town of Jerusalem shall be subject
to and abide by the following standards of conduct:
A. He 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 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. 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. 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. 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. To the extent that he knows thereof, a member of the
Town Board and any officer or employee of the Town of Jerusalem, whether paid
or unpaid, who participates in the discussion or gives official opinion to
the Town Board on any legislation before the Town Board 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. 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. 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. He shall not, after the termination of service or employment
with such municipality, appear before any board or agency of the Town of Jerusalem
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 Town of Jerusalem, 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 Town Supervisor shall cause a copy of this Code of Ethics to be
distributed to every officer and employee of the Town of Jerusalem within
60 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. 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
the 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 suspended or removed from office or employment.