Pursuant to the provisions of § 806
of the General Municipal Law, the Board of Trustees of the Incorporated
Village of Roslyn Harbor 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 to 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.
As used in this chapter, the following terms
shall have the meanings indicated:
INTEREST
A pecuniary or material benefit accruing either directly
or indirectly to an officer or employee, unless the context otherwise
requires.
OFFICER or EMPLOYEE
An officer or employee of the Village, whether paid or unpaid,
including members of any board, commission or other agency thereof.
VILLAGE
The Incorporated Village of Roslyn Harbor, Nassau County,
New York.
Every officer or employee of the Village 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 $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 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. 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 the Village.
D. Disclosure.
(1) To the extent that he knows thereof, any officer or
employee, whether paid or unpaid, who participates in the discussion
or gives official opinion to the Board of Trustees, Planning Board,
or Zoning Board of Appeals on any matter before it 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 matter.
(2) He shall disclose to the Board of Trustees in writing
all real property owned by him situated within the Village or within
500 feet of the boundaries thereof and any direct or indirect investment
in any financial, business, commercial or other private transaction
which creates or may create a conflict with his official duties. In
the event that such a conflict shall occur or appear which was not
previously anticipated or reported, he shall forthwith report such
conflict or potential conflict. The Village Clerk shall provide to
each officer and employee at the beginning of each official year a
form for purposes of disclosing the information required by this subsection.
E. 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.
F. Future employment. He shall not, after the termination
of service or employment with the Village, appear before any board
of the Village in relation to any case, matter, 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 officer or employee of the
Village of any claim, account, demand or suit against the Village
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.
There is hereby established a Board of Ethics
consisting of three members who shall be appointed by the Board of
Trustees and who shall serve without compensation and at the pleasure
of the Board of Trustees. A majority of such members shall be persons
other than officers or employees of the Village, but the Board shall
include at least one member who is an elected or appointed officer
of the Village. The Board of Ethics shall have the powers and duties
prescribed by Article 18 of the General Municipal Law and shall render
advisory opinions to the officers and employees of the Village with
respect to Article 18 of the General Municipal Law and to this Code
of Ethics, under such rules and regulations as the Board of Ethics
may prescribe. In addition the Board may make recommendations with
respect to the drafting and adoption of a Code of Ethics or amendments
thereto upon request of the Board of Trustees.
The Mayor of the Village shall cause a copy
of this Code of Ethics to be distributed to every officer or employee
within 30 days after the effective date of this chapter. Each officer
and employee elected or appointed thereafter shall be furnished a
copy thereof 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 code may be fined, suspended
or removed from office or employment, as the case may be, in the manner
provided by law.