The Town Board of the Town of Vernon 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 a 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 chapter 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 herein.
The standards, prohibited acts and procedures established herein are
in addition to any prohibited acts, conflicts 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 chapter.
As used in this chapter, the following terms shall have the meanings
indicated:
TOWN
Any board, commission, district, council or other agency, department
or unit of the government of the Town of Vernon.
TOWN EMPLOYEE
Any officer or employee of the Town of Vernon, whether paid or unpaid,
whether serving in a full-time, part-time or advisory capacity.
No Town employee shall have any interest, financial or otherwise, direct
or indirect, or engage in any business or transaction or professional activity
or incur any obligation of any nature which is in substantial conflict with
the proper discharge of his duties in the public interest.
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 chapter may be fined, suspended or removed from office
or employment in the manner provided by law.
Upon the adoption of this chapter, the Town Supervisor shall cause a
copy thereof to be distributed to every Town employee of this Town. Failure
to distribute any such copy or failure of any Town employee to receive such
copy shall have no effect on the duty of compliance with this code nor the
enforcement of provisions hereof. The Town Supervisor shall further cause
a copy of this chapter to be kept posted conspicuously in each public building
under the jurisdiction of the Town. Failure to so post this chapter shall
have no effect on the duty of compliance herewith nor the enforcement of provisions
hereof.
Within 30 days of the adoption of this chapter, the Town Clerk shall
file a copy thereof in the office of the State Comptroller.
The Town Board may appropriate moneys from the general Town funds for
the maintenance of and for personnel 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.
A Board of Ethics shall be appointed by the Town Board to render advisory
opinions on matters enumerated herein or upon similar matters as provided
by law when, in the discretion of the Town Board, a situation arises which
warrants such an appointment.