[HISTORY: Adopted by the Village Board of
the Village of Siren 1-8-1988 as Title 2, Ch. 7 of the 1988 Code. Amendments noted where
applicable.]
As used in this chapter, the following terms
shall have the meanings indicated:
Any person excluded from the definition of "public officer"
who is employed by the Village.
Those persons serving in statutory elected or appointed offices
provided for in Ch. 61, Wis. Stats., and all members appointed to
boards, committees and commissions established or appointed by the
Village President and/or Village Board, whether paid or unpaid.
It is declared that high ethical standards among
Village officers and employees are essential to the conduct of good
representative government and that a code of ethics for the guidance
of public officers and employees will help them avoid conflicts with
improved standards of public service and will promote and strengthen
the confidence of the residents of the Village in their public officers
and employees. The purpose of this chapter is to establish guidelines
for ethical standards of conduct for all such Village officers and
employees by setting forth those acts or actions that are incompatible
with the public interest and which compromise, or appear to compromise,
public trust in the fairness, independence and integrity of Village
officers and employees and their official actions.
The provisions of the following sections of
the Wisconsin Statutes, as from time to time amended, are made a part
of this chapter and shall apply to all public officers and public
employees whenever applicable:
A.
Use of public property. No public officer or employee
shall use or permit the use of Village vehicles, equipment, materials
or property for personal convenience or profit, except when such services
are available to the public generally or are provided as Village policy
for the use of such officer or employee in the conduct of official
business, as authorized by the Village Board or authorized board,
commission or committee.
B.
Conflicts of interest; disclosure of interest. Except
as provided herein, no public officer or public employee shall engage
in any business transaction with the Village or have a financial or
other personal interest, direct or indirect, which is incompatible
with the proper discharge of his official duties or will tend to impair
his independence of judgment or action in the performance of his official
duties. Any public officer or employee who has a substantial financial
interest, including employment, in any business entity entering into,
proposing to enter into or bidding on any transaction with the Village
or as part of his official duties will be making an official decision
or recommendation significantly affecting a business competitor, client
or regular customer shall disclose such interest to the membership
of the Village Board (or committee, board or commission thereof, as
appropriate) to be recorded in the minutes of that body. Upon such
disclosure, it is advised that the public officer or employee abstain
from voting on the matter and from participating in the discussion
of the matter.
C.
Representing private interests before the Village
Board or Village agencies. No public officer or employee, including
persons or firms engaged to provide professional services to the Village,
shall represent, for compensation, private interests before the Village
Board or any Village board, commission or committee without disclosure
of the private business relationship and explicit consent of the Village
Board.
D.
Disclosure of confidential information. No public
officer or employee shall, without proper authorization of the Village
Board, disclose confidential information concerning the property,
government or affairs of the Village, nor shall he use such information
to advance the financial or other private interest of himself or others.
E.
Gifts and favors. No public officer or employee shall
accept anything of value, whether in the form of a gift, service,
loan or promise, from any person who, to his knowledge, has a direct
financial interest in any transaction or official business with the
Village which may tend to impair his independence of judgment or action
in the performance of his official duties. However, it is not a conflict
of interest for any public officer or employee to receive a gift or
gratuity that is an unsolicited item of nominal intrinsic value, such
as a meal up to $10 in value.
F.
Outside employment. No full-time officer of the Village
shall engage in any other remunerative employment within or without
the Village, provided that the Village Board may approve such outside
employment or activity if it finds that it does not interfere or conflict
with such ability of the officer or employee to perform his duties
in an efficient and unbiased manner.
Any questions as to the interpretation of any provisions of
this chapter shall be referred to the Village Attorney for an advisory
opinion.
