[HISTORY: Adopted by the Township Committee of the Township
of White 10-4-1991 (Ch. 18 of the 1977 Code). Amendments noted where applicable.]
This chapter shall be known and may be cited as the "Township
of White Code of Ethics."
The Committee of the Township of White finds and declares that:
A.
Public office and employment are a public trust.
B.
The vitality and stability of representative democracy depend upon
the public's confidence in the integrity of its elected and appointed
representatives.
C.
Whenever the public perceives a conflict between the private interests
and the public duties of a government officer or employee, that confidence
is imperiled.
D.
Governments have the duty both to provide their citizens with standards
by which they may determine whether public duties are being faithfully
performed and to apprise their officers and employees of the behavior
which is expected of them while conducting their public duties.
A.
It is the purpose of this chapter to provide a method of assuring
that the standards of ethical conduct and the financial disclosure
requirements for officers and employees of the Township of White shall
be clear, consistent, uniform in their application and enforceable
and to provide those officers or employees with advice and information
concerning possible conflicts of interests which might arise in the
conduct of their public duties.
C.
This chapter is enacted under the authority of the Local Government
Ethics Law, P.L. 1991, c. 29, and under the further authority granted
to the Township of White under the provisions of Titles 40 and 40A
of the New Jersey Statutes.
As used in this chapter, the following terms shall have the
meanings indicated:
Any agency, board, governing body, including the chief executive
officer, office, commission or other instrumentality within the Township
of White and any independent local authority created by or appointed
under the authority of the Township of White which performs functions
other than of a purely advisory nature.
Any corporation, partnership, firm, enterprise, franchise,
association, trust, sole proprietorship, union or other legal entity.
Any person, whether compensated or not, whether part-time
or full-time, employed by or serving on any agency who is not a local
government officer.
The ownership or control of more than 10% of the profits,
assets or stock of a business organization, but shall not include
the control of assets in a nonunion profit entity or labor union.
The spouse or dependent child of an officer or employee residing
in the same household.
Any person, whether compensated or not, whether part-time
or full-time.[1]
An officer or employee of the Township of White or of an
agency under the authority of or appointed by the Township of White.
Officers and employees of the Township of White shall comply
with the following provisions:
A.
No officer or employee of the Township of White or member of his
or her immediate family shall have an interest in a business organization
or engage in any business, transaction or professional activity which
is in substantial conflict with the proper discharge of his or her
duties in the public interest.
B.
No officer or employee shall use or attempt to use his or her official
position to secure unwarranted privileges or advantages for himself
or others.
C.
No officer or employee shall act in his or her official capacity
in any matter where he, a member of his or her immediate family or
any business organization in which he or she has an interest has a
direct or indirect financial or personal involvement that might reasonably
be expected to imperil his or her objectivity or independence or judgment.
D.
No officer or employee shall undertake any employment or service,
whether compensated or not, which might reasonably be expected to
prejudice his or her independence of judgment in the exercise of his
or her official duties.
E.
No officer or employee, member of his or her immediate family or
any business organization in which he or she has an interest shall
solicit or accept any gift, favor, political contribution, service,
promise of future employment or other thing of value based upon an
understanding that the gift, favor, loan, contribution, service, promise
or other thing of value was given or offered for the purpose of influencing
him, directly or indirectly, in the discharge of his or her official
duties. This provision shall not apply to the solicitation or acceptance
of contributions to the campaign of an announced candidate for elective
public office if the officer has no knowledge or reason to believe
that the campaign contribution, if accepted, was given with the intent
to influence the officer in the discharge of his or her official duties.
F.
No officer or employee shall use or allow to be used his or her public
office for employment or any information, not generally available
to the members of the public, which he or she receives or acquires
in the course of and by reason of his or her office or employment,
for the purpose of securing financial gain for himself, any member
of his or her immediate family or any business organization with which
he or she is associated.
G.
No officer or employee or any business organization in which he or
she has an interest shall represent any person or party other than
the Township in connection with any cause, proceeding, application
or other matter pending before any agency of the Township of White.
This provision shall not be deemed to prohibit an employee from representing
another employee where the representation is within the context of
official labor union or similar representational responsibilities;
nor shall this provision be applicable to the Township Public Defender
with respect to representation of defendants in the Municipal Court.
H.
No officer shall be deemed in conflict with these provisions if,
by reason of his or her participation in the enactment of any ordinance,
resolution or other matter required to be voted upon or which is subject
to executive approval or veto, no material or monetary gain accrues
to him or her as a member of any business, profession, occupation
or group to any greater extent than any gain could reasonably be expected
to accrue to any other member of such business, profession, occupation
or group.
I.
No elected officer shall be prohibited from making an inquiry for
information on behalf of a constituent if no fee, reward or other
thing of value is promised to, given to or accepted by the officer
or a member of his or her immediate family, whether directly or indirectly,
in return therefor.
J.
Nothing shall prohibit any officer or employee of the Township of
White or members of his or her immediate family from representing
himself, herself or themselves in negotiations or proceedings concerning
his, her or their own interests.
K.
No officer or employee elected or appointed in the Township shall,
without receiving formal written authorization from the appropriate
person or body, disclose any confidential information concerning any
other officer or employee or any other person or any property or governmental
affairs of the Township.
L.
No officer or employee elected or appointed in the Township shall
approve or disapprove or in any way recommend the payment of any bill,
voucher or indebtedness owed or allegedly owed by the Township in
which he has a direct or indirect personal pecuniary or private interest.
M.
No officer or employee elected or appointed in the Township shall
request, use or permit the use of any public property, vehicle, equipment,
labor or service for personal convenience or the private advantage
of himself or any other person. This prohibition shall not be deemed
to prohibit an official or employee from requesting, using or permitting
the use of such public property, vehicle, equipment, material, labor
or service which it is the general practice to make available to the
public at large or which is provided as a matter of stated public
policy for the use of officials and employees in the conduct of official
business.
A.
Officers of the Township shall annually file a financial disclosure
statement. All financial disclosure statements shall include the following
information, which shall specify, where applicable, the name and address
of each source and the officer's job title:
(1)
Each source of income, earned or unearned, exceeding $2,000 received
by the officer or a member of his or her immediate family during the
preceding calendar year. Individual client fees, customer receipts
or commissions on transactions received through a business organization
need not be separately reported as sources of income. If a publicly
traded security is the source of income, the security need not be
reported unless the local government officer or member of his or her
immediate family has an interest in the business organization.
(2)
Each source of fees and honorariums having an aggregate amount exceeding
$250 from any single source, for personal appearances, speeches or
writings, received by the local government officer or a member of
his or her immediate family during the preceding calendar year.
(3)
Each source of gifts, reimbursements or prepaid expenses having an
aggregate value exceeding $400 from any single source, excluding relatives,
received by the local government officer or a member of his or her
immediate family during the preceding calendar year.
(4)
The names and addresses of all business organizations in which the
local government officer or a member of his or her immediate family
had an interest during the preceding calendar year.
(5)
The address and a brief description of all real property in the state
in which the local government officer or a member of his or her immediate
family held an interest during the preceding calendar year.
B.
If a financial disclosure statement form has been promulgated by
the New Jersey Local Finance Board, in accordance with the New Jersey
Local Government Ethics Law,[1] then that form shall be used. The Township Clerk shall
make the forms available to the officers and employees required to
file a financial disclosure statement.
[1]
Editor's Note: See N.J.S.A. 40A:9-22.1.
C.
The original statement shall be filed with the Township Clerk within
90 days after the effective date of the New Jersey Local Government
Ethics Law. All subsequent statements shall be filed on or before
April 30 of each year.
D.
All financial disclosure statements filed shall be public records.
A.
The Township of White designates the Local Finance Board of the Division
of Local Government Services Department of Community Affairs to hear
any complaints registered pursuant to the enactment of the Legislature
of the State of New Jersey, and the Township of White elects not to
establish a local ethical standards board.
B.
All complaints and proceedings hereunder, governed by the rules,
shall or may be published and promulgated by the Local Finance Board
of the Division of Local Government Services Department of Community
Affairs.
