Pursuant to the provisions of § 806 of the General
Municipal Law, the Board of Trustees of the Village of Corinth, New
York, 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 for the officers
and employees of the Village of Corinth, New York. These rules shall
serve as a guide for official conduct of the officers and employees
of the Village of Corinth, New York. 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:
CONTRACT
Any claim, account or demand against or agreement with a
municipality, express or implied, and shall include the designation
of a depository of public funds and the designation of a newspaper,
including but not limited to an official newspaper, for the publication
of any notice, resolution, ordinance, or other proceeding where such
publication is required or authorized by law.
INTEREST
A direct or indirect pecuniary or material benefit accruing
to a municipal officer or employee as the result of a contract with
the municipality which such officer or employee serves. For the purposes
of this article a municipal officer or employee shall be deemed to
have an interest in the contract of (a) his spouse, minor children
and dependents, except a contract of employment with the municipality
which such officer or employee serves; (b) a firm, partnership or
association of which such officer or employee is a member or employee;
(c) a corporation of which such officer or employee is an officer,
director or employee; and (d) 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 Village of Corinth, New York,
whether paid or unpaid, including members of any administrative board,
commission or 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, except a fire chief or assistant fire
chief.
Every officer or employee of the Village of Corinth, New York,
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 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. 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 before one's own agency. 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 before any
municipal agency over which he has jurisdiction or to which he has
the power to appoint any member, officer or employee.
D. Representation before any agency for a contingent fee. 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. Disclosure of interest in legislation. To the extent that he knows
thereof, a member of the Board of Trustees and any officer and employee
of the Village of Corinth, New York, whether paid or unpaid, who participates
in the discussion or gives official opinion to the Board of Trustees
on any legislation before the Board of Trustees 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. Investments in conflict with official duties. 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. 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.
H. Future employment. He shall not, after the termination of service
or employment with such municipality, appear before any board or agency
of the Village of Corinth, New York, 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 Village of Corinth, New
York, 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 Mayor of the Village of Corinth, New York, shall cause a
copy of this Code of Ethics to be distributed to every officer and
employee of the Village of Corinth, New York, within two weeks 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 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 of Ethics may be fined, suspended or
removed from office or employment, as the case may be, in the manner
provided by law.