A.
No public official or public employee shall engage in any business
or transaction or have a financial or personal beneficial interest,
direct or indirect, in any business transaction which is incompatible
with the proper discharge of his official duties in the public interest
or would tend to impair his independence or judgment and action in
the performance of his official duties.
B.
Effective with the passage of this chapter, all public officials
and public employees, upon assuming their duties, shall receive a
copy of the Wolcott Code of Conduct. This shall be through the office
of the Town Clerk, their appropriate Personnel Director, or designee.
They shall initial for their copy and their acceptance shall be placed
in their personnel file or, in the case of public officials, the office
of the Town Clerk.
A.
Private business or professional enterprise. A conflict of interest
exists if the public official or public employee has a financial or
personal beneficial interest in the outcome or is an owner, shareholder,
member, partner, officer, employee, or other participant of, or in,
a private business or professional enterprise that will be affected
by the outcome, or any matter under consideration before him.
B.
Speculative or investment activities. A conflict of interest exists
if the public official or public employee has a financial or personal
beneficial interest in the outcome or is an owner, shareholder, member,
partner, officer, employee or other participant of, or in, a private
business or professional enterprise that will be affected by the outcome,
or any matter under consideration before him.
C.
Outside employment. A conflict of interest exists if a public official
or public employee engages in outside employment which is incompatible
with the proper discharge of his official duties and responsibilities.
D.
Duty to abstain. The failure of any public official or public employee
to abstain from action if any situation where a conflict of interest
exists shall constitute a violation of this code.
E.
Duty to disclose. Any public official or public employee who is financially
interested in or has a personal beneficial interest in any transaction
or contract with the Town, or in the sale of real estate, materials,
supplies, or services to the Town, shall make known promptly, by a
statement filed with the Town Clerk, such interest in any matter on
which he may be called to act in his official capacity. He shall refrain
from voting upon or otherwise participating in the transaction or
the making of such contract or sale.
F.
Litigation. No public official or public employee shall:[1]
(1)
Appear
on behalf of private interests before any governmental body of the
Town;
(2)
Accept
a retainer or compensation that is contingent upon a specific action
by a governmental body of the Town; or
(3)
Represent
private interests in any action or proceeding against the interests
of the Town in any litigation to which the Town is a party.
G.
Conduct of public officials.
(1)
Notwithstanding any provisions to the contrary as may be contained
in any special act, the Wolcott Town Charter or this chapter, a public
official has an interest which is in substantial conflict with the
proper discharge of his duties or employment in the public interest
and of his responsibilities as prescribed by the laws of this state
and the Wolcott Town Charter if he has reason to believe or expect
that he, his spouse, a dependent child or business with which he is
associated will derive a direct monetary gain or suffer a direct monetary
loss, as the case may be, by reason of his official activity.
(2)
Notwithstanding any provisions to the contrary as may be contained
in any special act, the Wolcott Town Charter or this chapter, any
such public official does not have an interest which is in substantial
conflict with the proper discharge of his duties in the public interest
and of his responsibilities as prescribed by the laws of this state
and the Wolcott Town Charter if any benefit or detriment accrues to
him, his spouse, a dependent child, or a business with which he, his
spouse or such dependent child is associated as a member of a professional
occupation or group to no greater extent than any other member of
such professional occupation or group.
(3)
Any public official who has a substantial conflict may not take official
action on the matter.
No public official or public employee shall use or disclose
confidential information acquired in the course of his public duties
for the purpose of advancing the financial or other private interests
of himself or others.
A.
In general. No public official or public employee shall accept any
money or gift of significant value, favor or thing of significant
value, whether in the form of a service, loan, material thing or promise,
from any person, firm or corporation who or which to his knowledge
is interested directly or indirectly in any manner whatsoever in business
dealings with the Town; nor shall any such person accept any money
or gift of significant value, favor or thing of significant value
that may tend to influence him in the discharge of his duties. If
it is impossible or inappropriate to refuse the gift, then it shall
be turned over to an appropriate public or charitable institution.
B.
Use of Town property. No public official or public employee shall
request or permit the use of Town-owned vehicles, equipment, materials
or property for personal convenience or profit, except when such services
are available to the public generally or are provided as municipal
policy for the use of such public official or public employee in the
conduct of official business.
C.
All citizens to be treated equal. No public official or public employee
shall grant any special consideration, treatment, or advantage to
any citizen beyond that which is available to every other citizen.
