[HISTORY: Adopted by the Board of Trustees
of the Village of Ossining 9-21-2016 by L.L. No. 6-2016.[1] Amendments noted where applicable.]
[1]
Editor's Note: This local law also repealed former Ch. 17,
Ethics, Code of, adopted 2-5-1eth974 as Art. VI of the 1974 Code,
as amended.
A.
The Village Board of the Village of Ossining recognizes that there
are state statutory provisions mandating municipalities 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 Village 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 clear standards of conduct, to provide
for punishment of any violation of such standards and to create a
Board of Ethics to render advisory opinions to the Village's
officers and employees as provided for herein, and to investigate
complaints alleging violations of the Code of Ethics in the manner
provided for in this chapter, and to make findings of fact and recommendations
to the Village Board in connection with such investigations.
B.
The Village Board of Trustees would like to clarify and improve the
Code of Ethics of the Village of Ossining by changing certain provisions
providing for the establishment, membership and functioning of the
Board of Ethics. This chapter is determined to be an exercise of the
legislative powers of the Village to strengthen the Code of Ethics
for the protection of the health, safety and welfare of residents
and to provide for improvements in the manner in which ethics questions
and matters are addressed and handled by the Village.
Pursuant to the provisions of § 806 of the General
Municipal Law, the Board of Trustees of the Village of Ossining 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 Ossining. These rules shall serve as a guide for official
conduct of the officers and employees of the Village of Ossining.
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:
The provisions of this chapter.
A direct or indirect pecuniary or material benefit accruing
to a municipal officer or employee as the result of a contract with
the Village. For the purposes of this chapter, a municipal officer
or employee shall be deemed to have an interest in the contract of:
Such municipal officer or employee's relatives, except
a contract of employment with the Village of Ossining.
A firm, partnership or association of which such municipal officer
or employee is a member or employee.
A corporation of which such municipal officer or employee is
an officer, director or employee.
A corporation, any stock of which is owned or controlled directly
or indirectly by such municipal officer or employee.
An officer or employee of the Village of Ossining, whether
paid or unpaid, and whether appointed, hired or elected, including
members of any administrative board, commission or other agency thereof.
No person shall be deemed to be a municipal officer or employee solely
by reason of being a volunteer firefighter or civil defense volunteer,
except the Fire Chief or an Assistant Fire Chief.
A spouse, domestic partner, parent, stepparent, sibling,
stepsibling, stepsibling's spouse, child, stepchild, uncle, aunt,
nephew, niece, first cousin or household member of the municipal officer
or employee and individuals having any of these relationships to the
spouse of the municipal officer or employee.
Every municipal officer or employee shall be subject to and
abide by the following standards of conduct:
A.
Gifts. He or she shall not directly or indirectly solicit any gift
or accept or receive any gift having a value in excess of that allowed
by § 805-a of the General Municipal Law, 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 her, or could reasonably be expected to influence him or her,
in the performance of his or her official duties or was intended as
a reward for any official action on his or her part.
B.
Confidential information. He or she shall not disclose confidential
information acquired by him or her in the course of his or her official
duties or use such information to further his or her personal interest
or for personal gain.
C.
Representation before one's own agency. He or she 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 Village
agency of which he or she is an officer, member or employee or of
any Village agency over which he or she has jurisdiction or to which
he or she has the power to appoint any member.
D.
Representation before any Village agency for a contingent fee. He
or she 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 the Village, whereby his or her 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 or she
knows thereof, a municipal officer or employee, whether paid or unpaid,
who participates in the discussion or gives official opinion to the
Board of Trustees on any legislation under consideration 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 or she has in such legislation.
F.
Investments in conflict with official duties. He or she 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 or her official duties.
G.
Private employment. He or she 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 or her official duties.
H.
Future employment. He or she shall not, after the termination of
service or employment with such municipality, appear, participate,
or render advice or other services with respect to any matter before
any board or agency of the Village of Ossining in relation to any
case, proceeding or application in which he or she personally participated
or which was under his or her active consideration during the period
of his or her term, service or employment.
[Amended 11-7-2018 by L.L. No. 7-2018]
I.
Prohibition on use of municipal position for personal or private
gain. No municipal officer or employee shall use his or her position
or official powers to secure a financial or material benefit for himself
or herself, a relative or any private organization in which he or
she is deemed to have an interest.
J.
Adherence to and compliance with all current Village policies of
employment.
[Amended 12-20-2017 by L.L. No. 9-2017]
A.
There is hereby established a Board of Ethics (sometimes referred
to as "the BOE") consisting of no less than three members and no more
than five members to be appointed by the Village Board. At least three
members must be residents of the Village of Ossining; the remaining
two can be residents of Westchester County, New York. At least one
member of the BOE shall not be a lawyer. Each member shall serve without
compensation for a term of three years from the date of appointment.
The term of three years is intended to be equal to the minimum number
of members of the BOE so that the term of only one member of the BOE
shall terminate at the end of each calendar year. Upon the expiration
of each member's initial appointment, the reappointment of that
member or the appointment of a new member to take his/her place shall
be for a term of three years. If a vacancy on the BOE occurs other
than by the expiration of a member's term, the Village Board
shall appoint a new member for the unexpired portion of that term.
Members whose terms have expired shall continue to serve as members
of the BOE until the member is reappointed, resigns or a new member
is appointed in place of the departing member. A member may be appointed
to a maximum of three consecutive terms (nine years). If the member
has served for three consecutive terms, the member must be off the
BOE for one year before applying again to be a member of the BOE.
The Corporation Counsel, a Deputy Corporation Counsel, or any attorney
appointed by the Village Board of Trustees shall serve as an advisor
to the Board of Ethics, and shall not be considered a member. The
Board shall have a Chair. The Chair shall be selected in the order
in which a person was appointed to the Board. The controlling date
for this determination shall be the date the Village Board of Trustees
appoints a member to the Board. The Chair shall assign requests for
advisory opinion and matters subject to investigation on a rotating
basis. The Chair must be an attorney.
B.
All members of the BOE shall be required to attend a minimum of 75%
of the BOE meetings scheduled within a calendar year. Noncompliance
with the minimum requirements relating to attendance at meetings shall
be deemed a proper cause for removal by the Board of Trustees.
C.
The Chairperson of the BOE shall notify the Village Manager and Corporation
Counsel in writing on or about December 1 in any year, or at any other
time if so warranted, of any member who fails to comply with the minimum
requirements for meeting attendance in any calendar year.
D.
Notwithstanding the foregoing attendance requirements, the failure
of a BOE member to attend the required percentage of meetings shall
not affect the member's ability to hear, deliberate and vote
on matters before the BOE or otherwise affect the validity of the
member's actions. No action of the BOE will be voided or declared
invalid as a result of a member's failure to comply with the
annual attendance requirement.
E.
Powers and duties. The Board of Ethics shall have all the powers
and duties prescribed by Article 18 of the General Municipal Law and
shall render advisory opinions to the municipal officers and employees
of the Village of Ossining with respect to Article 18 of the General
Municipal Law and any code of ethics adopted pursuant to such article
and in accordance with rules and regulations as may be promulgated
by the BOE, or as may be amended by the BOE from time to time. The
BOE shall also have the power to receive complaints from the public
regarding alleged violations by municipal officers and employees of
the code of ethics, the General Municipal Law or any other law relating
to the ethical conduct of municipal officers and employees. The Board
shall have the power to investigate such complaints and issue written
advisory opinions regarding such complaints. In addition, the BOE
may make recommendations with respect to the drafting and adoption
of a code of ethics or amendments thereto upon request of the Board
of Trustees.
F.
Investigations. Upon receipt of a written complaint by any person
alleging a violation of this chapter or upon determining on its own
initiative, acceptable by a majority of the Board, that a violation
of the chapter may exist, the Board of Ethics shall have the power
and duty to conduct any investigation necessary to carry out the provisions
of this chapter. In conducting any such investigation, the Board of
Ethics may administer oaths or affirmations. The Board may, with the
concurrence of a majority of the Board, compel attendance of witnesses,
and require the production of books or records that it may deem relevant
and material. The Board of Ethics shall make reasonable efforts to
obtain voluntary cooperation prior to exercising or enforcing its
right to compel testimony, or require the production of books and
records. Further, the Board of Ethics shall take steps to ensure that
every individual's right to due process is protected.
A.
Upon adoption of this chapter and as otherwise provided herein, the
Village Manager or his/her designee shall cause a copy of the Code
of Ethics to be distributed to every municipal officer or employee
upon commencement of his/her term or employment with the Village and
at least once every three years thereafter during such term or employment
by the Village.
B.
Every municipal officer or employee who has received a copy of the
Code of Ethics shall sign and date a form acknowledging that a copy
of the Village Code of Ethics has been received, read, understood,
and that the employee agrees to be bound by the Code of Ethics. Such
forms shall be returned to the Village Clerk directly, in the case
of an officer, or to the employee's supervisor for transmittal
to the Village Clerk within 20 days of the municipal officer or employee's
receipt of the Code of Ethics.
C.
The Village Manager or his/her designee shall cause a revised or
amended Code of Ethics to be distributed to every municipal officer
or employee whenever substantial amendments have been made to the
Code of Ethics. Said municipal officer or employee shall acknowledge
in writing receipt of the revised Code of Ethics in the same manner
as the initial receipt of the Code of Ethics.
D.
The Corporation Counsel or the Village Manager, or their designee,
shall cause each person or legal entity signing a contract with the
Village providing for payments in excess of $25,000 to be given a
copy of the Code of Ethics and such person or legal entity subject
to this provision shall be required to acknowledge receipt thereof
in writing unless the Code of Ethics is referenced in and attached
to the signed contract.
E.
Failure to distribute any such copy of the Code of Ethics or failure
of any municipal officer or employee to receive such copy shall have
no effect on the duty of compliance with this chapter, nor the enforcement
of the provisions hereof. The Village Manager shall further cause
a copy of this chapter to be kept posted conspicuously in each public
building under the jurisdiction of the Village. Failure to so post
this chapter shall have no effect on the duty of compliance herewith,
nor the enforcement of the provisions hereof.
In addition to any penalty contained in any other provisions
of law, any person who shall knowingly and intentionally violate any
of the provisions of this Code of Ethics may be censured, fined, suspended
or removed from office or employment, as the case may be, in the manner
provided by law, including but not limited to applicable provisions
of NYS Civil Service Law and NYS Public Officers Law, as specifically
germane to elected officials.
The provisions of this chapter are separable and if any provision,
clause, sentence, subsection, word or part thereof is held illegal,
invalid or unconstitutional, or inapplicable to any person or circumstance,
such illegality, invalidity or unconstitutionality, or inapplicability
shall not affect or impair any of the remaining provisions, clauses,
sentences, subsections, words or parts of this chapter or their petition
to other persons or circumstances. It is hereby declared to be the
legislative intent that this chapter would have been adopted if such
illegal, invalid or unconstitutional provision, clause, sentence,
subsection, word or part had not been included therein, and if such
person or circumstance to which the chapter or part hereof is held
inapplicable had been specifically exempt therefrom.
