[1972 Code § 4-15.1]
The Township Council finds and declares that:
a. Public office and public employment are public trusts.
b. The vitality and stability of representative democracy depend upon
the public's confidence in the integrity of elected and appointed
representatives.
c. The public's confidence in public officials and employees is
imperiled whenever the public perceives a conflict between the private
interests and the public duties of a governmental officer or employee.
d. Government has the duty to provide its citizens with standards by
which the public can appraise the extent to which public duties are
faithfully performed, as well as to inform public officers and employees
of the behavior expected of them in the conduct of their public duties.
[1972 Code § 4-15.7]
The Piscataway Township Board of Ethics shall have the following
powers:
a. To initiate, receive, hear and review complaints and hold hearings
on possible violations of the Code of Ethics or financial disclosure
requirements by local government officers or employees serving the
Township.
b. To issue subpoenas for the production of documents and the attendance
of witnesses as to its investigation of any complaints or as to its
conduct of a hearing.
c. To forward to the County Prosecutor or the Attorney General or other
governmental body any information concerning violations of the Code
of Ethics or financial disclosure requirements by officers or employees
serving the Township which may warrant the institution of other legal
proceedings by the Attorney General.
d. To render advisory opinions to local officers or employees serving
the Township as to whether a given set of facts and circumstances
would constitute a violation of any provision of the Code of Ethics
or financial disclosure requirements.
e. To enforce the provisions of the Code of Ethics and financial disclosure
requirements as to officers and employees serving the Township and
to impose penalties for violations thereof.
f. To adopt rules and regulations and to do any and all other things
necessary to implement this section.
[1972 Code § 4-15.11]
All statements, complaints, requests and other written materials
filed with the Board of Ethics pursuant to this section, and all rulings,
opinions, judgments, transcripts or other official papers prepared
pursuant to this section, shall be preserved for at least five years
and may be discarded following the fifth anniversary of January 1
next succeeding the submission filing for preparation of the document,
as the case may be.