[Amended 4-20-2020 by Ord. No. 2020-08; 5-1-2023 by Ord. No. 2023-03]
(1) Taking the Roll; Procedure When Quorum Not in Attendance. As soon
as the Board is called to order, the Clerk shall proceed to note who
is present and who is absent, and record the same in the proceedings
of the Board. If there is not a quorum present, the fact shall be
entered on the journal and the Board may adjourn; or the President,
or in his or her absence, the Clerk, when requested by three or more
members, may issue a process to a policeman commanding him or her
to summon all of the absentees to the meeting.
(2) Quorum. A majority of the members of the Board physically present
at the publicly noticed location shall constitute a quorum. The President
shall be counted in computing a quorum. A majority vote of all members
of the Board in favor of any proposed ordinance, resolution, or appointment
shall be necessary for passage or approval, unless a larger number
is required by statute or contract. The President, pursuant to Wis.
Stats., § 61.24 (2004), shall have a vote as Trustee on
all matters to come before the Board.
(3) Participation via Telecommunications — Regular Meetings. In
the event that a regular meeting of the Village Board is scheduled
and a Trustee cannot be physically present at the meeting, the Trustee
may participate via telecommunications under the following conditions:
(a) There is a quorum of other Trustees physically present at the publicly
noticed location at the time that the meeting is called to order.
Those in attendance via telecommunications shall not be used to determine
a quorum.
(b) The Trustee who desires to attend a meeting via telecommunications
shall contact the President or the Administrator as soon as practically
possible to advise the President that his or her presence at a meeting
will be physically impossible.
(c) The Clerk will make arrangements to have the telephone handset available
for use in the publicly noticed location.
(d) The handset or other communication device shall be placed in the
publicly noticed location, so that the member not physically present
can hear and be heard by all who are physically present including
the members of the public.
(e) Trustees attending via telecommunications shall attend the entire
meeting and may not attend for certain selected items of interest
and then disconnect.
(f) Trustees attending via telecommunications may participate in debate
the same as any other Trustee, but shall have no voting rights.
(g) The Trustees attending the meeting via telecommunications shall initiate
the contact with the Clerk from wherever their physical presence may
be at least 10 minutes prior to the meeting to ensure a timely start
of the Board meeting. Failure to establish the connection at that
time shall result in the remote Trustee not being able to attend the
meeting. Any fees associated with this contact shall be at the Trustee's
expense.
(h) Closed Session. Trustees are not permitted to attend closed session
via telecommunications.
(i) Other Boards, Committees, and Commissions. Other boards, committees,
and commissions performing business for or on behalf of the Village
of Suamico shall be permitted to conduct meetings in the manner described
above, but shall not be entitled to the regular stipend.
(4) Participation Via Telecommunications — Special Meetings. In
the event that a special meeting of the Village Board is scheduled
and a Trustee cannot be physically present at the meeting due to prior
out-of-town commitments (remote Trustee), the Trustee may participate
via telecommunications under the following conditions:
(a) There is a quorum of other Trustees physically present in the publicly
noticed location at the time that the special meeting is called. Under
no circumstances shall attendance via telecommunications be used to
determine a quorum.
(b) Trustees attending via telecommunications for a special meeting may
participate in debate the same as any other Trustee and vote at the
appropriate time via roll call. To avoid confusion, the President
as Chair will ask the remote Trustee, prior to any votes taken, for
his or her comments on a particular issue.
(5) Special Circumstances. During any attack, quarantine, absence due
to travel restrictions imposed by federal order, or in the event of
Village-declared emergencies, the Village Board shall have at its
own discretion the ability to carry on a voice vote via telecommunications
during a regularly scheduled or special Village Board meeting. This
includes but is not limited to telephone, secured email, videoconference
and video phone. Under this section attendance via telecommunications
may be used to constitute a quorum.
In the absence of the Clerk, a designee appointed by the Administrator
shall act as the Clerk Pro Tem.
The Presiding Officer shall maintain order and decorum, and
may order any person, other than a Trustee, to leave a Village meeting
if the person has conducted himself or herself in a disorderly manner
and persisted in such conduct after being directed by the Presiding
Officer to cease the conduct. If the person refuses the Presiding
Officer's order to withdraw, the Presiding Officer may order a Law
Enforcement Officer to take the person into custody until the meeting
is adjourned.
The Village adopts and incorporates Wis. Stats. § 19.59.
The Village reserves its right to adopt further ordinances including
the following policies in accordance with Wis. Stats. § 19.59
and, further, amends the prior Village ethic ordinance as follows:
(1) Declaration of Policy.
(a) High moral and ethical standards are essential to the operation of
free government. A code of ethics is established for all Village officials,
whether elected or appointed, paid or unpaid, all Village employees
and agents of the Village, all members of Village boards and committees
and persons furnishing contracted services to the Village and its
boards and committees. This code establishes guidelines for ethical
standards of conduct for all such officials, employees, agents, committee
and board members and persons furnishing contracted services. It directs
disclosure by officials, board and committee members, employees, agents
and candidates for Village office of private financial or other interests
in matters affecting the Village.
(b) This code of ethics does not prohibit Village officials from having
other employment and financial interests. Village officials, however,
need to distinguish between inconsequential conflicts which are unavoidable
and those conflicts which are substantial. The purpose of this code
is to help Village officials in avoiding serious conflicts of interest
and promote confidence in our local government.
(2) Responsibility of Public Officials and Standards of Conduct.
(a) Elected and appointed officials, committee and board members and
employees of the Village should work for the benefit of the public
and are bound to uphold the Constitution of the United States and
the Constitution of the State of Wisconsin and to carry out independently
and impartially the laws of the Nation, State and Village; observe
in their official acts the highest standards of morality; and to discharge
faithfully the duties of their office/position regardless of personal
consideration, recognizing that public interests must be their prime
concern. The conduct of Village officials, board and committee members,
employees, agents and those furnishing contracted services to the
Village should foster respect for government.
(b) The provisions of the following sections of the Wisconsin Statutes
are made part of this section and shall apply to elected and appointed
officials whenever applicable, namely: Wis. Stats. § 19.81-§ 19.98
Open Meetings of Government Bodies; Wis. Stats. § 946.10
Bribery of Public Officers and Employees; Wis. Stats. § 946.11
Special Privileges from Public Utilities; Wis. Stats. § 946.12
Misconduct in Public Office; Wis. Stats. § 946.13 Private
Interest in Public Contract Prohibited;
(3) Dedicated Service.
(a) A Village official, board or committee member or employee should
not use his or her position or office to obtain financial gain or
anything of substantial value for his or her own personal benefit
other than salary and benefits which he or she is due. These individuals
should avoid promoting the special interests of any persons or group
other than the best interests of the Village.
(b) A Village official, board or committee member, employee, agent or
person furnishing contracted services should not exceed his or her
authority and should work in full cooperation with public officials,
board and committee members and Village employees. Employees, agents
and those furnishing contracted services should adhere to the rules
of work and performance established as the standard for their positions
by the appropriate authority.
(4) Definitions.
(a) AGENT — Any representative, including only those Village employees
specifically designated by the Board, whose function is to bring about,
modify, affect, accept performance of or terminate contractual obligations
between the Village and third persons. All other non-designated full
or part-time Village employees are specifically excluded from this
definition.
(b) CONFIDENTIAL INFORMATION — Written material or oral information
related to city government, which is not otherwise subject to release
under the public records law and which is expressly designated or
marked as confidential.
(c) FINANCIAL INTEREST — Any interest which shall yield directly
a monetary or other material benefit to the official, employee or
agent or to any person employing or retaining the services of the
official, employee or agent.
(d) IMMEDIATE FAMILY — The official's or employee's spouse and
any relative by marriage, lineal descent or adoption who receives,
directly or indirectly, more than one-half of his support from the
official or employee.
(e) IMPROPER CONDUCT — Any violations of this section.
(f) OFFICIAL — Any elected or appointed office holder of the Village.
These include, but are not limited to, President, Trustees, Clerk,
and Assessor.
(g) PERSON — Any natural person, corporation, partnership or joint
venture.
(h) RELATIVE — A person related by blood as a first cousin or closer
in kinship; a person related by blood to one's spouse as a first cousin
or closer in kinship; or a person who through adoption is related
to one's self or one's spouse as a first cousin or closer in kinship.
(5) Fair and Equal Treatment. Obligation to Citizens. No official, employee
or agent shall grant any special consideration, treatment or advantage
to any citizen beyond that which is available to every other citizen.
(6) Conflict Of Interest.
(a) Financial or Personal Interests Prohibited. No official, employee
or agent, whether paid or unpaid, shall engage in any business or
transaction or shall act in regard to financial or other personal
interest, direct or indirect, which is incompatible with the proper
discharge of his or her official duties in the public interest contrary
to the provisions of this section or would be reasonably expected
to impair his independence of judgment or action in the performance
of his official duties.
(b) Specific Conflicts Enumerated.
1. Incompatible Employment. No official, employee or agent shall engage
in or accept private employment or render service for private interest
when such employment or service is incompatible with the proper discharge
of his or her official duties or would tend to impair such official's,
employee's or agent's independence, judgment or action in the performance
of his or her official duties, unless otherwise permitted by law and
unless disclosure is made herein provided.
2. Disclosure of Confidential Information. No official, employee, board
or committee member or agent shall, without proper legal authorization,
disclose confidential information concerning the property, government
or affairs of the Village, nor shall such official, employee or agent
use such information to advance the financial or other private interest
of their self or others.
3. Gifts and Favors.
a.
No elected or appointed official, employee or agent of the Village
shall accept anything of value, whether in the form of a gift, service,
loan, thing or promise, from any person which may be reasonably expected
to impair his or her independence of judgment or action in the performance
of his or her duties. No elected or appointed official or agent shall
grant in the discharge of his or her duties any improper favor, service
or thing of value. Any elected or appointed official or agent who
receives, directly or indirectly, any gift or gifts having an aggregate
value of more than $50 within any calendar year from any person who
is known by such official to be interested directly or indirectly
in any manner whatever in business dealings with the Village upon
which the official or agent has any influence or input or over which
the official or agent has any jurisdiction, discretion or control,
shall disclose the nature and value of such gifts to the Ethics Board
by January 20 of the next year in which the gift or gifts are received.
A gift or favor made or granted to a member of any official's or agent's
immediate family shall be deemed made or granted to the official.
b.
No elected or appointed official, employee or agent of the Village
may solicit or accept, either directly or indirectly, from any person
or organization money or anything of value if it could reasonably
be expected to influence the official's actions or judgments or be
considered a reward for any action or inaction on the part of the
official. Campaign contributions are an exception and should be carefully
documented and handled in accordance with the provisions of the Wisconsin
Statutes.
c.
An elected or appointed official, employee or agent is not to
accept hospitality if after consideration of the surrounding circumstances
it could reasonably be concluded that such hospitality would not be
extended were it not for the fact that the guest or a member of the
guest's immediate family was a Village official. Participation in
celebrations, grand openings, open houses, informational meetings
and similar events are excluded from this prohibition. This paragraph
further shall not be construed to prevent candidates for elective
office from accepting hospitality from citizens for the purpose of
supporting the candidate's campaign.
d.
Gifts received by an elected or appointed official, employee
or agent under unusual circumstances may be referred to the Ethics
Board within 10 days of receipt for recommended disposition.
4. Contracts with the Village. Except to the extent allowed by Wis.
Stat. 946.13, no official, employee or agent of the Village who, in
his or her capacity as such official, in which such official, employee
or agent has a private pecuniary interest, direct or indirect, or
performs in regard to that contract some function requiring the exercise
of discretion on the part of such official, employee or agent shall
enter into any contract with the Village.
5. Employment of Relatives. No official, employee or agent, except as
designated by the Board, shall participate in a discussion or proceeding
which is held for the purpose of interviewing and/or hiring a job
applicant; setting the salary, duties and/or conditions of employment
of a job applicant or any employee; or firing of an employee, who
is a relative of such official. No official shall head a department
which employs a relative. No employee shall work in a department which
is headed by a relative. Relatives of elected officials or the Village
Administrator shall not be hired into a full- or part-time position
in any Village department. This provision shall not apply to current,
limited term or volunteer on-call positions.
[Amended 11-20-2023 by Ord. No. 2023-13]
(7) Disclosure of Interest in Matters before the Village Board. To the
extent known, all elected and appointed officials of the Village,
members of its boards and committees or employees of the Village who
have a financial interest in any proposed action shall disclose on
the records of the Village promptly the nature and extent of such
interest. To the extent known, all persons furnishing contracted services
to the Village, its boards or committees who have a financial interest
in any proposed action shall, to the extent the proposed action relates
to the contracted services provided or to be provided, disclose on
the records of the Village promptly the nature and extent of such
interest.
Any other official, employee or agent who has a financial interest
in any proposed action and who participates in discussion with or
gives an official opinion or recommendation to the Board or any board
or committee shall disclose on the records of the Village promptly
the nature and extent of such interest.
(8) Campaign Contributions. Campaign contributions shall be reported
by all candidates for official and employee positions in the Village
in strict conformity with the provisions of the Wisconsin Statutes.
(9) Ethics Board. There is hereby created an Ethics Board for the Village.
(a) Structure and Method of Appointment. The Ethics Board shall be appointed according to Section
2.07(4)(a). Upon prior request of the Board, the Village Attorney shall furnish the Board whatever legal assistance is necessary to carry out its functions.
(b) Membership. The members of the Ethics Board shall be appointed by
the President and confirmed by the Board. Terms of office shall be
three years, except that when initial appointments are made, one shall
be appointed for one year, two for two years and two for three years.
If any member of the Ethics Board petitions the Board for an advisory
opinion regarding his or her conduct, such member shall be mandatorily
excluded from sitting in his or her own case.
(c) Leadership and Procedures. The Ethics Board shall elect its own chairperson
and vice-chairperson and shall develop written rules of procedure
which shall be submitted to the Board for approval.
(d) Amendment to Code of Ethics. The Ethics Board may make recommendations
to the Board with respect to amendments to this section.
(10) Filing of a Verified Complaint.
(a)
Any person may initiate a review before the Ethics Board of
the conduct of any Village officer or employee alleged to be in violation
of the Village ethics code by filing a verified complaint, with the
Village Clerk together with a processing fee in the amount of $200.
Such verified complaint shall specify the activities of such officer
or employee which are alleged to be in violation of the code of ethics.
The Clerk shall provide a form, created by the Ethics Board that may
be used for such complaint.
(b)
Determination of Probable Cause. The Village Attorney or in
the event of conflict special counsel appointed by the Ethics Board,
shall act as counsel to the Ethics Board. Upon receipt the Clerk shall
forward such complaint to the Chair of the Ethics Board who will see
to it that the officer or employee accused in the complaint is notified
of fact that a complaint has been filed and served (in person or by
certified mail) a copy of the complaint within 10 days of its filing.
The Chair also shall convene the Ethics Board within 30 days of the
date of filing of the complaint with the clerk for the purposes of
determining whether, when viewing the complaint in the light most
favorable to the complaining party there is probable cause to believe
the employee or officer has acted in violation of the Ethics Code.
Such review shall be in closed session. The Ethics Board shall give
the complaining party and the officer or employee named in the complaint
notice of the meeting and may request clarification of the complaint
from either party.
1.
If the Ethics Board determines that no probable cause exists,
it shall dismiss the complaint and notify the accused officer or employee,
the complainant and such other persons as the board determines to
have an interest.
2.
If the Ethics Board finds probable cause to believe a violation
exists, it shall then proceed to hold a hearing as provided by this
code.
3.
The Ethics Board may also, upon agreement of the complaining
party and the officer or employee named in the complaint proceed to
issue an advisory opinion on the facts alleged in the complaint in
lieu of a hearing.
4.
The Ethics Board may direct the Village Attorney or special
counsel to further investigate the facts stated in the verified complaint
and report back to the board.
5.
The complaining party may withdraw the complaint prior to a
finding of probable cause. If probable cause is found by the Ethics
Board, the complaint may not be withdrawn without the consent of the
Ethics Board which may, at its complete discretion, require the matter
to continue to hearing with or without the complaining parties consent
and voluntary participation.
(c)
Hearing Process.
1.
Notice of the finding of probable cause and notice of hearing
and a copy of the complaint shall be sent to the accused officer or
employee by certified mail at his last known post office address within
five days of the determination of probable cause.
2.
Such hearing shall be scheduled more than 20 days but less than
30 days from the postmarked date of the notice of hearing. The hearing
may however be adjourned at the request of either party for good cause
shown or the Ethics Board.
3.
Prior to the hearing date, the Chair or the designated representative
shall contact the parties for the purpose of a pre-hearing conference.
At the pre-hearing conference, the parties shall disclose the witnesses
they intend to call request any subpoenas and discuss any other evidentiary
or procedural issues related to the hearing.
4.
The hearing shall be held before a quorum of the Ethics Board,
presided over by the Chair or designated representative. At the hearing
each party may be represented by counsel at their own expense, the
parties may present evidence, call and examine witnesses and cross-examine
witnesses of the other party. Such witnesses shall be sworn by the
person presiding over the hearing. The chairman of the board is empowered
to issue subpoenas to compel attendance of witnesses at such hearing.
Statutory due process procedures and admissibility of evidence will
be subject to the guidelines of Wis. Stats. § 227-45(1).
5.
The hearing shall be conducted in accordance with the Wisconsin
Rules of Criminal Evidence, and the Secretary of the Ethics Board
or designee shall take notes of testimony and shall mark and preserve
all exhibits. The burden shall be on the complaining party to show
to by clear, satisfactory and convincing evidence that an ethics code
violation has occurred by the officer or employee accused.
6.
The hearing shall be noticed to be and conducted in closed session
unless the accused officer or employee requests, in writing, that
it be open to the public.
7.
Within 20 days of the completion of the hearing and the filing
of briefs, if any, the board shall make a written determination as
to the existence of a violation of the code of ethics by the accused
officer or employee. Such determination shall be mailed by certified
mail to such officer or employee within the 20 day period. Copies
shall also be delivered to the Village Board in the same manner as
a report of a standing committee for such action as the Village Board
may deem proper.
8.
The Ethics Board may compromise or settle any potential action
or violation of this chapter. Whenever the board enters into a settlement
agreement with an individual who is accused of a violation of this
chapter, the board shall reduce the agreement to writing, together
with a statement of the board's findings and reasons for entering
into the agreement and shall retain the statement and agreement in
its records for inspection.
(11) Advisory Opinions.
(a)
Request for Advisory Opinion. Any individual, either personally
or on behalf of an organization or governmental body, may, in writing,
request the ethics board, to issue an advisory opinion regarding the
propriety of any matter to which the person is or may become a party.
It is prima facie evidence of intent to comply with the Ethics Code
when a person requests an advisory opinion abides by the advisory
opinion, if the material facts are as stated in the opinion request.
The Ethics Board may authorize the Village Attorney to act in its
stead in instances where delay is of substantial inconvenience or
detriment to the requesting party.
(b)
Confidentiality. Except as provided in par. (c), neither the
Village Attorney, a member of the Ethics Board, nor anyone else who
becomes privy to the request or opinion may make public the identity
of an individual requesting an advisory opinion or of individuals
or organizations mentioned in the opinion.
(c)
Exception to Confidentiality. The Ethics Board or Village Attorney
replying to a request for an advisory opinion may make the opinion
public with the consent of the individual requesting the advisory
opinion or the organization or governmental body on whose behalf it
is requested and may make public a summary of an advisory opinion
issued under this subsection after making sufficient alterations in
the summary to prevent disclosing the identities of individuals involved
in the opinion. A person who makes or purports to make public the
substance of or any portion of an advisory opinion requested by or
on behalf of the person waives the confidentiality of the request
for an advisory opinion and of any records obtained or prepared by
the Ethics Board or the Village Attorney for the local governmental
unit in connection with the request for an advisory opinion.
(12) Distribution of Code. The Clerk shall provide copies of this section
annually to elected and appointed officials, candidates for political
office and the designated employees of the Village who are required
to file disclosure statements annually and shall keep at least one
copy permanently on file for the use of the public. All employees
shall receive a copy when they are hired.