[HISTORY: Adopted by the Board of Selectmen of the Town of Kingston 11-5-2013. Amendments noted where applicable. The codification of the Code of Civil Conduct as Chapter 410 of the Town Code was approved by the Board of Selectmen in 2024.]
A. 
The Town of Kingston's municipal government values respect, integrity, civil behavior and expects that all employees, members of all boards and committees, those representing the Town, and members of the public in attendance at Town-sponsored events/meetings, shall act with such respect, integrity and civil behavior. It is our earnest desire to work collaboratively with fellow employees, committee and board members, and all members of the public on this issue and in this manner. It is our desire to serve our residents and each other in as efficient and professional manner as possible. As your Board of Selectmen, we are committed to providing the public with the highest level of services, delivered in the most efficient manner, using any and all resources that are available to us.
B. 
As public officials, we are committed to assure that all who enter into our buildings, gather at any event, and during all public discourse shall be treated with respect, professional behavior, and civil speech.
C. 
Accordingly, no employee, members of the boards, commissions and committees, or any other person so engaged by the Town of Kingston shall enter into a discussion without the highest standards of personal integrity, truthfulness, honesty, civility and fairness in carrying out his or her public duties. To do so is a violation of this code.
D. 
On behalf of our community, the Town of Kingston ("Town") Board of Selectmen herby adopts the following Code of Civility.[1]
[1]
It is understood that due to circumstances beyond the norm and the critical nature of their positions, Police and Fire Department personnel, excluding support staff, will act under the guidelines of Kingston Police Department and Fire Department rules and regulations.
Respect and civility from all employees, volunteers, those representing the Town, and those in attendance at any Town function shall be maintained at all times, including and especially during public meetings. Public meetings are to be free from disrespect, creating a public embarrassment, and/or personal attacks on any person so mentioned at the event or not in attendance. Town officials and employees, as well as the public, shall be free to express their ideas, as is their right, without the threat of harassment. All persons, as mentioned, shall not be verbally or physically accosted for any reason, at any time.
No promises or commitments that cannot be reasonably and lawfully fulfilled shall be made by any party working for or representing the Town of Kingston. Appropriate social, ethical, and organizational norms in all Town-related activities shall be maintained at all times.
All persons shall be treated in a fair and equitable manner without exception. No employee, member of any board, commission or committee, or person representing the Town of Kingston shall at any time for any reason raise his/her voice, demean, or purposefully embarrass any person in any Town building, on any Town property, or at any meeting, presentation, or event or similar sponsored by the Town. It is expected that any person doing business in Town buildings or at a Town event shall be similarly respectful to all others in attendance and those responsible for the event.
The highest standards of professional behavior and compliance with all Ethics Commission laws, regulations, and policies under which we operate as a Town shall be kept at all times.
All parties mentioned above shall strive to be open, consistent, truthful, and respectful in all communications, written and verbal, as this is vital for reflective and sound decisionmaking for our community.
The Town, including all departments, shall promote an atmosphere of teamwork and mutual respect to achieve organizational goals, recognizing at all times that unity of purpose and effort leads to productivity and greater accomplishments for our Town.