A County officer or employee shall not use his or her official position or office to take or fail to take any action in a manner which he or she knows or has reason to know may result in a personal financial benefit for any of the following persons:
A. 
The County officer or employee;
B. 
His or her outside employer or business;
C. 
A member of his or her household;
D. 
A relative; or
E. 
A person from whom the officer or employee has received election campaign contributions of more than $1,000 in the aggregate during the past 12 months.
A. 
No County officer or employee shall have an interest in any contract with the County of which he/she is an officer or employee when such officer or employee, individually or as a member of a board, has the power or duty to a) negotiate, prepare, authorize or approve payment thereunder; b) audit bills or claims under the contract; or c) appoint an officer or employee who has any of the powers or duties set forth above.
B. 
No chief fiscal officer, treasurer, or his deputy or employee shall have an interest in a bank or trust company designated as a depository, paying agent, registration agent or for investment of funds of the municipality of which he is an officer or employee.
C. 
Any contract willfully entered into by or with the County in which there is an interest prohibited by that § 804-a of the General Municipal law shall be null, void, and wholly unenforceable.
A. 
In accordance with § 803 of the General Municipal Law, any County officer or employee who has, will have, or later acquire an interest in or whose spouse has, will have, or later acquire an interest in any actual or proposed contract, purchase agreement, lease agreement or other agreement, including oral agreements, with the County in which he or she is an officer or employee, shall publicly disclose the nature and extent of such interest in writing to his or her immediate supervisor and to the Clerk of the Cayuga County Legislature as soon as he or she has knowledge of such actual or prospective interest. Such written disclosure shall be made part of and set forth in the official record of the proceedings of the Legislature.
B. 
Disclosure shall not be required in the case of an interest in a contract described in § 802(2) of the General Municipal Law.
A. 
No County officer or employee may participate in any decision or take any official action with respect to any matter requiring the exercise of discretion, including discussing the matter and voting on the matter, when he or she knows or has reason to know that the action could confer a direct or indirect financial or material benefit on himself or herself, a relative, or any private organization in which he or she is deemed to have an interest.
B. 
In the event that this section prohibits a County officer or employee from exercising or performing a power or duty:
(1) 
The County officer or employee shall file a disclosure statement pursuant to Article III of this Ethics Code; and
(2) 
If the power or duty is vested in a County officer or employee as a member of a board, then the power or duty shall be exercised or performed by the other members of the Board; or
(3) 
If the power or duty that is vested in a County officer individually, then the power or duty shall be exercised or performed by his or her deputy or, if the officer does not have a deputy, the power or duty shall be performed by another person to whom the officer may lawfully delegate the function.
(4) 
If the power or duty is vested in a County employee, he or she must refer the matter to his or her immediate supervisor, and the immediate supervisor shall designate another person to exercise or perform the power or duty.
No County officer or employee may acquire or retain the following investments:
A. 
Investments that can be reasonably expected to require more than sporadic recusal and abstention under § 40-14 of this Code; or
B. 
Investments that would otherwise impair the person's independence of judgment in the exercise or performance of his or her official powers and duties.
No County officer or employee, during his or her tenure as a County officer or employee, may engage in any private employment, including the rendition of any business, commercial, professional or other types of services, when the employment:
A. 
Can be reasonably expected to require more than sporadic recusal and abstention pursuant to § 40-14 of this Code;
B. 
Can be reasonably expected to require disclosure or use of confidential information gained by reason of serving as a County officer or employee;
C. 
Violates § 805-a(1)(c) or (d) of the General Municipal Law; or
D. 
Requires representation of a person or organization other than the municipality in connection with litigation, negotiations or any other matter to which the municipality is a party.
For a period of one year after the termination of service or employment with the County, no former officer or employee, on his or her own behalf, or as an employee, agent or representative of another may appear before the Cayuga County Legislature in relation to any action, proceeding, or application in which he/she personally obtained confidential information during the period of his/her service or employment or that was under his/her active consideration. Said one-year prohibition may be waived by the County Legislature for good cause upon written application by such officer or employee.
No County officer or employee who acquires confidential information in the course of exercising or performing their official powers or duties may disclose or use such information unless the disclosure or use is required by law or in the course of exercising or performing his or her official powers and duties.
A. 
No County officer or employee shall solicit, accept or receive a gift in violation of § 805-a(1)(a) of the General Municipal Law, as interpreted by this section.
B. 
No County officer or employee, for personal use or gain, may directly or indirectly solicit, accept or receive any gift (including cash, checks, gift cards/certificates, or any other item of value), or multiple gifts from the same donor, when:
(1) 
The gift reasonably appears to be intended to influence the officer or employee in the exercise or performance of his or her official powers and duties;
(2) 
The gift could reasonably be expected to influence the officer or employee in the exercise or performance of his or her official powers and duties; or
(3) 
The gift is intended as a reward for any official action on the part of the officer or employee.
A. 
A gift to a County officer or employee is presumed to be intended to influence the exercise of performance of his or her official powers or duties when the gift is from a private person or organization that seeks municipal action involving the exercise of discretion by or with the participation of the officer or employee.
B. 
A gift to a County officer or employee is presumed to be intended as a reward for official action when the gift is from a private person or organization that has obtained municipal action involving the exercise of discretion by or with the participation of the officer or employee during the preceding 12 months.
Section 40-20 does not prohibit any other gift, including:
A. 
Gifts made to the municipality;
B. 
Gifts from a person with a family or personal relationship with the officer or employee when the circumstances make it clear that the personal relationship, rather than the recipient's status as a County officer or employee, is the primary motivating factor for the gift;
C. 
Gifts given on special occasions, such as marriage, illness, or retirement, which are modest, reasonable and customary;
D. 
Unsolicited advertising or promotional material of little intrinsic value, such as pens, pencils, note pads, and calendars;
E. 
Awards and plaques having a value of $75 or less which are publicly presented in recognition of service as a County officer or employee, or other services to the community; or
F. 
Meals and refreshments provided when a County officer or employee is a speaker or participant at a job-related professional or educational conference or program and the meals and refreshments are made available to all participants.
A County officer or employee shall not appear before the Cayuga County Legislature, except on their own behalf or in their capacity as employee of the County in furtherance of their official duties.
A. 
Except as provided in this section, the outside employer or business of a County officer or employee shall not appear before the particular agency in which the County officer or employee serves or by which he or she is employed.
B. 
Except as provided in this section, the outside employer or business of a County officer or employee shall not appear before any other County agency if the County officer or employee has the authority to appoint any officer, employee, or member of the agency or to review, approve, audit, or authorize any budget, bill, payment, or claim of the agency.
C. 
Nothing in this section shall be construed to prohibit the outside employer or business of a County officer or employee from:
(1) 
Appearing on its own behalf, or on behalf of the County, before a County agency;
(2) 
Seeking or obtaining a ministerial act; or
(3) 
Receiving a County service or benefit, or using a County facility, which is generally available to the public.
A County officer or employee shall not represent any person or entity in any matter that person has before the County nor represent any person in any matter against the interest of the County except:
A. 
Legislators within their scope as representatives of their constitutes and districts; and
B. 
Attorney's employed by the County in performing their official duties.
A. 
No County officer or employee shall directly or indirectly compel or induce a subordinate County officer or employee to make, or promise to make, any political contribution, whether by gift of money, service or other thing of value.
B. 
No County officer or employee may act or decline to act in relation to appointing, hiring or promoting, discharging, disciplining, or in any manner changing the official rank, status or compensation of any County officer or employee, or an applicant for a position as a County officer or employee, on the basis of the giving or withholding or neglecting to make any contribution of money or service or any other valuable thing for any political purpose.
Except as otherwise required by law:
A. 
No County officer or employee, either individually or as a member of a board, may participate in any decision specifically to appoint, hire, promote, discipline or discharge a relative for any position at, for or within the municipality or a municipal board.
B. 
No County officer or employee may directly or indirectly supervise a relative in the performance of the relative's official powers or duties unless such supervision is reported and approved by the Department of Human Resources and the appropriate Chair of the Legislative Oversight Committee.
County officers or employees shall not knowingly acquire, solicit, negotiate for, or accept any interest, employment, or other things of value which would place them in violation of this Ethics Code.
A County officer or employee shall not induce or aid another officer or employee of the County to violate any of the provisions of this Ethics Code.