A. 
A Board of Ethics is hereby established, and the Town Board shall appropriate funds for maintenance and personal services in connection therewith.
B. 
The Board of Ethics shall be composed of seven members appointed by the Supervisor, subject to confirmation by the Town Board. Only one member may be an elected or appointed municipal officer or employee. The Town Attorney or his/her designee shall serve as counsel to the Board of Ethics, except he/she shall be excused when he/she or the Board of Ethics determines that he/she has, or may reasonably appear to have, a conflict of interest. In such event, substitute counsel shall be provided in a timely fashion.
[Amended 1-31-2006 by L.L. No. 1-2006; 4-24-2007 by L.L. No. 2-2007]
C. 
No persons may be appointed as members of such Board who shall be:
(1) 
An officer or committee person of any political party or club within the Town.
(2) 
Persons clearly related by family or business to any Town officer or employee.
(3) 
Persons having business dealings with the Town or any Town agency directly or indirectly, either personally or through some firm, association or corporation in which such person has an official capacity.
D. 
The members of such Board shall serve at the pleasure of the Town Board and shall receive no salary or compensation for their services as members, except that any member who is a Town officer or employee shall be entitled to his usual compensation when attending upon the business of the Board during normal working hours.
E. 
Members of the Board of Ethics shall be provided with legal defense and indemnification in accordance with the requirements of Chapter 24, Defense of Officers, Employees and Appointed Officers, of the Islip Town Code.
The Board of Ethics shall promulgate its own rules and regulations as to its forms and procedures unless otherwise provided in this chapter and shall maintain appropriate records of its opinions and proceedings, for which expenses it shall be reimbursed as a Town charge, and an adequate appropriation for its operation shall be budgeted by the Supervisor. The members of said Board shall elect from among themselves a Chairman and a Secretary.
A. 
The Board of Ethics shall have all the powers and duties as prescribed by Article 18 of the General Municipal Law and, with respect to financial disclosure, shall have all the power and duties given to the Temporary State Commission On Local Government Ethics under General Municipal Law § 813.
B. 
The Board of Ethics shall render advisory opinions to Town officers and employees with respect to this Code of Ethics. Such advisory opinions shall be rendered pursuant to the written request of any Town officer or employee or former officer or former employee under such rules and regulations as the Board of Ethics may deem advisable. In addition, the Board of Ethics may make recommendations with respect to amendments to the Code of Ethics upon the request of the Town Board.
[Amended 4-24-2007 by L.L. No. 2-2007]
C. 
The Board of Ethics shall receive and investigate all complaints alleging violation of this Code of Ethics upon the written request of any individual. This request must be signed by the individual complainant and must include his address. The Board may also investigate on its own initiative any possible violation of this Code of Ethics. The Board shall complete its investigation within six months after receiving a complaint, except in the case of complex matters or extenuating circumstances.
[Amended 4-24-2007 by L.L. No. 2-2007]
D. 
The Board of Ethics shall have the power and authority, in its discretion, to render reports and recommendations to the Town Board for appropriate action respecting unethical practices in violation of the Code of Ethics and Financial Disclosure Law or any statute, rule or regulation relating to conflicts of interest, ethical conduct and the interest of municipal officers and employees in contracts. The Town Board, in its discretion and consistent with statutory provisions relating to the discipline or removal of officers, employees and agency members, may publicly disclose the reports and recommendations of the Board of Ethics filed with it.
E. 
The Board of Ethics shall act as a repository for completed financial disclosure forms filed pursuant to Article VI herein, shall review the same for possible conflicts of interest and shall have the authority to promulgate rules and regulations which are necessary to carry out its duties and legal mandate under Article VI herein, including the authority to promulgate rules and regulations of the same impact as those which the Temporary State Commission on Local Government Ethics enjoys under General Municipal Law § 813.
F. 
All agencies of the Town shall furnish to such Board, in connection with its investigations, such data, information and statements as may, in the opinion of the Board, be necessary for the proper exercise of its functions, powers and duties.
G. 
All requests for advisory opinions or interpretations and all complaints, investigations and proceedings shall be deemed confidential unless otherwise provided by law or ordinance.
[Added 4-24-2007 by L.L. No. 2-2007[1]]
A. 
The Board may, at its discretion, schedule a public hearing once in March of every year, wherein the general public of the Town of Islip is invited to bring forward any improvements to this Code of Ethics and Financial Disclosure Law.
[Amended 3-5-2013 by L.L. No. 5-2013]
B. 
Notice of these public hearings may be given by the placing of a quarter-page advertisement in the official newspaper of the Town on two separate occasions, once approximately 30 days prior to said hearings and once approximately 15 days prior to said hearings.
[Amended 3-5-2013 by L.L. No. 5-2013]
C. 
Transcribed stenographic records of the minutes of said hearings shall be filed with the Town Clerk.
D. 
After the holding of said hearings, the Board of Ethics shall forward to the Town Board its recommendations for proper actions to be taken subsequent thereto, including changes to the Code of Ethics and Financial Disclosure Law, or any other action it deems appropriate.
[1]
Editor's Note: This local law also redesignated former §§ 14-25 through 14-30 as §§ 14-28 through 14-33, respectively.
[Added 4-24-2007 by L.L. No. 2-2007; amended 3-5-2013 by L.L. No. 5-2013]
The Board of Ethics shall develop educational materials, an educational program on the provisions of this chapter and may, in its discretion, provide training to all Town employees when deemed necessary or warranted by the Board. The Board of Ethics shall file a copy of all such materials with the Town Clerk and make information concerning this chapter and the Code of Ethics and Financial Disclosure Law available to the officers and employees of the Town, to the public and to persons interested in doing business with the Town of Islip.
[Added 4-24-2007 by L.L. No. 2-2007; amended 9-20-2016 by L.L. No. 3-2016]
Complainants shall be afforded such whistleblower protections as may be provided by law, including but not limited to the protections set forth in New York Civil Service Law § 75-b and New York Labor Law § 740, to the extent applicable.