[HISTORY: Adopted by the Village Council of the Village of Ridgewood 6-21-2000 by Ord. No. 2704. Amendments noted where applicable.]
As used in this chapter, the following terms shall have the meanings indicated:
CANDIDATE
Any individual seeking election to a public office of the federal, state, county or municipal government, school district or political organization.
MUNICIPAL OFFICIAL, EMPLOYEE AND APPOINTEE
Any person holding elective municipal office or holding an appointed position in the municipal government, or in any agency, commission, board or office thereof, whether the position is full-time or part-time, compensated or uncompensated; and any employee of municipal government or of any agency, commission, board or office thereof, whether the position is full-time or part-time.
MUNICIPALITY
This municipality and any officer, department, board, commission or agency thereof.
POLITICAL CONTRIBUTION
Includes all loans and transfers of money or other thing of value to or by any candidate, elected official or political organization and all pledges or other commitments or assumptions of liability to make any such transfer. Contributions shall be deemed to have been made upon the date when such commitment is made or liability assumed.
POLITICAL ORGANIZATION
Any two or more persons acting jointly, or any corporation, partnership or any other incorporated or unincorporated association which is organized to, or does, aid or promote the nomination, election or defeat of any candidate or candidates for federal, state, county, municipal or school board office. Political organization includes, but is not limited to, organizations otherwise defined as "political committee," "joint candidates committee," "legislative leadership committee," and "continuing political committee," "political party committee" and "candidate committee."
PROPERTY OF THE MUNICIPALITY
The term "public property" means all real and personal property owned, leased or controlled by the Village, including but not limited to buildings, structures, vehicles, phones, fax machines, computers, stationery, including municipal letterhead, postage or other office equipment or supplies and other real or personal property owned, leased or controlled by the municipality, except for public roads and open park land.
SOLICIT
To seek by oral or written communication a contribution as same is defined herein.
A. 
Prohibition against soliciting or accepting political contributions on public property.
(1) 
No municipal official, employee or appointee may solicit, commit to pay or receive payment of or a commitment to pay any contribution for any candidate, elected official or political organization while in or on public property or utilizing public property. This section shall include solicitation or acceptance of political contributions made over the telephone or by use of a computer, including private telephones and computers, if the person soliciting or accepting the political contribution or using the telephone or computer for purposes of soliciting or accepting the political contribution is in or on any public property.
B. 
Prohibited forms of fund-raising.
(1) 
Prohibited forms of fund-raising by municipal officials, employees or appointees shall include, but are not limited to:
(a) 
Soliciting or accepting contributions using municipal telephones, fax machines or computers.
(b) 
Soliciting or accepting contributions using personal telephones while on the property of the municipality.
(c) 
Soliciting or accepting contributions through the use of publicly owned computers or privately owned personal computers while on the property of the municipality.
(d) 
Using municipal letterhead to solicit or accept contributions.
(e) 
Sending correspondence from municipal buildings or by use of municipal services, equipment or postage.
(f) 
Face-to-face soliciting of an individual or an owner or representative of a business entity while on the property of the municipality.
(g) 
Use of automobiles owned or leased by the municipality to accept or solicit contributions.
C. 
This chapter shall not be construed to prohibit the use of public property by organizations, including political organizations, for meetings.