The proper operation of the City government
requires that public officials and employees be independent, impartial
and responsible; that governmental policies and decisions be made
in the proper channels of the governmental structure; that public
office and employment not be used for personal gain; and that the
public have confidence in the integrity of its government. The purposes
of this Code of Ethics are to set forth standards of ethical conduct;
to assist public officials and employees in establishing guidelines
for their conduct; and to foster the development and maintenance of
a tradition of responsible and effective public service.
[Amended 12-7-1992]
As used in this chapter, unless a different
meaning is required by the context or is specifically prescribed,
the following words, terms or phrases shall have the following meanings:
Includes the Common Council, the Board of Education and all
other agencies, authorities, boards, commissions, committees, departments
and offices of the City of Middletown without exception.
Any information which is not available to the general public
under the General Statutes and which is obtained only by reason of
an official's or employee's position.
Spouse, parent, children, siblings and their spouses or children.
Any interest which will result in a monetary or other material
benefit to an official or employee, either directly or indirectly
(which has a value of more than $50 to the official or employee),
other than his duly authorized salary or compensation for his services
to the City, and which is not common to the interest of all other
citizens of the City. The following financial interests shall be imputed
to be those of an official or employee of the City:
All officials, officers, members and employees of the government
of the City of Middletown and of all its agencies, whether elected
or appointed, whether paid or unpaid, whether permanent, temporary
or alternate.
As distinguished from financial interest shall include but
not be limited to an interest arising from a family relationship or
business association.
The offer of or the sale, purchase or furnishing of any real
or personal property, or services, by or to any person or entity directly
or indirectly, as vendor or vendee, prime contractor, subcontractor
or otherwise, for the use and benefit of the City or of such other
person or entity, for a valuable consideration.
All City officials and employees shall be bound
by this chapter.
[Amended 12-1-1980; 12-7-1992]
A.
Officials and employees have an obligation to act
morally and honestly in discharging their responsibilities.
B.
Officials and employees shall conduct themselves with
propriety, discharge their duties impartially and fairly and make
continuing efforts toward attaining and maintaining high standards
of conduct.
C.
Each official serving on a multi-member agency, authority,
board, commission or committee is expected to devote the time and
effort necessary to the successful functioning of such agency, authority,
board, commission or committee.
D.
No official or employee shall use, directly or indirectly,
his City position to secure any financial interest or personal interest
for himself or others.
E.
No official or employee shall, for any reason, use
or attempt to use his position to improperly influence any other official
or employee in the performance of his official duties.
F.
City officials and employees shall treat each member
of the public professionally, courteously, impartially and fairly.
No City official or employee shall grant any special consideration,
treatment or advantage to any citizen beyond that which is available
to every other citizen.
No official or employee shall use or permit
the use of City-owned material or City personnel in any manner prohibited
by state statute, City ordinance or administrative regulation. City-owned
property and City personnel may be used only for the conduct of official
business, except where such resources are available to the public
generally.
[Amended 12-1-1980]
A.
No official or employee shall engage in any employment
or business which conflicts with the proper discharge of his official
duties.
B.
No official or employee shall have a financial or
personal interest, directly or indirectly, in any transaction with
any City agency as to which he has the power to take or influence
official action. A contract in violation of this section may be declared
void at the option of the Common Council.
C.
If an official or employee has any direct or indirect
financial or personal interest in the outcome of any matter coming
before the agency of which he is a member or by which he is employed,
such official or employee shall disclose on the record of the agency
or to his superior or other appropriate authority the existence of
such financial or personal interest. An official or employee having
such a financial interest shall not engage in deliberations concerning
the matter, shall disqualify himself from acting on the matter and
shall not communicate about such matter with any person who will participate
in the action to be taken on such matter. Unless any such personal
interest is sufficiently remote from the matter, such official or
employee shall not engage in deliberations concerning the matter,
shall disqualify himself from acting on the matter and shall not communicate
about such matter with any person who will participate in the action
to be taken on such matter.
D.
No official or employee, whether paid or unpaid, shall
represent or appear in behalf of any individual or entity, either
personally or through an associate or partner, against the interests
of the City or any of its agencies in any action or proceeding in
which the City or any of its agencies is a party, unless the action
or proceeding is sufficiently remote from his official duties so that
no actual conflict of interest exists.
E.
No official or employee, whether paid or unpaid, shall
represent or appear in behalf of any individual or entity before any
agency of the City, or take any appellate proceedings from any action
of any such agency, either personally or through an associate or partner,
unless there is first a full disclosure and unless further the matter
or transaction for which he is appearing is sufficiently remote from
his official duties so that no conflict of interest exists and the
officer or employee is not in a position to exert improper influence.
F.
Nothing herein shall be interpreted or construed to
prohibit any official or employee from exercising his legal rights
as to his own personal interests in processing a claim against or
request to the City or any of its agencies, or in defending a claim
made against him by the City or any of its agencies, or to prohibit
an official or employee from testifying as a witness in any administrative
or judicial proceeding.
A.
No official or employee shall, without legal authority,
disclose confidential information concerning the personnel, property,
government or affairs of the City.
B.
No official or employee shall use confidential information
to advance his own financial or personal interests or the financial
or personal interests of any other person.
No official or employee shall accept, from any
one source during any period of one year, any thing or things exceeding
$50 in total value as a gift, gratuity or favor, whether in the form
of a service, loan, thing or promise, from any person who or entity
which to his knowledge is interested directly or indirectly, in any
manner whatsoever, in a transaction with any City agency as to which
he has the power to take or influence official action.
[Added 12-7-1992; amended 6-2-1997; 11-5-2007 by Ord. No. 32-07; 5-2-2013 by Ord. No. 10-13; 5-2-2013 by Ord. No.
11-13]
The Director of Human Resources shall cause
a copy of the Code of Ethics for the City of Middletown to be distributed
to each employee of the City within four months of the enactment of
this section. Thereafter each newly elected or appointed official
or newly hired employee shall receive a copy of the Code of Ethics
before entering upon the duties of their office or appointment. The
Mayor’s Office shall distribute copies to elected officials.
A signed and dated receipt by each employee and elected official shall
be kept on record in the applicable office, Human Resources Division
of the Office of the General Counsel for City employees and Mayor’s
office for elected officials, for the duration of employment or term
of office.
