[HISTORY: Adopted by the Board of Trustees of the Village of Piermont
11-14-1977 by L.L. No. 27-1977 as Ch. 8 of the 1977 Code. Amendments noted
where applicable.]
It is deemed to be in the public interest that a Code of Ethics for
public officers and employees be established, and therefore, pursuant to § 806
of the General Municipal Law, the Board of Trustees of the Village of Piermont,
recognizing that there are rules of ethical conduct for public officers and
employees which must be observed if a high degree of moral conduct is to be
obtained and if public confidence is to be maintained in local government,
does hereby establish a Code of Ethics to serve as a guide for official conduct
of the officers and employees of the Village of Piermont.
As used in this chapter, the following terms shall have the meanings
indicated:
A pecuniary or material benefit accruing to a municipal officer or
employee unless the context otherwise requires. "Interest" as used herein
also includes a pecuniary or material benefit accruing to the municipal officer's
or employee's spouse, minor dependents and children; firm, a partnership or
association of which said officer or employee is a member or employee; a corporation
of which such officer or employee is an officer, director or employee; and
a corporation, any stock of which is accrued or controlled directly or indirectly
by such officer or employee.
An officer or employee of the Village of Piermont, whether paid or
unpaid, including members of any administrative board, commission or other
agency thereof. No person shall be deemed to be a municipal officer or employee
solely by reason of being a volunteer fireman or civil defense volunteer,
except a Chief Engineer or Assistant Chief Engineer.
Every officer or employee of the Village of Piermont shall be subject
to and abide by the following standards of conduct:
A.
Gifts. He shall not directly or indirectly solicit any
gift or accept or receive any gift having a value of $25 or more, whether
in the form of money, services, loan, travel, entertainment, hospitality,
thing or promise or any other form, under circumstances in which it could
reasonably be inferred that the gift was intended to influence him, or could
reasonably be expected to influence him, in the performance of his official
duties or was intended as a reward for any official action on his part.
B.
Confidential information. He shall not disclose confidential
information acquired by him in the course of his official duties or use such
information to further his personal interest. He shall not disclose, without
proper authorization, any confidential information concerning the affairs
of the Village of Piermont. Any inquiring person shall be directed to the
public records of the Village. Records of all Village departments not stated
to be public records shall be considered confidential.
C.
Representation before one's own agency. He shall not
receive or enter into any agreement, express or implied, for compensation
for services to be rendered in relation to any matter before any municipal
agency of which he is an officer, member or employee or of any municipal agency
over which he has jurisdiction or to which he has the power to appoint any
member, officer or employee.
D.
Representation before any Board, Commission or Agency
of the Village of Piermont. No officer or employee of the Village shall enter
into any agreement, express or implied, for compensation for services to be
rendered in relation to any matter before any municipal Board, Commission
or Agency of the Village of Piermont.
[Amended 9-1-1992 by L.L.
No. 10-1992]
E.
Disclosure of interest in legislation. To the extent
that he knows thereof, a member of the Board of Trustees and any officer or
employee of the Village of Piermont, whether paid or unpaid, who participates
in the discussion or gives official opinion to the Board on any legislation
before the Board of Trustees shall publicly disclose on the official record
the nature and extent of any direct or indirect financial or other private
interest he has in such legislation.
F.
Private employment. He shall not engage in, solicit,
negotiate for or promise to accept private employment or render service for
private interests when such employment or service creates a conflict with
or impairs the proper discharge of his official duties. The following regulations
concern the particular office or department stated:
(1)
Office of the Building Inspector. Neither the Building
Inspector, nor any assistant, shall within the Village of Piermont engage
in the real estate, insurance, building contracting or building material business
during the course of his employment. This shall not prevent a Building Inspector
or other employee of said department who has a real estate license or an insurance
license in effect at the time he became an inspector or employee from continuing
such license in effect.
(2)
Office of the Board of Assessors. The Chairman of the
Board of Assessors, Assessor, part-time assessors or any employee or consultant
thereof shall not use the records and information of his department for any
private use whatever.
G.
Future employment. No former employee or officer of the
Village of Piermont, after the termination of service or employment with such
municipality, shall appear before any board or agency of the Village of Piermont
in relation to any case, proceeding or application in which he personally
participated or which was under his active consideration during the period
of his service or employment.
Nothing herein shall be deemed to bar or prevent the timely filing by
a present or former municipal officer or employee of any account, demand or
suit against the Village of Piermont or any agency thereof on behalf of himself
or any member of his family arising out of any personal injury or property
damage or for any lawful benefit authorized or permitted by law.
The Mayor of the Village of Piermont shall cause a copy of this Code
of Ethics to be distributed to every officer and employee of the Village within
30 days after the effective date of this chapter. Each officer and employee
elected or appointed thereafter shall be furnished a copy before entering
upon the duties of his office or employment. Failure to distribute any such
copy or failure of any officer or employee to receive such copy shall have
no effect on the duties or compliance with such code nor the enforcement of
provisions thereof.
In addition to any penalty contained in any other provision of law,
any person who shall knowingly and intentionally violate any of the provisions
of this code may be fined, suspended or removed from office or employment,
as the case may be, in the manner provided by law.
