Public officials and employees shall not exceed their authority or breach
law or ask others to do so, and they shall work in full cooperation with other
public officials and employees unless prohibited from doing so by law or by
officially recognized confidentially of their work.
No trustee or other public official or employee, whether paid or unpaid,
shall engage in any business or transaction or shall have a financial or other
personal interest, direct or indirect, which is incompatible with the proper
discharge of his official duties in the public judgment or will tend to impair
his independence of judgment or action in the performance of his official
duties. Personal as distinguished from financial interest includes an interest
arising from blood or marriage relationships or close business or political
association.
Specific conflicts of interest are enumerated below for the guidance
of officials. The following list is illustrative merely and not exclusive:
A. Incompatible employment. No Trustee or other public official
or employee shall engage in or accept private employment or render services
for private interests when such employment or service is incompatible with
the proper discharge of his official duties or tends to impair his independence
of judgment or action in the performance of this official duties. In the event
a Trustee, official or employee possesses a financial interest in any business
or transaction, any presumption of conflict of interest with his public duties
shall be removed by his disclosure of the nature and extent of such investment
to the Village Board for the records of that authority.
B. Disclosure of confidential information. No Trustee, other
public official or employee shall, without proper legal authorization, disclose
confidential information concerning the property, government or affairs of
the Village, nor shall he use such information to advance the financial or
other private interest of himself or others.
C. Gifts and favors. No Trustee or other public official
or employee shall accept any gift having a value greater than $5, whether
in the form of service, loan, thing or promise, from any person who to his
knowledge is interested directly or indirectly in any manner whatsoever in
business dealings with the Village, nor shall any such official or employee
accept a gift, favor or thing of value that may tend to influence him in the
discharge of his duties, or grant in the discharge of his duties any improver
favor, service or thing of value. Any Trustee or other public official or
employee who accepts any gift, favor or thing of value shall, in the case
of a Trustee, disclose the matter in the minutes of the next Board meeting,
and, in the case of other officials or employees, report that matter to the
Board for disclosure in the minutes of the next meeting.
D. Representing private interest before Village agencies
or courts. No Trustee or other public official or employee whose salary is
paid in whole or in part by the Village shall appear in behalf of private
interests before any agency of the Village. He shall not represent private
interests in any action or proceeding against the interest of the Village
in any litigation to which the Village is a party.
E. Contracts with the Village. Any Trustee or other public
official or employee who has substantial financial interest in any business
entity entering into or proposing to enter into any transaction or contract
with the Village for the sale of real estate, material supplies or services
to the Village shall disclose such interest to the Village Board to be reported
in the minutes of the appropriate Board meeting, and, in the case of a Trustee,
he shall refrain from voting upon or otherwise participating (except in the
performance of a ministerial act) in the transaction or the making of such
contract or sale.
F. Disclosure of interest in legislation.
(1) A Trustee who has a financial or other private interest
in any legislation shall disclose on the records of the Board the nature and
extent of such interest.
(2) Any other public official or employee who has a financial
or other private interest and who participates in discussion with or gives
an official opinion to the Board shall disclose on the record of the Board
the nature and extent of such interest.
Violation of any provision of this chapter should raise conscientious
questions for the Trustee or any other official or employee concerned as to
whether voluntary resignation or other action is indicated to promote the
best interest of the Village. Violation may constitute a cause for suspension,
removal from office or employment, or other disciplinary action.