The Town Board of the Town of Stillwater recognizes that the
proper ethical conduct of its public officers and employees is essential
to the enhancement and maintenance of public confidence in local government
and in our free institutions generally. It is the purpose of this
chapter to supplement and implement the provisions of Article 18 of
the General Municipal Law of the State of New York by establishing
standards of conduct for the Town's officers and employees and
to establish a Board of Ethics to render advisory opinions to the
Town's officers and employees with respect to these matters.
The Town Board shall not knowingly make any appointment, paid
or unpaid, which would create a conflict of interest as herein described
and shall not, without good cause shown, make any appointment, paid
or unpaid, that could create a perceived conflict of interest by virtue
of an individual's profession, business interests, or material holdings
within the Town. In the event the Town Board makes any such appointment
and thereafter determines that there may be a conflict of interest,
real or perceived, the Town Board shall seek an Ethics Board advisory
opinion as to whether a conflict of interest does exist and what action
should be taken to resolve such conflict of interest.
The standards, prohibited acts and procedures established herein
are in addition to any prohibited acts, conflicts of interest provisions
or procedures prescribed by statute of the State of New York and also
in addition to common law rules and judicial decisions relating to
the conduct of Town officers to the extent that the same are more
severe in their application than this chapter.
