[HISTORY: Adopted by the Board of Trustees of the Village of Greenport
12-8-1975 as Ch. 6 of the 1975 Code. Amendments noted where applicable.]
Pursuant to the provisions of § 806 of the General Municipal
Law, the Board of Trustees of the Village of Greenport recognizes 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 our unit of local government. It is the
purpose of this chapter to promulgate these rules of ethical conduct for the
officers and employees of the Village of Greenport. These rules shall serve
as a guide for official conduct of the officers and employees of the Village
of Greenport. The rules of ethical conduct of this chapter, as adopted, shall
not conflict with but shall be in addition to any prohibition of Article 18
of the General Municipal Law or any other general or special law relating
to ethical conduct and interest in contracts of municipal officers and employees.
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.
An officer or employee of the Village of Greenport, 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 Greenport shall be subject
to and abide by the following standards of conduct:
A.
Gifts. Such officer or employee shall not directly or
indirectly solicit any gift, or accept or receive any gift, having a value
of twenty-five dollars ($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. Such officer or employee shall
not disclose confidential information acquired by him in the course of his
official duties or use such information to further his personal interest.
C.
Representation before one's own agency. Such officer
or employee 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 before
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 agency for a contingent fee.
Such officer or employee 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 agency of this municipality, whereby his compensation is
to be dependent or contingent upon any action by such agency with respect
to such matter, provided that this subsection shall not prohibit the fixing
at any time of fees based upon the reasonable value of the services rendered.
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 Greenport, whether paid or unpaid, who participates
in the discussion or gives official opinion to the Board of Trustees 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.
Investments in conflict with official duties. Such officer
or employee shall not invest or hold any investment directly or indirectly
in any financial, business, commercial or other private transaction which
creates a conflict with his official duties.
G.
Private employment. Such officer or employee shall not
engage in, solicit, negotiate for or promise to accept private employment
or render services for private interests when such employment or service creates
a conflict with or impairs the proper discharge of his official duties.
H.
Future employment. Such officer or employee shall not,
after the termination of service or employment with such municipality, appear
before any board or agency of the Village of Greenport in relation to any
case, proceeding or application in which he personally participated during
the period of his service or employment or which was under his active consideration.
Nothing herein shall be deemed to bar or prevent the timely filing by
a present or former municipal officer or employee of any claim, account, demand
or suit against the Village of Greenport 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 Greenport shall cause a copy of this Code
of Ethics to be distributed to every officer and employee of the village within
thirty (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.
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 of Ethics may be fined, suspended or removed from office or employment,
as the case may be, in the manner provided by law.
