[HISTORY: Adopted by the Village Board of the Village of
Stratford 4-12-1988 as Title 2, Ch. 7 of the 1988 Code. Amendments noted where applicable.]
As used in this chapter, the following terms shall have the
meanings indicated:
Any person excluded from the definition of "public officer"
who is employed by the Village.
Those persons serving in statutory elected or appointed offices
provided for in Ch. 61, Wis. Stats., and all members appointed to
boards, committees and commissions established or appointed by the
Village President and/or Village Board, whether paid or unpaid.
It is declared that high ethical standards among Village officers
and employees are essential to the conduct of good representative
government and that a Code of Ethics for the guidance of public officers
and employees will help them avoid conflicts with improved standards
of public service and will promote and strengthen the confidence of
the residents of the Village in their public officers and employees.
The purpose of this chapter is to establish guidelines for ethical
standards of conduct for all such Village officers and employees by
setting forth those acts or actions that are incompatible with the
public interest and which compromise, or appear to compromise, public
trust in the fairness, independence and integrity of Village officers
and employees and their official actions.
The provisions of the following sections of the Wisconsin Statutes,
as from time to time amended, are made a part of this chapter and
shall apply to all public officers and public employees whenever applicable:
A.
Use of public property. No public officer or employee shall use or
permit the use of Village vehicles, equipment, materials or property
for personal convenience or profit, except when such services are
available to the public generally or are provided as Village policy
for the use of such officer or employee in the conduct of official
business, as authorized by the Village Board or authorized board,
commission or committee.
B.
Conflicts of interest; disclosure of interest. Except as provided
herein, no public officer or public employee shall engage in any business
transaction with the Village or have a financial or other personal
interest, direct or indirect, which is incompatible with the proper
discharge of his official duties or will tend to impair his independence
of judgment or action in the performance of his official duties. Any
public officer or employee who has a substantial financial interest,
including employment, in any business entity entering into, proposing
to enter into or bidding on any transaction with the Village or who
as part of his official duties will be making an official decision
or recommendation significantly affecting a business competitor, client
or regular customer shall disclose such interest to the membership
of the Village Board (or committee, board or commission thereof, as
appropriate) to be recorded in the minutes of that body. Upon such
disclosure, it is advised that the public officer or employee abstain
from voting on the matter and from participating in the discussion
of the matter.
C.
Representing private interests before the Village Board or Village
agencies. No public officer or employee, including persons or firms
engaged to provide professional services to the Village, shall represent,
for compensation, private interests before the Village Board or any
Village board, commission or committee without disclosure of the private
business relationship and explicit consent of the Village Board.
D.
Disclosure of confidential information. No public officer or employee
shall, without proper authorization of the Village Board, 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.
E.
Gifts and favors. No public officer or employee shall accept anything
of value, whether in the form of a gift, service, loan or promise,
from any person who, to his knowledge, has a direct financial interest
in any transaction or official business with the Village which may
tend to impair his independence of judgment or action in the performance
of his official duties. However, it is not a conflict of interest
for any public officer or employee to receive a gift or gratuity that
is an unsolicited item of nominal intrinsic value, such as a meal
up to $10 in value.
F.
Outside employment. No full-time officer of the Village shall engage
in any other remunerative employment within or without the Village,
provided that the Village Board may approve such outside employment
or activity if it finds that it does not interfere or conflict with
such ability of the officer or employee to perform his duties in an
efficient and unbiased manner.
Any questions as to the interpretation of any provisions of
this chapter shall be referred to the Village Attorney for an advisory
opinion.
