[Code 1961, § 1.09.09; Ord. No.
70-5, 5-15-1970; Ord. No. 08-01, 2-19-2008; Ord. No. 13-03, 5-20-2013]
There is hereby created a Board of Ethics for the purpose of
rendering advisory opinions and making recommendations with respect
to the drafting and adoption of amendments to this article.
[Code 1961, § 1.09.010; Ord. No.
70-5, 5-15-1970; Ord. No. 08-01, 2-19-2008; Ord. No. 13-03, 5-20-2013]
The Board of Ethics shall consist of five regular members, electors
of the Town, who are known for their personal integrity. The members
shall be appointed by the Council for a term of five years, except
that of the initially appointed members one shall serve for one year,
one for two years, one for three years, one for four years, and one
for five years. No member of the Board of Ethics shall knowingly render
or agree to render for compensation or otherwise any service to any
person or party other than the Town in connection with any cause,
proceeding, application or other matter which is before any Town agency,
nor shall such member serve as a member of any other Town agency.
[Code 1961, § 1.09.011; Ord. No.
70-5, 5-15-1970; Ord. No. 08-01, 2-19-2008; Ord. No. 13-03, 5-20-2013]
The Board shall elect a chairperson and secretary and shall
establish its own rules of procedure. It shall keep records of its
meetings and shall hold meetings at the call of the chairperson and
at such other times as the Board may determine.
[Code 1961, § 1.09.012; Ord. No.
70-5, 5-15-1970; Ord. No. 81-6, § 2, 6-1-1981; Ord. No. 08-01, 2-19-2008; Ord. No. 13-03, 5-20-2013]
(a)
Rules and regulations. The Board may make recommendations for amendments
to this code of ethics and rules and regulations for adoption by Town
agencies.
(b)
Town advisory opinions. The Board shall render advisory opinions
concerning Town officials and employees, excluding members and employees
of the Board of Education, with respect to the code of ethics upon
written request of the Town Manager or upon written request of any
member of the Town Council submitted at a regular meeting of the Town
Council. Such advisory opinions shall be submitted to the agency or
person requesting them.
(c)
Board of Education advisory opinions. The Board shall render advisory
opinions concerning Board of Education members and employees with
respect to the code of ethics upon written request of the Superintendent
of Schools or upon written request of any member of the Board of Education
submitted at a regular meeting of the Board of Education. Such advisory
opinions shall be submitted to the Board of Education.
[Code 1961, § 1.09.013; Ord. No.
70-5, 5-15-70; Ord. No. 08-01, 2-19-2008; Ord. No.
13-03, 5-20-2013]
The members of the Board shall serve without compensation for
their services. In the performance of its duties and in the exercise
of its powers, the Board shall not incur any expense in excess of
the funds appropriated by the Council for such purpose.
[Code 1961, § 1.09.02; Ord. No.
70-5, 5-15-1970; Ord. No. 81-6, § 1, 6-1-1981; Ord. No. 82-2, § 1, 1-18-1983; Ord. No. 08-01, 2-19-2008; Ord. No.
13-03, 5-20-2013]
(a)
The provisions of this article shall apply to all Town officials
and employees, whether elected or appointed, paid or unpaid. The term
"town officials," as used in this Code, shall include members of the
Town Council, members of the Board of Education, and all officials
appointed by the Town Council, Board of Education or the Town Manager.
The term "town employees," as used in this Code, shall include all
employees of the Town and the Board of Education.
(b)
The Town Clerk shall cause a copy of the code of ethics to be distributed
to each appointed member of a Town Board or Commission as well as
each elected member of the Town Council and Board of Education prior
to the member entering office. The Town Manager and School Superintendent
or their designees shall distribute a copy of the code of ethics to
each Town employee before entering upon the duties of his/her employment.
A signed receipt for all copies shall be returned to the Town Clerk
and retained on file. On an annual basis, the Town Clerk shall request
that a receipt be signed by each elected official, appointed Board
and Commission member, Town Manager, School Superintendent, employees
in the Town pay grade three or above and Board of Education employees
in a cabinet level position or above, acknowledging they have received
and read the ethics ordinance. The signed receipt shall be returned
to the Town Clerk and retained on file.
[Code 1961, § 1.09.03; Ord. No.
70-5, 5-15-1970; Ord. No. 08-01, 2-19-2008; Ord. No. 13-03, 5-20-2013]
No Town official or employee shall accept any employment or
have any interest, direct or indirect, or engage in any business or
transaction or professional activity or incur any obligation of any
nature which is in conflict with the proper discharge of such official's
or employee's duties in the public interest or which will impair
such official's or employee's independence of judgment or
action in the performance of official duties.
[Code 1961, § 1.09.05; Ord. No.
70-5, 5-15-1970; Ord. No. 08-01, 2-19-2008; Ord. No. 13-03, 5-20-2013]
Any Town official or employee who has a financial interest,
direct or indirect, in any property or matter which is the subject
of any pending or proposed proceeding before any Town agency, shall
disclose such official's or employee's interest to such
agency upon hearing of such proceeding and if such official or employee
is a voting member of such agency, such official or employee shall
not participate in the discussion or vote upon such matter. The disclosure
shall become a permanent part of the record before the agency.
[Code 1961, § 1.09.04; Ord. No.
70-5, 5-15-1970; Ord. No. 08-01, 2-19-2008; Ord. No. 13-03, 5-20-2013]
No Town official or employee shall use or permit the use of
town-owned vehicles, equipment, materials or property for personal
convenience or profit where prohibited by state statute, Town ordinance,
or administrative regulation. No Town official or employee shall grant
any consideration or advantage to any person beyond that which is
available to every other person.
[Code 1961, § 1.09.06; Ord. No.
70-5, 5-15-1970; Ord. No. 71-1, 1-18-1971; Ord. No. 84-3, § 1, 9-4-1984; Ord. No. 08-01, 2-19-2008; Ord. No. 13-03, 5-20-2013]
(a)
No Town official or employee in his or her capacity as an official
or employee of the Town shall solicit or accept any valuable gift,
favor, service, loan at less than prevailing interest rates, thing
or promise from any person, firm or corporation which would tend to
weaken public confidence in the recipient or present a temptation
which might undermine the official's or employee's unselfish
devotion to the public interest.
(b)
Endorsements. No Town official or employee in his or her capacity
as an official or employee of the Town shall publicly endorse products
or services by agreeing to use his or her photograph, image, name
or endorsement in paid or other commercial advertisements, whether
or not for compensation. Notwithstanding the foregoing, nothing herein
shall prohibit any Town official or employee from answering any inquiry
by another governmental official or consumer organization or product
information service regarding any product or service or from expressing
personal or professional judgment regarding any product or service
used or tested by the Town.
(c)
No Town official or employee, or member of such individual's
immediate family or business with which he or she is associated, shall
solicit or accept anything of value, including but not limited to
a gift, loan, political contribution, reward or promise of future
employment based on any understanding that the vote, official action
or judgment of the Town official or employee would be or had been
influenced thereby.
[Code 1961, § 1.09.07; Ord. No.
70-5, 5-15-1970; Ord. No. 82-2, § 2, 1-18-1983; Ord. No. 94-4, § 1, 8-1-1994; Ord. No. 08-01, 2-19-2008; Ord. No.
13-03, 5-20-2013]
(a)
No Town official or employee shall render or agree to render for compensation any service to any person or party other than the Town, in connection with any cause, proceeding, application or other matter which is before any Town agency. This does not prohibit any Town official or employee from appearing before any Board or Commission on such person's own behalf or as official spokesman for an organization of which he/she is a member, provided such appearance does not violate Connecticut General Statutes Sections 8-11 and 8-21 or any other provision of the Code. Connecticut General Statutes Sections 8-11 and 8-21 prohibit any Town Planning and Zoning Commission or Zoning Board of Appeals member from appearing before either the Town Planning and Zoning Commission or the Zoning Board of Appeals on his/her own behalf.
(b)
No member of the Town Council may participate in a meeting of any
Board, agency, or Commission appointed by the Council other than on
his or her own behalf as specified herein or other than at the express
direction of the Council or other than at the invitation of the Board,
agency, or Commission.
(c)
No former Town employee in administrative pay grade 10 or above and
no former Board of Education employee in a cabinet level position
or above shall appear for compensation before any Town Board, commission
or agency any time within six months after terminating service with
the Town.
[Amended 10-7-2019 by Ord. No. 19-02]
(d)
No former Town employee in administrative pay grade 10 or above and
no former Board of Education employee in a cabinet level position
or above shall work for a private firm who has a contract with the
Town any time within six months after terminating service with the
Town. If this occurs, the vendor could be subject to penalties up
to and including contract termination. A notice of the requirements
in this section shall be included in all invitations to bid and all
public contracts.
[Amended 10-7-2019 by Ord. No. 19-02]
[Code 1961, § 1.09.08; Ord. No.
70-5, 5-15-1970; Ord. No. 08-01, 2-19-2008; Ord. No. 13-03, 5-20-2013]
No Town official or employee, without proper authorization,
shall disclose confidential information concerning the property, affairs
or government of the Town, nor shall such official or employee use
such information to advance the financial or other private interest
of such person or others.
[Code 1961, § 1.09.014; Ord. No.
70-5, 5-15-1970; Ord. No. 08-01, 2-19-2008; Ord. No. 13-03, 5-20-2013]
A violation of this article by any Town official or employee
shall constitute grounds for disciplinary action, including removal
or termination.
