Source: https://ecode360.com/10539767
Timestamp: 2019-04-22 22:39:56+00:00

Document:
§ 9-4 Prohibition on use of municipal position for personal or private gain.
§ 9-5 Disclosure of interest in legislation and other matters.
§ 9-6 Recusal and abstention.
§ 9-7 Prohibition inapplicable; disclosure, recusal and abstention not required.
§ 9-8 Investments in conflict with official duties.
§ 9-9 Private employment in conflict with official duties.
§ 9-11 Personal representations and claims permitted.
§ 9-12 Use of municipal resources.
§ 9-13 Interests in contracts.
§ 9-18 Board of Ethics.
§ 9-19 Posting and distribution.
§ 9-20 Enforcement; penalties for offenses.
Editor's Note: This local law also repealed former Ch. 9, Ethics, Code of, adopted 1-12-1971, and provided that it would become effective 5-15-2013 or upon filing with the Secretary of State, whichever occurred later.
Officers and employees of the Village of Chittenango hold their positions to serve and benefit the public, and not for obtaining unwarranted personal or private gain in the exercise and performance of their official powers and duties. The Village of Chittenango Board of Trustees recognizes that, in furtherance of this fundamental principle, there is a need for clear and reasonable standards of ethical conduct. This Code of Ethics establishes those standards.
A direct or indirect financial, professional, or material gain, enhancement or improvement. Benefit does not include benefit arising from the provision or receipt of any services generally available to the residents or taxpayers of the municipality or an area of the municipality, or a lawful class of such residents or taxpayers.
The governing board of a municipality and any municipal administrative board (e.g., planning board, zoning board of appeals), commission, or other agency or body, comprised of two or more municipal officers or employees.
Any claim, account, demand against or agreement with a municipality, express or implied.
A direct or indirect pecuniary or material benefit accruing to a municipal officer or employee as a result of a contract with a municipality which the officer or employee serves. A municipal officer or employee is deemed to have an interest in a private organization when he or she, his or her spouse, a member of his or her household, or his dependants is an owner, partner, member, director, officer or employee of an organization, or directly or indirectly owns or controls more than 5% of the outstanding stock of a corporation listed on the New York and American Stock Exchanges.
The Village of Chittenango. The word "municipal" refers to the things pertaining to the Village of Chittenango.
A paid or unpaid representative, officer or employee of the Village of Chittenango, including, but not limited to, the members of any municipal department, board or commission. No person shall be deemed an officer or employee solely by reason of being a volunteer fireman, except a Fire Chief or Assistant Fire Chief.
A spouse, child, stepchild, grandchild, and any descendents of the grandparents of the officer or employee, or the members of the officer's or employee's household, as well as the child, stepchild, grandchild, any descendents of the grandparents, and any member of the household, of a municipal officer's or employee's spouse.
This Code of Ethics applies to the officers and employees of the Village of Chittenango, and shall supersede any prior municipal Code of Ethics. The provisions of this Code of Ethics shall apply in addition to all applicable state and local laws relating to conflicts of interest and ethics, including, but not limited to, Article 18 of the General Municipal Law and all rules, regulations, policies and procedures of the Village of Chittenango.
No municipal office or employee shall use his or her municipal position or official powers and duties to secure a financial or material benefit for himself or herself, a relative, or a private organization in which he or she is deemed to have an interest.
Whenever a matter requiring the exercise of discretion comes before a municipal officer or employee, either individually or as a member of a board, and the officer or employee has reason to believe that the disposition of the matter could reasonably result in a current or future direct or indirect financial or material benefit to himself or herself, a relative, or a private organization in which he or she is deemed to have an interest (except as provided in General Municipal Law § 802), the municipal officer or employee shall disclose in writing the nature of the interest.
The disclosure shall be made when the matter known to require disclosure first comes before the municipal officer or employee, or when the municipal officer or employee first acquires knowledge of the interest requiring disclosure, whichever is earlier.
In the case of a person serving in an elective office, the disclosure shall be filed with the governing board of the municipality. In all other cases, the disclosure shall be filed with the person's supervisor or, if the person does not have a supervisor, the disclosure shall be filed with the Board of Trustees. In addition, in the case of a person serving on a municipal board, a copy of the disclosure shall be filed with the board. Any disclosure made to a board shall be made publicly at a meeting of the board and must be included in the minutes of the meeting.
The exceptions set forth in General Municipal Law § 802 are incorporated herein by reference.
No municipal officer or employee may participate in any decision or take any official action with respect to any matter requiring the exercise of discretion, including discussing the matter and voting on it, when he or she knows or has reason to know that the action could confer a direct or indirect financial or material benefit on himself or herself, a relative, or any private organization in which he or she is deemed to have an interet.
If the power or duty is vested in a municipal officer individually, then the power or duty shall be exercised or performed by his or her deputy or, if the officer does not have a deputy, the power of duty shall be performed by another person to whom the officer may lawfully delegate the function.
Which comes before a municipal officer when the officer would be prohibited from acting by § 9-6 of this code and the matter cannot be lawfully delegated to another person.
No municipal officer or employee may ask for, discuss, pursue or accept a private post-government employment opportunity with any person or organization that has a matter requiring the exercise of discretion pending before the municipal officer or employee, either individually or as a member of a board, while the matter is pending or within the 30 days following final disposition of the matter.
No municipal officer or employee, within two years after serving as a municipal officer or employee, may represent or render services to a private person or organization in connection with any particular transaction in which he or she personally and substantially participated while serving as a municipal officer or employee, unless specifically authorized by the Board of Trustees.
Exceptions set forth in General Municipal Law § 802 are incorporated by reference.
No municipal officer or employee, either individually or as a member of a board, may participate in any decision specifically to appoint, hire, promote, discipline or discharge a relative for any municipal position at, for or within the municipality or a municipal board.
No municipal officer or employee shall directly or indirectly take action to compel or induce a subordinate municipal officer or employee to make, or promise to make, any political contribution, whether by gift of money, service or other thing of value.
No municipal officer or employee may act or decline to act in relation to appointing, hiring or promoting, discharging, disciplining, or in any manner changing the official rank, status or compensation of any municipal officer or employee, or for an applicant for a position as a municipal officer or employee, on the basis of the giving or withholding or neglecting to make any contribution of money or service or any other valuable thing for any political purpose.
No municipal officer or employee who acquires confidential information in the course of exercising or performing his or her official powers or duties may disclose or use such information, unless the disclosure or use is required by law or in the course of exercising or performing his or her official powers and duties.
No municipal officer or employee shall solicit, accept or receive a gift in violation of § 805-a(1)(a) of the General Municipal Law, as interpreted in this section.
For purposes of this section, a gift includes anything of value, whether in the form of money, service, loan, travel, entertainment, hospitality, thing or promise, or in any other form. The value of a gift is the gift's fair market value, determined by the retail cost of the item or a comparable item. The fair market value of a ticket entitling the holder to food, refreshments, entertainment, or any other benefit is the face value of the ticket, or the actual cost to the donor, whichever is greater. Determination of whether multiple gifts from a single donor exceed $75 must be made by adding together the value of all gifts received from the donor by an officer or employee during the twelve-month period preceding and including the receipt of the most recent gift.
A gift to a municipal officer or employee is presumed to be intended as a reward for official action when the gift is from a private person or organization that has obtained municipal action involving the exercise of discretion by or with the participation of the officer or employee during the preceding twelve months.
There is hereby established a Board of Ethics for the Village. The Board of Ethics shall consist of three members, a majority of whom shall not be officers or employees of the Village, but at least one of whom must be a Village officer or employee. The members of such Board of Ethics shall be appointed by the Board of Trustees, serve at the pleasure of the Board of Trustees, and receive no salary or compensation for their services as members of the Board of Ethics.
The Board of Ethics may prescribe its own procedures, rules for the conduct of its actions and maintain appropriate records of its proceedings and opinions.
The Board of Ethics shall render advisory opinions to the officers and employees of the Village of Chittenango with respect to Article 18 of the General Municipal Law and this code. Such advisory opinions must be rendered pursuant to the written request of any such officer or employee, under such rules and regulations as the Board of Ethics may prescribe. The Board of Ethics shall have the advice of legal counsel employed by the board or, if none, the Village's legal counsel. In addition, the Board of Ethics may make recommendations with respect to the drafting and adoption of a Code of Ethics, or amendments thereto, upon the request of the Village Board of Trustees.
Expenses incurred in the proceedings undertaken by the Board of Ethics and preparation of its opinions shall be borne by the Village.
The Mayor must promptly cause a copy of this code, and a copy of any amendment to this code, to be posted publicly and conspicuously in each building under the municipality's control. The code must be posted within 10 days following the date on which the code or any amendment takes effect.
The Mayor must promptly cause a copy of this code, including any amendments to the code, to be distributed to every person who is or becomes an officer and employee of the Village of Chittenango.
Every municipal officer or employee who receives a copy of this code or an amendment to the code must acknowledge such receipt in writing. Such acknowledgment must be filed with the Village of Chittenango Clerk/Treasurer, who must maintain such acknowledgment, as a public record.
The failure to post this code or an amendment to this code does not affect either the applicability or enforceability of the code or the amendment. The failure of a municipal officer or employee to receive a copy of this Code of Ethics or an amendment to the code, or to acknowledge receipt thereof in writing, does not affect either the applicability or enforceability of the code or amendment to the code.
Any municipal officer or employee who violates this code may be subject to administrative disciplinary actions, including censure, fine, suspension or removal from office or employment, in the manner provided by law. Violations of the provisions of this code are also subject to penalties upon conviction, as provided in § 1-12 of the Village Code.

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