Source: https://www.ecode360.com/15591549
Timestamp: 2019-04-22 06:46:05+00:00

Document:
§ 34-3 Purpose; statutory authority.
§ 34-6 Financial disclosure statements.
§ 34-7 Ethical Standards Board established; membership; terms; compensation; hearings.
§ 34-8 Facilities and staff.
§ 34-9 Adoption of Code of Ethics.
§ 34-10 Powers of Ethical Standards Board.
§ 34-13 Violations and penalties.
Boards, committees, commissions and authorities — See Ch. 12.
This chapter shall be known and may be cited as the "Willingboro Township Code of Ethics."
It is the purpose of this chapter to provide a method of assuring that standards of ethical conduct and financial disclosure requirements for officers and employees of the Township of Willingboro shall be clear, consistent, uniform in their application, enforceable, and to provide those officers or employees with advice and information concerning possible conflicts of interests which might arise in the conduct of their public duties.
It is the further purpose of this chapter to implement the provisions of the Local Government Ethics Law, P.L. 1991, Chapter 29 (N.J.S.A. 40A:9-22.1 et seq.).
This chapter is enacted under the authority of the Local Government Ethics Law, P.L. 1991, Chapter 29 (N.J.S.A. 40A:9-22.1 et seq.), and under the further authority granted to the Township of Willingboro under the provisions of N.J.S.A. 40 and 40A.
Any agency, board, governing body, including the chief executive officer, office, commission or other instrumentality within the Township of Willingboro, and any independent local authority created by or appointed under the authority of the Township of Willingboro, which performs functions other than of a purely advisory nature.
Director, Department of Public Works.
Member, Willingboro Township Ethical Standards Board.
Any other person who is a managerial executive or confidential employee, as defined in Section 3 of the New Jersey Employer-Employee Relations Act, N.J.S.A. 34:13A-3, of the Township of Willingboro or of an agency created under the authority of or appointed by the Township of Willingboro.
An officer or employee of the Township of Willingboro or of an agency under the authority of or appointed by the Township of Willingboro.
No officer or employee elected or appointed in the Township shall request, use or permit the use of any public property, vehicle, equipment, labor or service for personal convenience or the private advantage of the officer or employee or any other person. This prohibition shall not be deemed to prohibit an official or employee from requesting, using or permitting the use of such public property, vehicle, equipment, material, labor or service which it is the general practice to make available to the public at large or which is provided as a matter of stated public policy for the use of officials and employees in the conduct of official business.
The address and brief description of all real property in the state in which the local government officer or a member of the officer's immediate family held an interest during the preceding calendar year.
The Willingboro Township Ethical Standards Board shall prescribe a financial disclosure statement form for filing purposes. If a financial disclosure statement form has been promulgated by the New Jersey Local Finance Board, in accordance with the New Jersey Local Government Ethics Law (N.J.S.A. 40A:9-22.1 et seq.), then that form shall be used. The Township Clerk shall make the forms available to the officers and employees required to file a financial disclosure statement.
The original statement shall be filed with the Township Clerk within 90 days after the effective date of the New Jersey Local Government Ethics Law (N.J.S.A. 40A:9-22.1 et seq.). All subsequent statements shall be filed on or before April 30 of each year, except that each local government officer shall file a financial disclosure statement within 30 days of taking office. A copy of the statement shall be filed with the Willingboro Township Ethical Standards Board.
There is hereby established the Willingboro Township Ethical Standards Board, consisting of six members who are residents of the Township, at least two of whom shall be public members. The members of the Board shall be appointed by the Township Council. The members shall be chosen by virtue of their known and consistent reputation for integrity and their knowledge of local government affairs. No more than three members of the Board shall be of the same political party.
The members of the Willingboro Township Ethical Standards Board shall annually elect a Chairperson from among the membership.
The members shall serve for a term of five years, except that, of the members initially appointed, two of the public members shall be appointed to serve for a term of five years, one member shall be appointed to serve for a term of four years, and the remaining members shall be appointed to serve for a term of three years. Each member shall serve until a successor has been appointed and qualified. Any vacancy occurring in the membership of the Board shall be filled in the same manner as the original appointment for the unexpired term.
All hearings required pursuant to this chapter shall be conducted in conformity with the rules and procedures, insofar as they may be applicable, provided for hearings by a state agency in contested cases under the Administrative Procedures Act, N.J.S.A. 52:14B-1 et seq.
The Township Manager shall provide the Willingboro Township Ethical Standards Board with the facilities needed for the conduct of its business and the preservation of its records and shall supply equipment and supplies as may be necessary and as may be provided for in the annual municipal budget.
All necessary expenses incurred by the Willingboro Township Ethical Standards Board and its members shall be paid, upon certification of the Chairperson of the Board, by the Township Treasurer within the limits of funds appropriated in the annual budget or by emergency appropriations for those purposes.
The Willingboro Township Ethical Standards Board may request and receive assistance from Township officers and employees, including the Township Clerk and the Township Solicitor, and may appoint employees, including independent counsel, and clerical staff as are necessary to carry out the provisions of this chapter within the limits of funds appropriated by the Township Council for those purposes in the annual budget.
Within 90 days after the appointment of the Willingboro Township Ethical Standards Board, the Board shall promulgate by resolution a Code of Ethics for all officers and employees serving the Township. Officers and employees serving a Township independent authority shall be deemed to be serving the Township for purposes of this chapter. Until such time as the Township Ethical Standards Board shall have adopted a Code of Ethics, the provisions set forth in § 34-5 shall serve as the Code of Ethics.
The Code of Ethics promulgated by the Board shall be either identical to the provisions set forth in § 34-5 or more restrictive, but shall not be less restrictive.
Within 15 days following the promulgation thereof, the Code of Ethics, and a notice of the date of the public hearing to be held on the Code of Ethics, shall be published in the newspaper designated for the publication of official notices for the Township and shall be distributed to the Township Clerk and to the Township Manager for circulation among the officers and employees serving the Township.
The Willingboro Township Ethical Standards Board shall hold a public hearing on the Code of Ethics not less than 30 days following its promulgation, at which any officer or employee of the Township and any other person wishing to be heard shall be permitted to testify.
If the Code of Ethics is not identical to the provisions set forth in § 34-5, the Willingboro Township Ethical Standards Board shall, as required by law, submit the Code of Ethics to the New Jersey Local Finance Board for approval.
If the Local Finance Board fails to act within 60 days of the submission, the Code of Ethics shall be deemed approved.
A Code of Ethics requiring approval by the New Jersey Local Finance Board shall take effect 60 days after approval by the Local Finance Board.
A Code of Ethics identical to the provisions set forth in § 34-5 shall take effect 10 days after the public hearing.
An officer or employee of the Township of Willingboro may request and obtain from the Willingboro Township Ethical Standards Board an advisory opinion as to whether any proposed activity or conduct would, in its opinion, constitute a violation of the Code of Ethics or any financial disclosure requirements.
The Willingboro Township Ethical Standards Board, upon receipt of a signed written complaint by any person alleging that the conduct of any officer or employee of the Township of Willingboro serving the Township is in conflict with the Code of Ethics or financial disclosure requirements, shall acknowledge receipt of the complaint within 30 days of receipt and initiate an investigation concerning the facts and circumstances set forth in the complaint.
If the Board shall conclude that the complaint is outside its jurisdiction, frivolous or without factual basis, it shall reduce that conclusion to writing and shall transmit a copy thereof to the complainant and to the officer or employee of the Township of Willingboro against whom the complaint was filed.
If the Board shall conclude that the complaint is within its jurisdiction and has at least a minimal factual basis, the Board shall notify the officer or employee of the Township of Willingboro against whom the complaint was filed of the nature of the complaint and the facts and circumstances set forth therein.
The officer or employee shall have the opportunity to present the Board with any statement or information concerning the complaint which the officer or employee wishes.
If the Board determines that a reasonable doubt exists as to whether the officer or employee of the Township of Willingboro is in conflict with the Municipal Code of Ethics or any financial disclosure requirements, the Board shall conduct a hearing concerning the possible violation and any other facts and circumstances which may have come to the attention of the Board with respect to the conduct of the officer or employee.
An appointed officer or employee of the Township of Willingboro found guilty by the Willingboro Township Ethical Standards Board of the violation of any provision of this chapter or of any Code of Ethics in effect pursuant to this chapter shall be fined not less than $100 nor more than $500, which penalty may be collected in a summary proceeding pursuant to the Penalty Enforcement Law of 1999, N.J.S.A. 2A:58-10 et seq. The Willingboro Township Ethical Standards Board shall report its findings to the office or agency having the power of removal or discipline of the appointed officer or employee and may recommend that further disciplinary action be taken.
An elected officer or employee of the Township of Willingboro found guilty by the Willingboro Township Ethical Standards Board of the violation of any provision of this chapter or of any Code of Ethics in effect pursuant to this chapter shall be fined not less than $100 nor more than $500, which penalty may be collected in a summary proceeding pursuant to the Penalty Enforcement Law of 1999, N.J.S.A. 2A:58-10 et seq.
The finding by the Willingboro Township Ethical Standards Board that an appointed officer or employee of the Township of Willingboro is guilty of the violation of the provisions of this chapter or of any Code of Ethics in effect pursuant to this chapter shall be sufficient cause for the officer's or employee's removal, suspension, demotion or other disciplinary action by the officer or agency having the power of removal or discipline. When a person who is in the career service is found to have violated the provisions of this chapter or any Code of Ethics in effect pursuant to this chapter, the procedure leading to removal, suspension, demotion or other disciplinary action shall be governed by any applicable procedures of N.J.S.A. 11A and the rules promulgated pursuant thereto.
All statements, complaints, requests, or other written materials filed pursuant to this chapter and any rulings, opinions, judgments, transcripts or other official papers prepared pursuant to this chapter shall be preserved for a period of five years from the date of filing or preparation, as the case may be.

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