Source: https://ecode360.com/8530473
Timestamp: 2019-04-18 19:02:21+00:00

Document:
§ 29-3 Purpose and authority.
§ 29-6 Financial disclosure statements.
§ 29-7 Ethical Standards Board.
§ 29-8 Facilities and staff.
§ 29-9 Adoption of Code of Ethics.
§ 29-10 Powers and duties of Ethical Standards Board.
§ 29-13 Enforcement and penalties.
§ 29-14 Records of Ethical Standards Board.
This chapter shall be known and may be cited as the "North Brunswick Township Code of Ethics."
Whenever the public perceives a conflict between the private interests and the duties of a government officer or employee, that confidence is imperiled.
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 North Brunswick shall be clear, consistent, uniform in their application and enforceable and to provide those officers or employees with advice and information concerning possible conflicts of interest which might arise in the conduct of public duties.
It is the further purpose of this chapter to implement the provisions of the Local Government Ethics Law, P.L. 1991, c. 29.
This chapter is enacted under the authority of the Local Government Ethics Law, P.L. 1991, c. 29, and under the further authority granted to the Township of North Brunswick under the provisions of Titles 40 and 40A of the New Jersey Statutes.
Any agency, board, governing body, including the chief executive officer, office, commission or other instrumentality within the Township of North Brunswick, and any independent local authority created by or appointed under the authority of the Township of North Brunswick, which performs functions other than of a purely advisory nature.
Any person, whether compensated or not, whether part-time or full-time, employed by or serving on an agency, who is not a local government officer.
Superintendent, Department of Public Works.
Director, Department of Human Services.
Chief of Police and Police Director.
Superintendent of Parks and Recreation.
Library Board of Trustees member.
Director, North Brunswick Public Library.
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 North Brunswick or of an agency created under the authority of or appointed by the Township of North Brunswick.
An officer or employee of the Township of North Brunswick or of an agency under the authority of or appointed by the Township of North Brunswick.
No officer or employee of the Township of North Brunswick or member of his or her immediate family shall have an interest in a business organization or engage in any business, transaction or professional activity which is in substantial conflict with the proper discharge of his or her duties in the public interest.
No officer or employee shall use or allow to be used his or her public office or employment or any information not generally available to the members of the public which he or she receives or acquires in the course of and by reason of his or her office or employment for the purpose of securing financial gain for himself, any member of his or her immediate family or any business organization with which he or she is associated.
No officer or employee or any business organization in which he or she has an interest shall represent any person or party other than the township in connection with any cause, proceeding, application or other matter pending before any agency of the Township of North Brunswick. This provision shall not be deemed to prohibit an employee from representing another employee where the representation is within the context of official labor union or similar representational responsibilities.
Nothing shall prohibit any officer or employee of the Township of North Brunswick or members of his or her immediate family from representing himself, herself or themselves in negotiations or proceedings concerning his or her or their own interests.
Each source of income, earned or unearned, exceeding $2,000 received by the officer or a member of his or her immediate family during the preceding calendar year. Individual client fees, customers receipts or commissions on transactions received through a business organization need not be separately reported as sources of income. If a publicly traded security is the source of income, the security need not be reported unless the local government officer or member of his or her immediate family has an interest in the business organization.
The North Brunswick 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, 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. All subsequent statements shall be filed on or before April 30 of each year. A copy of the statement shall be filed with the North Brunswick Township Ethical Standards Board.
There is hereby established the North Brunswick 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 North Brunswick Township Ethical Standards Board shall annually elect a Chairperson from among the membership.
Right to make a stenographic record of the hearing.
The Township Council shall provide the North Brunswick 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 North Brunswick 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 North Brunswick Township Ethical Standards Board may request and receive assistance from township officers and employees, including the Township Clerk and the Township Attorney, and may appoint employees, including independent counsel, and clerical staff as are necessary to carry out the provisions of this code 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 North Brunswick 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 North Brunswick Township Ethical Standards Board shall have adopted a code of ethics, the provisions set forth herein 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 § 29-5 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 Administrator for circulation among the officers and employees serving the township.
The North Brunswick 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.
The Board may amend or supplement the code of ethics as it deems necessary.
If the code of ethics is not identical to the provisions set forth in § 29-5, the North Brunswick Township Ethical Standards Board shall, as required by law, submit the code of ethics to the New Jersey Local Finance Board for approval.
A code of ethics requiring approval by the New Jersey Local Finance Board shall take effect 60 days after approval by the Commission.
A code of ethics identical to the provisions set forth in § 29-5 shall take effect 10 days after the public hearing.
To forward to the Middlesex County Prosecutor or the Attorney General or other governmental body any information concerning violations of the code of ethics or financial disclosure requirements by officers or employees serving the township which may warrant the institution of other legal proceedings.
To adopt rules and regulations as are necessary to implement the purposes of this chapter.
An officer or employee of the Township of North Brunswick may request and obtain from the North Brunswick 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.
Advisory opinions shall not be made public except when the Board, by the vote of 2/3 of all of its members, directs that the opinion be made public.
The North Brunswick 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 North Brunswick 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 North Brunswick against whom the complaint was filed.
If the Board shall conclude that the complaint is within its jurisdiction and has factual basis, the Board shall notify the officer or employee of the Township of North Brunswick against whom the complaint was filed of the nature of the complaint and the facts and circumstances set forth therein.
If the Board determines that a reasonable doubt exists as to whether the officer or employee of the Township of North Brunswick 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.
If the Board determines that the officer or employee is in conflict with the code or any financial disclosure requirements, it may impose any penalties which it believes are appropriate within the limits of this chapter.
An appointed or elected officer or employee of the Township of North Brunswick found guilty by the North Brunswick 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, N.J.S.A. 2A:58-1. The North Brunswick 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.
The finding by the North Brunswick Township Ethical Standards Board that an appointed officer or employee of the Township of North Brunswick 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 his or her 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 Title 11A of the New Jersey Statutes Annotated and the rules promulgated pursuant thereto.
This chapter shall take effect upon final adoption and publication of notice of adoption as required by law, except that the requirements providing for the filing of financial disclosure reports shall take effect on the 21st day of May, 1991, with the first reports required to be filed not later than August 19, 1991.

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