Source: https://ecode360.com/10007597
Timestamp: 2019-04-24 00:25:41
Document Index: 92629771

Matched Legal Cases: ['§ 41', '§ 41', '§ 41', '§ 41', '§ 41', '§ 41', '§ 41', '§ 41', '§ 41', '§ 41', '§ 41', '§ 41', '§ 41', '§ 41', '§ 41', '§ 41', '§ 41', '§ 41', '§ 41', '§ 41']

Township of Cinnaminson, NJ Ethics
§ 41-2 Findings.
§ 41-3 Purpose and authority.
§ 41-4 Definitions.
§ 41-5 Ethical standards.
§ 41-6 Financial disclosure statements.
§ 41-7 Ethical Standards Board.
§ 41-8 Facilities and staff.
§ 41-9 Adoption of Code of Ethics.
§ 41-10 Powers and duties of Ethical Standards Board.
§ 41-11 Advisory opinions.
§ 41-12 Complaints.
§ 41-13 Enforcement; violations and penalties.
§ 41-14 Ethical Standards Board records.
Ch 41 Art II Awarding of Public Professional Service Contracts
§ 41-15 Purpose and intent.
§ 41-16 Process for award of professional services contracts.
§ 41-17 Solicitation or acceptance of gifts.
Article II Awarding of Public Professional Service Contracts
[Adopted 6-19-1991 by Ord. No. 1991-15 (Sec. 1.64 of the 1995 Code)]
This article shall be known and may be cited as the "Cinnaminson Township Code of Ethics."
The Township Committee of the Township of Cinnaminson finds and declares that:
It is the purpose of this article to provide a method of assuring that standards of ethical conduct and financial disclosure requirements for officers and employees of the Township of Cinnaminson 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 interests which might arise in the conduct of their public duties.
It is the further purpose of this article to implement the provisions of the Local Government Ethics Law (P.L. 1991 c. 29), N.J.S.A. 40A:9-22.1 et seq.
This article is enacted under the authority of the Local Government Ethics Law, (P.L. 1991, c. 29), N.J.S.A. 40A:9-22.1 et seq., and under the further authority granted to the Township of Cinnaminson 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 Cinnaminson, and any independent local authority created by or appointed under the authority of the Township of Cinnaminson, which performs functions other than of a purely advisory nature.
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 Cinnaminson or of an agency created under the authority of or appointed by the Township of Cinnaminson.
An officer or employee of the Township of Cinnaminson or of an agency under the authority of or appointed by the Township of Cinnaminson.
Officers and employees of the Township of Cinnaminson shall comply with the following provisions:
No officer or employee of the Township of Cinnaminson 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 act in his or her official capacity in any matter where he, a member of his or her immediate family, or any business organization in which he or she has an interest, has a direct or indirect financial or personal involvement that might reasonably be expected to impair his or her objectivity or independence or judgment.
No officer or employee, member of his or her immediate family, or any business organization in which he or she has an interest, shall solicit or accept any gift, favor, political contribution, service, promise of future employment, or other thing of value, based upon an understanding that the gift, favor, loan, contribution, service, promise, or other thing of value was given or offered for the purpose of influencing him, directly or indirectly, in the discharge of his or her official duties. This provision shall not apply to the solicitation or acceptance of contributions to the campaign of an announced candidate for elective public office, if the officer has no knowledge or reason to believe that the campaign contribution, if accepted, was given with the intent to influence the officer in the discharge of his or her official duties.
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 of 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 Cinnaminson. 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; nor shall this provision be applicable to the Township Public Defender with respect to representation of defendants in the Municipal Court.
Nothing shall prohibit any officer or employee of the Township of Cinnaminson, or members of his or her immediate family, from representing himself, herself or themselves, in negotiations or proceedings concerning his, her or their own interests.
No officer or employee shall approve or disapprove or in any way recommend the payment of any bill, voucher or indebtedness owed or allegedly owed by the Township in which he has a direct or indirect personal, pecuniary or private interest.
Each source of fees and honorarium having an aggregate amount exceeding $250 from any single source for personal appearances, speeches or writings received by the local government officer or a member of his or her immediate family during the preceding calendar year.
The Cinnaminson 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 this article or the effective date of the New Jersey Local Government Ethics Law, whichever shall first occur. All subsequent statements shall be filed on or before April 30 of each year. A copy of the statement shall be filed with the Cinnaminson Township Ethical Standards Board.
There is hereby established the Cinnaminson 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 Committee. 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 Cinnaminson 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 his or her 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.
Members of the Board shall serve without compensation but shall be reimbursed for necessary expenses incurred in the performance of their duties under this article.
All hearings required pursuant to this article 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 Procedure Act, N.J.S.A. 52:14B-1 et seq.
In the event that a hearing is to be held, the officer or employee charged with violation of this article shall be accorded due process of law, including but not limited to the following:
The Township Committee shall provide the Cinnaminson 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 Cinnaminson 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 Cinnaminson 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 article within the limits of funds appropriated by the Township Committee for those purposes in the annual budget.
Within 90 days after the appointment of the Cinnaminson 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 article. Until such time as the Cinnaminson Ethical Standards Board shall have adopted a Code of Ethics, the provisions set forth in § 41-5 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 § 41-5 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 Cinnaminson 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 § 41-5, the Cinnaminson 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 Finance Board shall take effect 60 days after approval by the Commission.
A Code of Ethics identical to the provisions set forth in § 41-5 shall take effect 10 days after the public hearing.
The Cinnaminson Township Ethical Standards Board shall have the following powers:
To enforce the provisions of the Code of Ethics and financial disclosure requirements with regard to officers or employees serving the Township and to impose penalties for the violation thereof as are authorized by this article.
To adopt rules and regulations and to other things as are necessary to implement the purposes of this article.
An officer or employee of the Township of Cinnaminson may request and obtain from the Cinnaminson 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 Cinnaminson 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 Cinnaminson 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 of the Township of Cinnaminson 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 Cinnaminson against whom the complaint was filed, 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 Cinnaminson 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 appropriate within the limits of this article.
An appointed officer or employee of the Township of Cinnaminson found guilty by Cinnaminson Township Ethical Standards Board of the violation of any provision of this article or of any Code of Ethics in effect pursuant to this article shall be fined not less $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:58-10. The Cinnaminson 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 Cinnaminson found guilty by the Cinnaminson Township Ethical Standards Board of the violation of any provision of this article or of any Code of Ethics in effect pursuant to this article 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:58-10).
The finding by the Cinnaminson Township Ethical Standards Board that an appointed officer or employee of the Township of Cinnaminson is guilty of the violation of the provisions of this article or of any Code of Ethics in effect pursuant to this article 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 article or any Code of Ethics in effect pursuant to this article, the procedure leading to removal, suspension, demotion or other disciplinary action shall be governed by any new applicable procedures of Title 11A of the New Jersey Statutes and the rules promulgated pursuant thereof.
All statements, complaints, requests or other written materials filed pursuant to this article and any rulings, opinions, judgments, transcripts or other official papers prepared pursuant to this article shall be preserved for a period of five years from the date of filing or preparation, as the case may be.
[Adopted 5-18-2005 by Ord. No. 2005-16]
It is the purpose of this article that, notwithstanding that professional services contracts are exempt from the competitive bidding requirements of the Local Public Contracts Law, N.J.S.A. 40A:11-1 et seq., the Township Committee deems it appropriate, in order to avoid any public perception that professional services contracts are awarded in consideration for, e.g., political contribution or other considerations, said contracts, consistent with the provisions of recently enacted New Jersey legislation, shall henceforth be awarded through a competitive, quality-based, fair and open process.
No professional services contracts, in excess of $17,500, as that term is used in the Local Public Contracts Law, shall be awarded after the date of the adoption of this article, unless the following competitive, quality-based, fair and open process is followed:
Professional services may be awarded by virtue of a combined publicly advertised request for qualifications (RFQ) and request for proposals (RFP) which will be issued as one document for those appointments which are made on an annual basis, such as, but not limited to, the positions of Township Attorney, Township Engineer, Township Planner, Planning Board Attorney, Planning Board Engineer, and such similar statutory and/or ordinance public positions.
The following requirements shall also apply to any RFQ and/or RFP processed under the contracting procedures established by this article:
Publicly advertised in newspapers in sufficient time to give notice in advance of the solicitation for the contracts;
Awarded and disclosed under criteria established in writing by the Township of Cinnaminson prior to the solicitation of proposals or qualifications; and
Publicly announced when awarded; and as to those RFQ's and RFP's which prove to be unsuccessful, the Municipal Clerk shall retain a copy of same on file for a period of not less than 60 days.
A review of RFP's/RFQ's by departmental review committees. A Departmental Review Committee shall be established consisting of not less than two persons to prepare, process and evaluate any RFQ and/or RFP issued pursuant to the professional services contracting procedures set forth above. Each Departmental Review Committee must prepare, prior to a request for proposals, a written cost estimate in order to allow for proper evaluation of the fee aspect of proposals. Moreover, said Committee shall evaluate the respective qualifications and/or proposals, taking into consideration the designated qualifications and/or performance criteria, experience, quoted fee and other relevant factors in making a recommendation of award to the Mayor and Township Committee; and the Departmental Review Committee may, in its sole discretion, conduct negotiations with qualified vendors after receipt of proposals, in order to achieve the best possible contract terms and conditions for the Township and its taxpayers.[1]
Editor's Note: Former Subsection C, regarding contracts which arise on an occasional basis, was repealed 2-13-2012 by Ord. No. 2012-4. This ordinance also redesignated former Subsections D and E as Subsections C and D, respectively.
Emergency exceptions. Notwithstanding the foregoing, the Township Committee recognizes that the New Jersey Legislature has provided for the occurrence of certain emergencies, and further recognizes that, therefore, the procedure outlined above, might not be capable of being achieved in the event of an emergency or similar time constraints. Thus, should such a situation arise, and time does not permit resort to this procedure, and the immediate performance of services is necessary, then an award for same may be made in accordance with the provisions of the Local Public Contracts Law relating to emergency contracts, and such rules and regulations as made be promulgated, from time to time, by the Township Committee with regard to same. No such emergency contracts, however, may be awarded without submission to the Township Clerk of a certification establishing the basis for the deviation from the procedures outlined herein.
No candidate for office, appointment or employment and no officer, appointee, or employee in any municipality shall directly or indirectly give or promise any person any office, position, employment benefit or anything of value for the purpose of influencing or obtaining the political support, aid, or vote of any person, under the penalty of being disqualified to hold the office or employment to which he or she may be or may have been elected or appointed.