Source: https://www.osc.state.ny.us/legal-opinions/opinion-2009-1
Timestamp: 2020-07-06 02:30:44
Document Index: 390404183

Matched Legal Cases: ['§ 174', '§ 174', '§ 3', '§ 175', '§ 3016', '§ 806', '§ 176', '§ 806', '§ 800', '§ 807', '§ 800', '§ 800', '§ 800']

Opinion 2009-1 | Office of the New York State Comptroller
There are certain statutory restrictions limiting eligibility for appointment or election to the office of fire district treasurer. For example, a person who has been convicted of arson in any degree is not eligible to hold the office of fire district treasurer (Town Law §§ 174 [5], 175 [3]). Moreover, a person may not hold the offices of fire district commissioner and fire district treasurer at the same time (Town Law § 174 [4]). There is no similar statutory prohibition, however, against the spouse of a fire district commissioner being appointed or elected to the office of fire district treasurer (see 1983 Ops St Comp No. 83-129, at 163; cf. Public Officers Law § 3 [1]; Town Law § 175 [3]; compare Education Law § 3016 [prohibiting any person from being employed as a teacher by a school district if he or she is related by blood or marriage to any member of the board of education, except by two-thirds vote of the board]).1 In addition, there is no common law prohibition against spouses holding offices in the same municipality (see e.g. 1994 Ops Atty Gen No. 94-12).
While there is no statutory or common law prohibition against the appointment of the spouse of a member of a board of fire commissioners to the office of fire district treasurer, the fire district should ascertain whether its code of ethics (see General Municipal Law § 806) requires a member of the board of fire commissioners whose spouse is to be appointed as treasurer to disclose the relationship, recuse himself or herself from discussions on the appointment and on other resolutions relating specifically to the treasurer (e.g. fixing the compensation for the office of treasurer), and abstain from voting on such matters. We believe that municipal codes of ethics should contain such provisions (see Office of State Comptroller, Model Code of Ethics for Fire Districts, section 7 [a] [2] [available at www.osc.state.ny.us/sites/default/files/local-government/documents/doc/2020-05/code-ethics-fire-districts.docx]).2
Finally, we wish to stress the importance of fire district officials remaining informed as to applicable ethical standards. Pursuant to Town Law § 176-e, "ethical responsibilities" is one of the mandatory subject areas in the training course required of fire district commissioners. In addition, fire district officials should take advantage of continuing training opportunities provided by this Office and others. Moreover, a fire district should ensure that a copy of its code of ethics is distributed to every officer and employee as required by General Municipal Law § 806 (2), and that copies of General Municipal Law §§ 800 through 809 are posted in each public building under its jurisdiction, in a place conspicuous to its officers and employees, as required by General Municipal Law § 807.
1 The provisions of article 18 of the General Municipal Law (§ 800 et seq.), which prohibit municipal officers and employees from having "interests" in "contracts" of the municipality under certain circumstances (General Municipal Law §§ 800-804), do not present a bar to spouses holding offices in the same municipality (see General Municipal Law §§ 800 [3], 801 [last sentence]; see also e.g., 2000 Ops St Comp No. 2000-12, at 33; 1983 Ops St Comp No. 83-129 at 163; 1979 Ops St Comp No. 79-81, at 16; 1988 Ops Atty Gen No. 88-41).