1230-v. Code of ethics. 1. As used in this section the term "employee" shall mean any member, officer, agent or employee of the authority or the water board.
2. No employee shall have any interest financial or otherwise, direct or indirect, or engage in any business or transaction or professional activity or incur any obligation of any nature, which is in substantial conflict with the proper discharge of his or her duties in the public interest.
3. Standards for such code of ethics shall be as follows:
(a) No employee shall accept other employment which will impair his or her independence of judgment in the exercise of his or her official duties.
(b) No employee shall accept employment or engage in any business or professional activity which will require the employee to disclose confidential information which he or she has gained by reason of his or her official position or authority.
(c) No employee shall disclose confidential information acquired by the employee in the course of his or her official duties nor use such information to further his or her personal interests.
(d) No employee shall use or attempt to use his or her official position to secure unwarranted privileges or exemptions for himself or herself or others.
(e) No employee shall engage in any transaction as representative or agent of the authority or water board with any person or business entity in which he or she has a direct or indirect financial interest that might reasonably tend to conflict with the proper discharge of his or her official duties.
(f) An employee shall not by his or her conduct give reasonable basis for the impression that any person can improperly influence such employee or unduly enjoy his or her favor in the performance of his or her official duties, or that he or she is affected by the kinship, rank, position or influence of any party or person.
(g) An employee shall abstain from making personal investments in enterprises which he or she has reason to believe may be directly involved in decisions to be made by the employee or which will otherwise create substantial conflict between his or her duty in the public interest and his or her private interest.
(h) An employee shall endeavor to pursue a course of conduct which will not raise suspicion among the public that he or she is likely to be engaged in acts that are in violation of his or her trust.
(i) No employee employed on a full-time basis nor any person, firm or association of which such an employee is a member, nor corporation a substantial portion of the stock of which is owned or controlled directly or indirectly by such employee, shall sell goods or services to any person, firm, corporation or association which is licensed or whose rates are fixed by the water board in which such employee serves or is employed.
(j) If any employee shall have a financial interest, direct or indirect, having a value of ten thousand dollars or more, in any activity which is subject to the jurisdiction of a regulatory agency, he or she shall file with the secretary of state and secretary of the water board a written statement that he or she has such a financial interest in such activity which statement shall be open to public inspection.
4. In addition to any penalty contained in any other provision of law, any such employee who shall knowingly and intentionally violate any of the provisions of this section may be fined, suspended or removed from office or employment in accordance with the rules and regulations of the water board. It shall be a misdemeanor for any such employee to be in any way or manner interested, directly or indirectly, in the furnishing of work, materials, supplies or labor, in any contract therefor which the authority or the water board is empowered to make by this title.
Last modified: February 3, 2019