§ 18-5. Ethical standards.

Officers and employees of the Township of Mount Holly shall comply with the following provisions:

A. 

No officer or employee of the Township of Mount Holly 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.

B. 

No officer or employee shall use or attempt to use his or her official position to secure unwarranted privileges or advantages for himself or others.

C. 

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.

D. 

No officer or employee shall undertake any employment or service, whether compensated or not, which might reasonably be expected to prejudice his or her independence of judgment in the exercise of his or her official duties.

E. 

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.

F. 

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.

G. 

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 Mount Holly. 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.

H. 

No officer shall be deemed in conflict with these provisions if, by reason of his or her participation in the enactment of any ordinance, resolution or other matter required to be voted upon or which is subject to executive approval or veto, no material or monetary gain accrues to him or her as a member of any business, profession, occupation or group to any greater extent than any gain could reasonably be expected to accrue to any other member of such business, profession, occupation or group.

I. 

No elected officer shall be prohibited from making an inquiry for information on behalf of a constituent if no fee, reward or other thing of value is promised to, given to or accepted by the officer or a member of his or her immediate family, whether directly or indirectly, in return therefor.

J. 

Nothing shall prohibit any officer or employee of the Township of Mount Holly 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.

K. 

No officer or employee elected or appointed in the Township shall, without receiving formal written authorization from the appropriate person or body, disclose any confidential information concerning any other officer or employee or any other person or any property or governmental affairs of the Township.

L. 

No officer or employee elected or appointed in the Township 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.

M. 

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 himself 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 are provided as a matter of stated public policy for the use of officials and employees in the conduct of official business.