§ 7 — Ethics

(a) Policy statement. Accepting a position as a public official carries with it the acceptance of trust that the official will work to further the public interest. Maintaining that public trust is critical to the continued operation of good government. In addition, public decision-making should be open and accessible to the public at large. To preserve this public trust, there are five principles to which public officials should adhere:
(1) A public official should represent and work toward the public interest and not toward private or personal interests.
(2) A public official should accept and maintain the public trust (i.e., he or she must preserve and enhance the public’s confidence in its public officials).
(3) A public official should exercise leadership, particularly in the form of consistently demonstrating behavior that reflects the public trust.
(4) A public official should recognize the proper role of all government bodies and the relationships between the various government bodies.
(5) A public official should always demonstrate respect for others and for other positions.
(b) Policy or ordinance authorized. In order to promote these principles, the Selectboard may adopt, by resolution or ordinance, a formal, binding policy or ordinance on ethics. (Added 2003, No. M-11 (Adj. Sess.), § 2, eff. May 3, 2004.)