Ethics code to have hearing

Staff Writer

By Kathy Baratta

MILLSTONE — In a move aimed at helping to control the exchange of proprietary municipal information, an ethics ordinance has been developed and is scheduled for a public hearing and adoption by the Township Committee on Jan. 17.

Township Attorney Duane Davison said the law is being established to regulate the conduct and activities of officials and employees of the township.

The ordinance states that no "…officer or employee shall, without proper legal authorization … disclose any confidential information concerning the property, government, personnel or affairs of the township; nor shall he or she use such confidential information to advance the financial or other private interests of himself/herself or others."

Davison said the ordinance will apply to all township officials and volunteers as well as any person who has signed a confidentiality agreement with the township.

The attorney said one example of a violation would be for a committee or board member to divulge any information from an executive session of any official board or committee to persons other than those on that board or committee.

However, said Davison, the impetus for the ordinance was an effort to maintain the privacy of Millstone’s Geographic Information System.

He said the objective is to ensure that board members and officials who have access to municipal information in files and on compact discs that outside entities would otherwise have to purchase from Millstone do not divulge this information to builders or other applicants before any board or committee.

Davison explained it is the protection of these revenues and the integrity of the system that motivated the development of the ordinance. Possible penalties for violation of the law include a $1,000 fine, a jail term of up to 90 days and up to 90 days of community service.