2658 - Code of ethics.

§  2658.  Code  of  ethics.  1.    As  used  in  this section the term  "authority employee" shall mean any member, officer or employee  of  the  authority.    2.  No  authority  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. (a) No authority 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 authority 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  authority  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 authority employee shall use or  attempt  to  use  his  or  her  official position to secure unwarranted privileges or exemptions for him  or herself or others.    (e)   No  authority  employee  shall  engage  in  any  transaction  as  representative or agent of the authority with  any  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  authority  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  authority  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 authority 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 authority employee employed on a full-time basis nor  any  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 authority in which such  employee  serves  or  is  employed.    (j)  If any authority 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 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  authority  employee  who  shall  knowingly  and intentionally  violate any of the provisions of this section may be fined, suspended or  removed from office or employment.5. The authority shall ensure that all  employees  or  applicants  for  employment   are   afforded   equal   employment   opportunity   without  discrimination.    6. All board members and employees of the authority shall be deemed to  be   public  officers  and  shall,  notwithstanding  any  other  ethical  requirements  established  by  state  or  local  law,   and   when   not  inconsistent  with  the  provisions  of this title, comply with sections  seventy-three, seventy-three-a and seventy-four of the  public  officers  law.  Notwithstanding  any  other  provision  of  law,  the  filing of a  Schenectady county financial disclosure statement with  the  Schenectady  county  board of ethics by a board member shall constitute and be deemed  in compliance with the financial disclosure requirements imposed by this  section and section seventy-three-a of the public officers law.