County of Putnam
Local Law # 10 of 2015
(Passed at Regular Full Meeting October 6, 2015)
APPROVAL/LOCAL LAW AMEND CHAPTER 55/CODE OF PUTNAM COUNTY ENTITLED
“ETHICS, CODE OF, AND FINANCIAL DISCLOSURE”
A Local Law to Amend Section 55-2 of Chapter 55 of the Code of Putnam County entitled
“Ethics, Code of, and Financial Disclosure”- “Definitions”
Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the County of Putnam, as follows:
Section 1.
Section 55-2 of the Putnam County Code entitled “Definitions” is hereby amended to
read as follows:
§ 55-2. Definitions.
Unless otherwise stated or unless the context otherwise requires, when used in this
chapter:
APPEAR and APPEAR BEFORE — Communicating in any form, including, without
limitation, personally, through another person, by letter, by email or other electronic
means, or by telephone.
BOARD OF ETHICS — The Board of Ethics of the County of Putnam established pursuant
to § 55-12.
COUNTY — The County of Putnam. “County agency” means any Putnam County
department or division, board, commission or bureau of any Putnam County department
but shall not include the County Court.
COUNTY OFFICER OR EMPLOYEE — Any officer or employee of the County, whether
paid or unpaid, elected or appointed, and includes, without limitation, all members of any
office, board, body, advisory board, council, commission, agency, department, district,
administration, division, bureau, or Board of Ethics of the County. “County officer or
employee” shall not include:
A. A judge, justice, officer, or employee of the unified court system;
B. A volunteer firefighter or civil defense volunteer; or
C. A member of an advisory board of the County if, but only if, the advisory board has
no authority to implement its recommendations or to act on behalf of the County or to
restrict the authority of the County to act. No entity established pursuant to the
General Municipal Law of the State of New York shall be deemed an advisory board
for purposes of this Subsection.
CUSTOMER OR CLIENT
A. Any person to whom a County officer or employee has supplied goods or services
during the previous 24 months having, in the aggregate, a value greater than $5,000;
or
B. Any person to whom a County officer’s or employee’s outside employer or business
has supplied goods or services during the previous 24 months having, in the
aggregate, a value greater than $5,000, but only if the County officer or employee
knows or has reason to know the outside employer or business supplied the goods
or services.
GIFT and FINANCIAL BENEFIT — Shall include any money, service, license, permit,
contract, authorization, loan, travel, entertainment, hospitality, or any promise thereof or
any other gratuity or promise thereof or anything of value. A financial transaction may be
a financial benefit but shall not be a gift unless it is on terms not available to the general
public. “Gift” and “financial benefit” do not include campaign contributions permitted by
law.
MEMBER OF THE HOUSEHOLD — Any person with whom a County officer or employee
lives as a single household unit.
MINISTERIAL ACT — An administrative act carried out in a prescribed manner not
allowing for substantial personal discretion.
OUTSIDE EMPLOYER OR BUSINESS
A. Means:
(1) Any activity, other than service to the County, from which the County officer or
employee receives compensation for services rendered or goods sold or
produced;
(2) Any entity, other than the County, of which the County officer or employee is a
member, officer, director, or employee and from which he or she receives
compensation for services rendered or goods sold or produced; or
(3) Any entity in which the County officer or employee has an ownership interest of
5% or more.
B. For purposes of this definition, “compensation” shall not include reimbursement for
necessary expenses, including travel expenses.
PERSON — Includes individuals and entities.
RELATIVE — A spouse, child, stepchild, sibling, half-brother, half-sister, parent,
stepfather, stepmother, mother-in-law, father-in-law, brother-in-law, sister-in-law,
grandparent, grandchild, uncle, aunt, niece, nephew, and first cousin. “Relative” shall
also include any person claimed as a dependent on the New York State individual tax
return of a County officer or employee.
Section 2.
This Local Law shall become effective immediately.
BY POLL VOTE: ALL AYES. CARRIED UNANIMOUSLY.