By ADAM ATKINSON
North Country This Week

CANTON — After a brief public hearing, the town board finally approved its new Code of Ethics during its regular meeting Wednesday, Jan. 15. No opposition to the code was voiced by the public during the hearing.

The new code will be sent to the Department of State and become official once its accepted there.

The town and village have been working towards development and adoption of a new Code of Ethics since 2017. The last code for the municipalities was developed in 1975.

The Canton village board passed their version of the new code last November, but the town held off over questions regarding special provisions for town justice personnel. The town ultimately elected to hold off on any additional changes to the code in that regard. Copies of the code can be viewed online at https://bit.ly/332Do7n, and are available at the town clerk’s office.

The new code of conduct for town and village officials, elected and appointed, features a 3-page disclosure statement, and includes provisions for handling conflicts of interest for elected and appointed officials and village employees.

Topics covered by the code include things like interest in certain legislation handled by the boards, financial interests, nepotism, recusal and abstention, private employment which could conflict with official duties, future employment, use of municipal resources, handling confidential information, political solicitations, and acceptance of gifts.

At the town board’s hearing on the code, Town Historian Linda Casserly raised the question if alternates to appointed municipal boards would have to fill out the financial disclosure statement. Town Supervisor Mary Ann Ashley confirmed that elected and appointed officials would be required to sign the disclosure.

Town Councilman Tim Danehy pointed out that the disclosure statement was not a detailed listing of personal financial interests.

“The disclosure form is an attestation that you don’t have a financial conflict,” Danehy said. “Nobody is being asked to divulge (their) stock portfolio.”