(A) Upon written complaint, signed under penalty of perjury by any person, or upon its own motion, the Board shall investigate any alleged violation of this chapter.
(B) The Board shall initiate a preliminary inquiry into any alleged violation of this chapter no later than ten days after receiving the complaint.
(C) The Board shall forward a copy of the complaint and a general statement of the applicable law to the person alleged to have committed a violation within 30 days of the commencement of the inquiry.
(D) All board proceedings and records relating to a preliminary investigation shall be confidential until a final determination is made by the Board, unless the evidence may be used in a criminal proceeding. Evidence would be turned over to the Commonwealth or County Attorney.
(E) The complainant or alleged violator shall not publicly disclose the existence of a preliminary investigation, and the Board shall not publicly confirm the existence of the inquiry nor make public any documents, which were issued to either party.
(F) The Board shall afford a person who is the subject of a preliminary investigation an opportunity to respond to the allegations in the complaint. The person shall have the right to be represented by counsel, to appear and be heard, and to offer evidence in response to the allegations in the complaint.
(G) Any person who knowingly files with the Board of Ethics a false complaint of misconduct on the part of any elected or appointed official or other person shall be guilty of a Class A misdemeanor.
(Ord. 95-1, passed 3-2-95)