(A) (1) An Ethics Commission is hereby created to consist of three members of the village’s Board of Trustees as appointed for one-year terms by the President of the Board of Trustees.
(2) The President of the Board of Trustees may remove a Commissioner in case of incompetency, neglect of duty or malfeasance in office after service on the Commissioner by certified mail, return receipt requested, of a copy of the written charges against the Commissioner and an opportunity to be heard in person or by counsel upon not less than ten days’ notice. Vacancies shall be filled by the President of the Board of Trustees.
(3) The Commission shall meet as often as necessary to perform its duties. Commissioners may be reimbursed for their reasonable expenses actually incurred in the performance of their duties.
(2007 Code, § 1-5-7)
(B) The Commission may employ necessary staff persons and may contract for services that cannot be satisfactorily performed by the staff.
(2007 Code, § 1-5-8)
(C) The Commission shall have the following powers and duties:
(1) To promulgate procedures and rules governing the performance of its duties and the exercise of its powers;
(2) Upon receipt of a signed, notarized, written complaint, to investigate, conduct research, conduct closed hearings and deliberations, issue recommendations and impose a fine;
(3) To act only upon the receipt of a written complaint alleging a violation of this subchapter and not upon its own prerogative;
(4) To receive information from the public pertaining to its investigations and to require additional information and documents from persons who may have violated this subchapter;
(5) To submit to the village’s Board of Trustees an annual statistical report for each year consisting of:
(a) The number of complaints filed;
(b) The number of complaints deemed to sufficiently allege a violation of this subchapter;
(c) The recommendation, fine or decision issued for each complaint;
(d) The number of complaints resolved; and
(e) The status of pending complaints.
(6) The powers and duties of the Commission are limited to matters clearly within the purview of this subchapter.
(2007 Code, § 1-5-9)