You may be hired as site engineer and represent a private development company at a Planning Board hearing, as long as the hearing does not in any way involve Conservation Commission matter.

However, if the hearing is about a wetlands dispute, you could not represent the developer before the Planning Board because the matter is under your official responsibility as Conservation Commissioner.

Also, if you prepare site plans, blueprints, structural analyses or other professional documents, you may not allow the developer to submit those materials to the Conservation Commission (or to any other municipal boards, in connection with matters under the Conservation Commission's responsibility).

Also, you may not be paid for giving the developer advice about how to get his project approved by the Conservation Commission, or for any other activity related to the Conservation Commission review process.

Note that the prohibition against "acting as agent" covers any type of activity that involves representing someone other than your city or town. Activities which can be considered "acting as agent" include: serving as someone's spokesperson; making phone calls or writing letters; acting as a liaison; affixing professional seals or signing supporting documentation; and participating as an electrician, plumber or other contractor during municipal building inspections. For more information about §17, request Advisory No. 13: Municipal Employees Acting as Agent from the State Ethics Commission.

Section 20 -- Restrictions on having an interest in contracts with your city or town

Section 20 generally prohibits municipal employees from having a direct or indirect financial interest in a contract with their city or town. However, there are many exemptions in this section of the law. For instance, a municipal employee may own less than 1% of the stock of a company that does business with the municipality.

Also, a municipal employee may have a financial interest in a contract with a municipal department which is completely independent of the one where he works, provided that the contract has been publicly advertised or competitively bid, and the employee has filed a disclosure of his interest in the contract with the city or town clerk. Note that there are additional requirements for personal services contracts: contact your town counsel or city solicitor or the State Ethics Commission's Legal Division for more information.

However, if you are a "special municipal employee", you have two additional exemptions to §20:

1. 1. As a "special municipal employee", you may have a financial interest in a contract with a department which is completely independent of the one where you work, provided that you file a disclosure of your interest in the contract with the city or