Regular Meeting Minutes
Board of Ethics Commission
Regular Meeting
November 3, 2014
Members present: John Harris, Pam Childs, Jules D’Agostino, Michael Barry
Members absent: Ron Panicci
Public attended: Bob Kelleher
- Called to Order: 7:00
2.Roll Call
3.Approval of Meeting Minutes
Correction: under: Unfinished Business
Mr. Voccio’s suggestions were discussed and the
Commission reaffirmed the decision to stick with the decisions made at the September 8th meeting.
Motion made: 1st Jules D’Agostino 2nd Mike Barry
All in Favor
4.Public commentary
Mr. Kelleher was asked to come to the meeting by the Selectmen and John Harris, to discuss the proposed changes to the Ethics ordinance.
After lengthy discussions and debate, it was concluded that Mr. Kelleher would like to see several areas reassessed. It was his personal opinion that the following areas of the ordinance should be discussed by the Commission.
- Prohibited Acts should be separated from definitions to have it make more sense.
- Conflict of Interest ( definition) needs to be based on the state statue wording or the statue should be referenced.
- Some of the” definitions” are too broad. The Commission needs to look at the definition of a Public Official and a Public Employee, potentially make it one definition.
Mr. Kelleher commended the Commission’s hard work and assured them that the Selectmen want to move forward with the ordinance. Mr. Kelleher would like the Commission to look at changing the areas discussed and submit a revised draft of the ordinance to the Selectmen. He felt it would be best if the Commission came to a Selectmen’s meeting with ordinance on the agenda.
Several of the members are frustrated with the amount of time it is taking to get the ordinance to the town. The Commission is trying to make the Ordinance useable and understandable for the town’s people . The Commission does not consider themselves the “watchdogs” of the town of Brooklyn.
The Commission discussed the recommended changes and Mr. Harris will revise the Ordinance as needed . It will be presented to the Commission to be approved an then reset to the Selectmen.
5.Unfinished business/New business
The following is the 2015 Regular Meeting Schedule
Meetings are held the first Monday, that is not a holiday, of every month at the Brooklyn town hall at 7pm
January 5, 2015
February 2, 2015
March 2, 2015
April 6, 2015
May 4, 2015
June1, 2015
July 6, 2015
August 3, 2015
September 14, 2015
October 5, 2015
November 2, 2015
December 7, 2015
- 6.Adjournment 8:53
Motion made: 1st Mike Barry 2nd Jules D’ Agostino
All in Favor