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Ethics Commission
Meetings
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Members
- Lawrence Fullerton, Vice Chairman
- Charles Slack, Secretary
- Sujata Gadkar-Wilcox
- Irene Harrigan
- Morag Vance
- Andy Lubin, Alternate
What We Do
The Ethics Commission consists of five regular members and two alternate members appointed by a two-third vote from the recommendations of the First Selectman. It has the power to investigate violations of the Code of Ethics (PDF), adopted in 1978, to conduct hearings on alleged violations, and to impose sanctions or otherwise enforce the Code. The Code of Ethics specifies and designates ethical standards of conduct required of all elected and appointed Town officials and all Town employees.
Town Charter Description
Section 17. Ethics Commission. A. Composition and appointment.
The Town shall have an Ethics Commission consisting of five regular members and two alternate members who shall be appointed by a two-thirds (2/3) vote of the Town Council from the recommendations of the First Selectman. Each regular member shall have a five year term. One term shall expire each year. The first alternate member appointed shall have a one year term. The second alternate member appointed shall have a two year term and the terms of all alternate members thereafter shall be two years. No more than a bare majority of the regular members shall be members of the same political party and the alternate members shall not both be members of the same political party.
B. Powers and duties. The Ethics Commission shall have the following powers and duties: (i) It shall recommend a code of ethics for adoption by the Town Council; and (ii) It shall investigate any complaints and make a determination of whether or not there have been any violations of this Charter, ordinances of the Town, or of the code of ethics adopted by the Charter; and (iii) It shall conduct such inquiries and proceedings as may be required and, thereafter, in appropriate cases, impose such sanctions as may be provided by the Town ethics code or by this Charter.
C. Code of ethics. The Town Council shall have the power and the duty to adopt, under its ordinance making power, and subject to the approval of the First Selectman required for ordinances, a code of ethics which shall, except as otherwise provided by law, by this Charter, govern the conduct of all elected and appointed Town officials and all Town employees. The code shall specify and designate ethical standards of conduct required of affected persons, prohibited activities, and the sanctions that may be imposed for violations of the code with the exception of those cases where violations of the code may also involve criminal violations in which cases the matters involved shall be referred to and reserved for appropriate criminal authorities. The power to investigate violations, to conduct hearings on any alleged violations, and to impose sanctions or otherwise enforce the code shall be vested in the Ethics Commission and in no other body or official of Town government.
D. Procedure. The Ethics Commission shall, in the conduct of its activities, adhere to the confidentiality requirements of the statute and also the Ethics Commission and shall observe the following procedural rules: Any person charged with any violation: (i) Shall be promptly notified, in writing, of the charges against him/her and the provision of ethics code or Charter claimed to have been violated; (ii) Shall be entitled to a hearing on the charges against him/her to be held, at his/her option, in public or in private, not later than forty-five (45) days after the notification of charges, or at any later time agreed upon by the Commission and the person charged; (iii) Shall be entitled to confront his/her accuser and to cross examine witnesses against him; and (iv) Shall be entitled to representation by counsel.