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General News: New Ethics Law in Village
September 25, 2008
The village of Cornwall-on-Hudson approved a new ethics law at its September board of trustees meeting that requires elected officials, members of boards, and certain village employees to file a financial disclosure form each year. It also puts some teeth into the requirement by allowing a fine as high as $10,000 for failing to file a disclosure form or for making a false statement on it. Village officials and employees could also face criminal charges.
The new law, which replaces an ethics law that was adopted in 1970, calls for the creation of a Board of Ethics made up of three people whose job it is to enforce the law. The members will be appointed by the board of trustees and will be required to make the same financial disclosures.
Under the old law, which was only four pages long, only elected officials and employees were required to avoid a conflict of interest in village matters. Now that includes members of the zoning board of appeals, the planning board, and children, spouses, siblings and parents of an employee, board member or elected officials. It also requires anyone with a conflict of interest to recuse him or herself from discussions involving that conflict.
The new ethics law has been simmering on the back burner of the village government since 1999, according to village clerk Jeanne Mahoney but it was never formally addressed until Mayor Gross was elected in 2007. That year, then village attorney Howard Protter drafted the current law, which went through various minor revisions to arrive at the final draft adopted last week.
The ethics law also has a special section that prohibits village officials and employees from soliciting contributions to a political party from other employees or from people who have business dealings with the village. The 16-page document prohibits several actions, including the personal use of village-owned property and the attempt to influence boards in one’s personal interest.
A copy of the ethics law is downloadable in PDF format here.
Comments:
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Congratulations to all involved! It is imperative in this day and age to have clear guidelines for ethical behavior and strong consequences for those who do not adhere to the requirements. I had so often wished that the Village had an ethics law of substance. Hopefully it will not be as useful in the future as it would have been in the recent past, since its mere existence may deter the behavior it is designed to discourage.
posted by Catherine Paull on 09/26/08 at 7:30 AM
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I recently contacted a local excavator to get an estimate for some work. I called and was told someone would be right over for an estimate. A few days later I called and said no one showed up. When I asked who the person was lo and behold it was a recently retired village official. Conflict of interest? Did the business do work for the village over the years? I know exactly why he did not show up at my property to give me an estimate too. This feckless, pusillanimous individual I am quite happy to see has left our village employment. We will do much better. Maybe if we had an ethics law twentyfive years ago we wouldn't be burdened down with a heavy debt load.
posted by P W on 09/26/08 at 4:22 PM
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Congratulations on doing the right thing. We all know if this law was in place 2 years ago the formor Mayor of Cornwall on Hudson, Ed Moulton wold be in jail today. I am also sure a complete audit of Moultons last ten years of income would reveal the same history of theft. Moulton stole views from residents and the public as well as the incredible theft of public parking spaces.
I am glad to see some actual morality in our local government.
Thank-you.
Jonathan Dunaief
posted by Jonathan Dunaief on 09/29/08 at 8:50 AM
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