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Common
Council Ethics Committee Minutes
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AUGUST 25, 2005
ATTENDANCE: Michael Coffey; Carvin Hilliard
STAFF:
OTHER:
CALL TO ORDER
Chairman Coffey called the inaugural meeting of the Ethics Committee to order
at 7:42 p.m.
ROLL CALL
Chairman Coffey read the roll call.
NEW BUSINESS
Chairman Coffey said that Mr. Ciccarello and the Law Department are in the process of drafting complaint forms. These forms will be available to anyone who would like to file an official City of Norwalk Ethics Complaint form, and they will be kept in the City Clerk’s office. It is the goal of the current committee, meeting on a monthly basis, to fulfill the task of updating or revising the current Ethics Code for the City of Norwalk. It was last revised in 1967. Under the Charter, the Ethics Committee is planning on revising the Ethics Code. Since the Ethics Committee was formed in May, there have not been any ethics complaints filed. The City received a score of 3 from Common Cause Connecticut, a government watchdog group. That is not considered to be an adequate score. There is room for improvement, and the Ethics Committee wants Norwalk to be considered a leader in the field of municipal ethics.
Mr. Hilliard commented on the neighboring communities and related activities, and he felt that the formation of the Ethics Committee sends a message that business will be conducted in an ethical manner in the City of Norwalk.
Mr. Krummel, from the audience, asked about the ethics complaint form that Corporation Counsel is in the process of drafting. Mr. Coffey said that it will be reviewed by the Ethics Committee before it becomes the “official” form. There will be a formal procedure form to go with the ethics complaint form.
Mr. Coffey said that he has requested the ethics complaint form be placed on the City’s website, and he has asked that the Ethics Committee be recognized as a standing committee on the City’s website.
OLD BUSINESS
Chairman Coffey said that the revisions of the ethics complaint form will be
put on the agenda for next month’s meeting.
He also hopes to establish a set of rules for handling the ethics complaints
and the ethics hearing.
ADJOURNMENT
** MR. HILLIARD MOVED TO ADJOURN.
** MOTION PASSED UNANIMOUSLY.
The meeting was adjourned at 7:55 p.m.
Respectfully submitted,
Carolyn Marr
Telesco Secretarial Services
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