Town Officials To Establish New Municipal Body To Ensure Compliance with Code of Ethics

New Canaan’s legislative body is pursuing the creation of a standalone commission that would help ensure that the town’s Code of Ethics—an ordinance that applies to employees of the town, police and school district— is adhered to throughout local government. Though New Canaan has a 3-person Personnel Advisory Board that can hear complaints from any public employee, “there is no process to take consideration of anybody that may be considered in violation of a Code of Ethics, which we do have,” Town Councilman Kathleen Corbet said during the group’s Jan. 20 meeting, held at Town Hall. “The Code of Ethics is a bit outdated—last amended in 1996—and if you look at it relative to other towns’ Codes of Ethics, it’s time for a refresher and this is a perfect thing for a Board of Ethics to focus on and to get to work on.”

The Charter calls for the establishment of a Code of Ethics, and it’s spelled out in Chapter 17 of the Town Code, addressing such matters as municipal employees’ use of town-owned property, special treatment, disclosure of confidential information, acceptance of gifts and favors, and bidding for public contracts. Working with fellow councilman Kevin Moynihan, Corbet had researched Boards of Ethics or Ethics Commissions in other lower Fairfield County towns—their genesis, duties and term information for members— and “virtually everybody with exception of Westport surrounding us has an established ethics committee, most of which are formed in the ordinances but some have them in charters,” she said.