Norwalk Board of Ethics sends medical‑director exemption to ordinance committee, elects new chair

NORWALK, Conn. — The Norwalk City Board of Ethics on March 27, 2025 unanimously approved sending a proposed amendment to Section 32‑11(b) of the city’s Code of Ethics to the Common Council ordinance committee and elected Pat Baggett as the board’s new chair.

The proposed amendment would create a standing exemption to the code’s existing prohibition on employing persons who served as an agency officer during the preceding 12 months. The board limited the exemption explicitly to the municipal medical director, saying the city has repeatedly had difficulty filling that post. The board voted to forward the drafted language to the ordinance committee for further review, public hearing, and subsequent consideration by the Common Council.

The change under consideration would alter Section 32‑11(b) of the Code of Ethics (the one‑year post‑service restriction) to exempt the medical director position. Board members said the exemption is intended to address recurring staffing problems for the medical director role, which the board described as an appointed, paid position responsible for leading city public‑health policy and coordination.

The ordinance process noted by the board requires ordinance‑committee review, a public hearing, and final action by the Common Council; the Board of Ethics vote on March 27 was only the first of those steps. The proposal as approved by the board is permanent in scope (not limited to a single individual or single hire), and the board emphasized that any final ordinance would be subject to the subsequent public and council review steps.

Also on the agenda, the board elected Pat Baggett as chair by unanimous vote. The board handled routine business including approval of the minutes from the Feb. 20, 2025 meeting, and then moved into an executive session to consider recently received ethics complaints. The board stated no votes or actions were taken during the executive session and then adjourned.

Votes and procedural notes

- Approval of minutes (Feb. 20, 2025): Motion to approve made by Matt Nagnon; second by Michelle Sawyer. Eligible voters noted that four members who had been present at the Feb. 20 meeting could vote on adoption of those minutes; the minutes (three pages) were approved unanimously by those eligible to vote (4‑0). The record notes Catherine Williams was not eligible to vote on the minutes because she was not at the Feb. 20 meeting.

- Election of chair: Pat Baggett was nominated and elected chair by a unanimous vote of the members present (5‑0). The board confirmed Baggett accepted the position.

- Revision to Section 32‑11(b) (Code of Ethics) — medical‑director exemption: The board voted unanimously (5‑0) to approve the drafted language and send it to the Common Council ordinance committee for review and public hearing.

- Executive session: The board voted unanimously to enter executive session to consider recently received ethics complaints. The board left executive session stating that no votes or motions had been taken there.

What happens next

If the Common Council ordinance committee reviews and advances the proposal after its public hearing, the committee’s recommendation would go to the Common Council for possible adoption as an ordinance amendment to the Code of Ethics. The board emphasized the ordinance route and public hearing steps during discussion.

Meeting context

The meeting was hybrid (in‑person in the Common Council chambers and available by Zoom) and included five Board of Ethics members present. No members of the public spoke during the public‑participation portion. The board noted the medical‑director vacancy and recurring difficulty filling that role as the principal reason for pursuing the exemption.