Warren County Board of Ethics elects chair and vice chair, moves into executive session over financial disclosure review

At a 2025 meeting of the Warren County Board of Ethics, members elected Dr. Hicks as chair and Kim Diaz as vice chair and voted to go into executive session under Public Officers Law §105(1)(f) to consider matters related to the board’s review of 2025 financial disclosure statements.

The action followed a roll call and routine approval of minutes. The presiding officer asked for a motion “to waive the reading on the minutes and approve the minutes from 02/25/2025.” A member moved and the motion was seconded; members responded by voice vote, “Aye,” and the minutes were approved.

During new business the board considered leadership nominations. A member nominated “Jim” for chair; a second was given and the board approved the nomination by voice vote. The meeting transcript states, “Doctor Hicks is now the chairman of the board of ethics at the end of this meeting.” The board then nominated Kim Diaz for vice chair; after a second the nomination was approved by voice vote with the minutes noting that Diaz will assume the vice chair role at the end of the meeting.

The board then moved to close the public portion of the meeting and to enter executive session. The presiding officer requested “a motion to enter into the executive session per public officers law 1 0 5 1 f to consider matters leading to the demotion, discipline, suspension, dismissal, or removal of particular persons or persons regarding board of ethics review of 2025 financial disclosure statements.” A board member moved to enter executive session, a second was given, and members voted by voice, “Aye,” to approve entry into executive session. The transcript records that the doors were closed before the executive session began.

No public comments on the substantive items were recorded in the transcript. The record shows routine parliamentary steps (roll call, motions to waive reading and approve minutes, nominations, and voice votes) and a formal decision to move into a closed session authorized under Public Officers Law §105(1)(f). The transcript does not record further discussion or outcomes from the executive session, which by statute may address personnel and disciplinary matters and therefore was held privately.

Minutes and formal records of actions taken in executive session (if any) are governed by applicable law and the board’s procedures; the transcript provided does not include any post-executive-session votes or public findings.