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Vermont Ethics Commission asks Appropriations Committee for two attorney hires as workload rises
Summary
The State Ethics Commission told the House Appropriations Committee it is understaffed after new statewide and municipal ethics responsibilities and requested funding for two attorney positions and modest operating funds; commissioners pressed for clarity on powers, enforcement and training coverage.
The Vermont State Ethics Commission asked the House Appropriations Committee on Feb. 18 for additional staff and operating authority, citing steady growth in complaints, municipal requests and newly assigned investigatory duties.
Christina Sivert, executive director of the Ethics Commission, told the committee the commission’s baseline budget request for “basic expenses and staffing” is $223,562 and that the office is seeking two new attorney positions — a general counsel to lead investigations and a staff attorney focused on municipal ethics and training. "We have about a hundred people a week taking online training through our office," Sivert said, describing a substantial increase in demand for advisory services.
The request follows passage of a statewide code of ethics in 2021 and a legislative package last year that added a municipal code of ethics and investigatory powers for the commission. Sivert said the municipal code requires training and that municipalities must appoint ethics liaisons; the…
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