Council adopts voluntary financial-interest disclosure form after debate over mandatory requirement
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Summary
The Rules Committee’s voluntary financial-interest disclosure form was approved after councilors debated whether disclosure should be mandatory for elected officials. Proponents said voluntary filing is a start; critics argued it lacks enforcement.
The Concord City Council voted Nov. 24 to adopt a voluntary financial-interest disclosure form recommended by the Rules Committee intended to increase transparency for council-appointed boards, committees and interested parties.
Councilor Kredovich (Rules Committee) described the form as voluntary and focused on elevating transparency without supplanting the council’s existing self-governance and conflict-of-interest rules. Councilors debated whether the form should be mandatory for elected officials and committee members; some (including Councilor Brown) argued voluntary filing “has no teeth” and preferred a mandatory regime, while others said voluntary adoption is a pragmatic first step to build awareness.
City Solicitor John Conforti clarified the council is self-governing on ethics and conflicts and that the State of New Hampshire has its own filing expectations for elected officials. Councilors asked where records would be stored; the Rules Committee indicated the City Clerk would hold the forms and that the committee would consider reporting back after a trial period.
After motion, second and debate, the council approved the Rules Committee report and the voluntary form; a later motion to table the item did not pass but the final approval carried on a voice vote.
What the council decided - Action taken: Council approved the Rules Committee report and the voluntary financial-interest disclosure form; the City Clerk will be the repository for submitted forms and the committee agreed to monitor uptake and report back. - Next steps: Rules Committee to solicit feedback from other boards/commissions and consider a follow-up report on whether the form is meeting transparency goals.
Quotes “The emphasis here is it’s a voluntary disclosure,” said the Rules Committee representative when introducing the form.
“If we want to be consistent, then we should say that especially city councilors should have to do a mandatory disclosure form,” Councilor Brown said during debate.
Outcome and provenance The motion to approve the report passed by voice vote; the Rules Committee and City Clerk will manage implementation. Debate and vote are recorded from SEG 1999 through SEG 2341 in the transcript.