Putnam County committee trims ethics-board legal request to $10,000 after fraught discussion

The Putnam County Audit and Administration Committee on Oct. 28 voted to reduce a requested $25,000 allocation for Board of Ethics legal services to $10,000 and moved the amended amount to the full legislature.

Committee members debated the item after staff noted Director Eldridge had applied under code provisions that allow the ethics board to hire independent counsel. Legislator (Speaker 6) told colleagues the county attorney had filed a public ethics complaint against a member of the legislature, sending the matter to the state attorney general, and that the veto of outside counsel had left the legislature constrained.

“I would rather see us allocate $10,000 for now,” Speaker 6 said, arguing that at an assumed $400 an hour rate the lesser amount should cover an initial response and the board could return for more if needed. Chair (Speaker 2) said the committee was on that path and moved to lower the allocation; the committee recorded the motion as approved, with the transcript noting at least one dissenting vote.

Staff and other legislators discussed whether the county attorney’s office budget or another general fund account should cover such counsel when conflicts arise; members said the county code allows the ethics board to hire its own attorney and the board has a line that was not funded this year.

What’s next: the reduced $10,000 allocation was forwarded to the full legislature. The Board of Ethics and legislature members said the board may return for additional funds if litigation or counsel needs exceed the appropriation.