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Ethics board recounts a "perfect storm" of vacancies; CRC considers alternates and improved appointment process
Summary
The interim chair of the town ethics board told the Charter Review Commission the five-member board briefly lost quorum because of simultaneous vacancies and a medical emergency; CRC members discussed shortening vacancy timelines, creating a vetted bench or alternates, and better publicizing the board and complaint channels.
Ali Van Ness, interim acting chair of the town ethics board, told Group 2 of the Charter Review Commission that the board generally operates well but recently experienced an unusual set of events that left it without a quorum for about a month.
Van Ness described the sequence that created the problem: one member ran for a different elected office and stepped away, another accepted an appointment elsewhere, and a third had a medical emergency. "We barely had a quorum in December," she said, adding the board could not open a special meeting to address a complaint until a replacement was seated. Board members said they escalated the vacancy to the First Selectman, which helped accelerate at least one appointment.
CRC members and Van Ness discussed possible charter or ordinance changes to reduce the risk of operational paralysis. Suggestions included shortening the 60-day vacancy-filling period (options like 45 or 30 days were discussed), creating a vetted bench or alternates to fill urgent gaps, and formalizing a phone or escalation contact for critical vacancies. Van Ness said the ethics board would welcome ideas but favored a balanced approach that avoids creating barriers to recruitment.
Van Ness also recommended better public outreach about the ethics board's role and contact methods. She said the board issues an annual report that is posted to the town website but may not reach many residents; CRC members suggested the report could be used to publicize the board and describe how to file complaints. Van Ness noted the board consults Connecticut statutes and municipal counsel as needed.
Operational details were discussed, including a problem with the board's post office box being closed without notice; options under consideration include using the town clerk's office or adopting a secure email submission system so complaints are reliably received and tracked.
CRC members thanked Van Ness for the discussion and said they would consider ways to improve appointment speed, alternates, and public awareness as part of the charter review process.
