Charter commission considers adding code-of-ethics oath, debates limits on officials with family town employees

The commission examined Article 10 for language about the oath of office and a possible code of ethics.

Members proposed inserting a sentence in the oath requiring new officers to attest that they have read and agreed to the Sabattus code of ethics. One suggested addition to the oath: "I have read and agreed to the Sabattus code of ethics." The commission discussed whether signing or verbally acknowledging the code should be required at swearing-in and the legal consequences of tying code violations to forfeiture of office.

On conflicts of interest, commissioners debated whether to prohibit individuals who have an immediate family member employed by the town from holding certain elected roles (select board, budget committee), or whether recusal rules would be sufficient. Several members worried that strict prohibitions could be overly restrictive in a small town; others argued that immediate-family employment creates an appearance of conflict and that recusal alone may be insufficient without enforcement procedures. Commissioners asked to review code-of-ethics text and enforcement mechanisms before drafting charter language that could affect recall or forfeiture provisions.

Why this matters: Requiring an oath that includes the code of ethics and clarifying conflict-of-interest rules would codify expectations for elected officials and could affect whether officials must recuse or face forfeiture of office for violations. The commission agreed to circulate proposed ethics language and to research enforcement options for the next meeting.