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Select board adopts state ethics model and appoints town manager as liaison under new law
Summary
Following the statewide municipal code of ethics effective Jan. 1, Richmond’s select board agreed to adopt the state model policy (with a town complaint/enforcement appendix), set training expectations and appointed Town Manager Josh Arneson as the municipal ethics liaison under Act 171.
The Richmond Select Board voted to adopt the Statewide Municipal Code of Ethics framework and appointed Town Manager Josh Arneson as the town’s ethics liaison, a role described in Act 171.
Board members reviewed the scope of the state code — which applies to municipal legislative bodies and specified municipal officers — and discussed the absence of a state enforcement appendix. The board agreed it would adopt the state policy for consistency and keep the town’s existing complaint and enforcement procedures as a local appendix. Several members recommended embedding links to the state training and adding case-study guidance to help volunteers and committee members apply the policy.
A resident who spoke at the meeting noted that the new law requires procedures for investigation and enforcement and urged the board to formalize those steps promptly. Board members echoed that training is important; one member noted the state’s online training runs about 40–45 minutes and that the town should track completion dates for required officers.
The board moved and passed a motion to appoint Josh Arneson as the municipal ethics liaison; staff will work with the town attorney to fold the state code into local policy, append the town’s enforcement process and provide training links and informational materials.
