Mount Pleasant approves ethics‑code term changes and appoints three members amid criticism
Summary
After a contentious public hearing with calls for stronger independence and clearer complaint processes, the board approved amendments limited to term limits for the ethics code and appointed three members to the reactivated Board of Ethics effective Oct. 1, 2026.
The Town Board held a packed public hearing on proposed amendments to Chapter 22 (the ethics code). Critics including Brian Callahan argued the draft failed to create meaningful oversight and flagged potential conflicts of interest involving the town attorney's role on the proposed ethics board.
Callahan told the board the draft was "This 0.5 hearted, shoddy work is all window dressing and fails to address any real reform and any real accountability," and urged the board to delay adoption until a properly independent review could be completed. Other commenters requested clear complaint submission procedures, authority for the ethics board to initiate investigations, and staggered terms to preserve continuity.
After a brief recess for legal counsel, the board closed the public hearing, approved the limited amendments (principally term changes) and voted to appoint Fran Carlucci, Shana Dayhan and Rafael Farioli to the Board of Ethics with effective date Oct. 1, 2026. The board said the larger code and operational questions could be revisited with the new board in place.
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