DRAFT New Durham Ethics Policy Revision Committee minutes 4/12/11
ETHICS POLICY REVISION COMMITTEE
PUBLIC MEETING MINUTES
April 12, 2011
The first meeting of the Ethics Policy Revision Committee was called at 6:00 PM in the New Durham Town Hall by Cecile Chase, Town Moderator. This committee was established as a result of two amendments to Article 13 on the 2011 Warrant at the March 9, 2011 Town Meeting.
Present: Mike Gelinas, Susan Hoover, Barbara Hunter, Dot Veisel, Katie Woods
Also Present: Cecile Chase, Alison Rendinaro, Mary McHale, David Bickford, Carole Ingham
Chase expressed her gratitude to the committee members present. ~She then fielded some questions that the committee had regarding their charge by Town Meeting to reform the ordinance into a policy.
Hunter inquired as to the result of the inquiry by the Board of Selectmen to Town counsel regarding the Board of Ethics and the adoption of the revision of the ethics policy. Rendinaro shared the outcome of her conversation with Town counsel. The ordinance is now a policy that is advisory and the BOE still exists in an advisory capacity. The Ethics Policy Review Committee will determine if the BOE remains and can adopt the policy when it is completed as it doesn’t need to be adopted by the BOS. Rendinaro will send a copy of the memo she sent to the BOS regarding her conversation with counsel to committee members.
The committee discussed the current policy and the complaint process.~
Carole Ingham entered the meeting to swear in the committee members.~ Members were sworn in.~ Susan Hoover withdrew from the committee and Ingham left the meeting. ~
The meeting was again called to order, and moved to set the organization. Dot Veisel was nominated as Chair, and accepted. Katie Woods was nominated Vice Chair, and accepted. Barbara Hunter volunteered as Secretary. Chase asked that everyone in favor of the slate say aye- all agreed.
Gelinas made a motion to accept the New Durham Code of Ethics as an interim policy while working on the revision with the exclusion of paragraphs 5, 6, 7 in Section 4. Second -Woods. Vote unanimous.
Chair Veisel said she hopes the revision process would be completed within 90 days. The following meeting schedule was established. Meetings will be from 7:00-9:00 PM on the first Monday and second and fourth Tuesdays of the month. Dates through May are: April 26, May 2, 10 and 24. Since the Town Hall is not available, Veisel will let the committee know where to meet once determined.
Veisel set the homework expectations for the April 26 meeting to include:
- A review of the current policy, making suggestions of changes members would like to see.
- A review of the materials Rendinaro distributed at the beginning of the meeting while noting any aspects that might be considered for incorporation in the revision.
- Make notes of items in our policy to be considered for removal.
- Review the ethics Articles 14-23 in the 2011 Warrant for consideration.
It was decided that would be a good beginning.
Adjournment: Motion – Gelinas, second – Hunter. Vote unanimously in favor. Adjourned, 7:10 PM.
Respectfully submitted,
Barbara Hunter, Secretary
| 
