SKOWHEGAN — The town’s recently updated Code of Ethics For Elected and Appointed Officials has yet to be put to the test, but it’s in place to make sure residents and business owners are treated fairly by their local government.

Town Manager John Doucette Jr., said public office should be used for the public good, with openness and fairness, respect and civility.

“The Code of Ethics was not developed to be a punishment; the Code of Ethics was to give guidelines to the different committees, what is expected of them, because not all committee have bylaws,’ Doucette said. “Even the bylaws are not all the same and they don’t all cover the same things.”

The Skowhegan code covers members of all town boards, committees and commissions, except the school board. Provisions of the code include courteous conduct on the part of elected and appointed officials and good preparation on public issues for open discussion.

It also covers conflicts of interest and opportunities for personal gain. Officials will not discuss or disclose confidential information and shall not use public resources for personal use, under the code.

“Members themselves have the primary responsibility for ensuring that ethical standards are understood and met and that the public can continue to have full confidence in the integrity of government,” the code reads.

Doucette said selectmen may censure, or publicly criticize, an elected or appointed official — including himself or a selectman — who does not comply with the standards of the code and remove any appointed official after notice and a hearing. Elected officials, such as the road commissioner and the town clerk, can only be removed from office through the town’s recall ordinance.

The Skowhegan Board of Selectmen formally adopted the updated code in May. The vote was 4-1, with Selectman Donald Lowe in the minority. Lowe said he opposed the measure because the town already has too many rules and regulations already in place.

Selectwoman Joy Mase, the board chairman, said she has not seen any difference in town government since the code was adopted, but added that the provisions of the eight-page document have not been brought to a test.

“I certainly don’t think it ever hurts to have things clarified,” she said.

Selectman Newell Graf said he voted for the Code of Ethics to ensure a level playing field for all town officials.

“I thought it just looked to unify us all under one rule,” he said. “We’ll find out how good a document it is if we ever have to use it.”

Planning Board Chairman Jeff McCabe said the code of ethics is fine as a guideline, but should have been brought to a vote of the people at the annual town meeting, not by the Board of Selectmen.

Doucette said when he and others went to the annual convention of the Maine Municipal Association, it was recommended that municipalities adopt a code of ethics. He said it was his idea to adopt a code for Skowhegan, as he had done when he was town manager of Norridgewock.

Waterville City Clerk Arlene Strahan said that city has a Code of Ethics as part of its personnel policy manual. It also is included in the city charter as an administrative ordinance.

Eric Conrad, director of communications and educational services at MMA, said “several dozen” other communities in Maine have adopted ethics provisions similar to a Code of Ethics, usually larger municipalities, such as the city of Bangor.

“We definitely support members that want to adopt codes of ethics,” Conrad said. “We provide samples, offer legal advice, but the choice of whether to adopt it is up to the community to decide; we don’t really push it, but if they want to go that route, we definitely support it.”

Doug Harlow — 474-9534

dharlow@centralmaine.com

Copy the Story Link