Friday, April 26, 2013
City Council makes a final vote to disband the volunteer group.
The work of the Ocean City Ethics Board came to an end Thursday night, six years after it was formed as a way for citizens to file complaints about ethics violations among city officials and employees. City Council voted 6-1 to approve the second and final reading of an ordinance that removes the "Ethics Committee" from the list of the city's agencies and boards. Fourth Ward Councilman Pete Guinosso cast the lone dissenting vote. The local board has considered 11 complaints in six years, and its only finding of an ethical violation resulted in a costly appeal in a case that ultimately was dropped for "procedural deficiencies." City Council members have argued that a state board provides the same ethical oversight, making the local board a…
Wednesday, April 24, 2013
Ocean City resident Eric Sauder argues to retain the Ocean City Ethics Board.
- OPINION
-
Wednesday, April 24
To the Editor: By now most of you have already made up your mind as to whether our local Ethics Commission should be retained or disbanded. There are good arguments on either side. I doubt I can change anyone’s opinion. But before I watch it sink into oblivion I want to tell you why I think it’s important to keep it. On first reading the ordinance to abolish the Ethics Commission was passed. The Mayor was asked for his input. He didn’t address the Ethics Commission as much as he addressed lawsuits and settlements. His position is that it is more cost effective to settle than go to trial. Those lawyers will bleed you dry. I can appreciate the rationale of that argument. And there might be times when it is better to settle. But …
Ethics Board on the line, $22,414 of car washing, a new city department, yellow pine for the boardwalk and more.
City Council has a full agenda for its public meeting 7 p.m. Thursday (April 25) at the Ocean City Free Public Library, but here are five things that might be of special interest (see attached PDF for supporting detail on all agenda items): The agenda also includes items that would allow demolition work on storm-damaged structures during the summer, would revise a city ordinance to conform with single-stream recycling and would make appointments to the Environmental and Utilities Advisory Commissions.
Friday, April 12, 2013
A final vote on the Ocean City measure is scheduled for April 25.
City Council voted 6-1 on Thursday night to eliminate the Ocean City Ethics Board. A second and potentially final vote is scheduled for the 7 p.m. City Council meeting of April 25. The local board has considered 11 complaints in six years, and its only finding of an ethical violation resulted in a costly appeal in a case that ultimately was dropped for "procedural deficiencies." City Council members argued that a state board provides the same ethical oversight, making the local board a potentially costly redundancy. "I hope the rhetoric is at a high level," Ethics Board member and former Chairman Stanley Pszczolkowski said in public comment before the council discussion of the matter. "Ten people have worked very hard for six years." But …
Tuesday, April 9, 2013
City Council reversed itself on a similar effort in 2012.
City Council will consider the first reading of an amended ordinance that would "eliminate the 'Ethics Committee' from the list of agencies, advisory boards and commissions included in the Administrative Branch." The discussion and potential vote will decide the fate of a board that was formed in 2006 under the administration of Mayor Sal Perillo as a way for citizens to file complaints about ethics violations among city officials and employees. The local board has considered 11 complaints in six years, and its only finding of an ethical violation resulted in a costly appeal in a case that ultimately was dropped for "procedural deficiencies." City Council members have argued that a state board provides the same ethical oversight, making …
39.27181
-74.590535
Ocean City Free Public Library
1735 Simpson Ave, Ocean City, NJ
/articles/ocean-city-to-consider-eliminating-ethics-board
1960430
/locations/9202560
Friday, March 29, 2013
But City Council takes no action related to the board.
City Council began to discuss the fate of the local Ethics Board on Thursday but came to no resolution. In a brief debate, only Councilman Pete Guinosso voiced support for retaining the volunteer board. At issue is a group that was formed in 2006 as a way for citizens to file complaints about ethics violations among city officials and employees. The board has received just 11 complaints since it was formed and issued findings of ethical violations in just one case. That case led to an appeal that cost the city $78,000 in legal fees and was ultimately dropped because of "procedural deficiencies" in the investigation. City Council considered a resolution to abolish the board early in 2012, and council members at the time cited the potential …
Wednesday, March 27, 2013
Future of Ethics Board, credit-card parking meters, West Avenue zoning, sand dune projects and a potential EMT contract.
City Council has a full agenda for its public meeting 7 p.m. Thursday (March 28) at the Ocean City Free Public Library, but here are five things that might be of special interest: See attached PDF for supporting documentation for agenda items.
Tuesday, March 19, 2013
Ocean City taxpayers paid more than $78,000 for an abandoned ruling of an ethical violation.
The only breach ever identified in the six years of the volunteer Ocean City Ethics Board resulted in a $78,140 "nevermind." Executive session minutes released this month (see attached PDF) reveal the reasons why the board vacated and dismissed the only finding of an ethical violation in its history: the board had promised anonymity to eight witnesses and when it came time for them to identify themselves as part of an appeal hearing, all but one witness "recant(ed) their original statements or refus(ed) to participate at all." Ocean City taxpayers paid more than $55,000 in legal fees for a public employee, Ocean City Beach Patrol Operations Director Tom Mullineaux, to defend his name against the ethics findings, and it paid more than $23,…
Friday, March 1, 2013
City will seek beach easements for south end, pay $55,000 in legal costs related to an Ethics Board finding, pay $5.8 million for road and other improvements.
At a public meeting Thursday at the Ocean City Free Public Library, City Council heard an update on beach replenishment projects in Ocean City and saw a presentation on plan to revive a marina, fuel dock and seafood restaurant on the bay at 10th Street. But here are five other things that might be of interest.
Tuesday, February 26, 2013
Beach replenishment update, rehab at old Dan's Dockside site, legal bills for Ethics Board case, lots of road repair, and a Special Improvement District vote.
City Council has a full agenda its public meeting 7 p.m. Thursday, Feb. 28, at the Ocean City Free Public Library, but here are five things that might be of special interest. (See attached PDF for supporting documentation for all agenda items.)
39.27181
-74.590535
Ocean City Free Public Library
1735 Simpson Ave, Ocean City, NJ
/articles/five-things-88163547
1960430
/locations/8895517
lisa
8:30 pm on Friday, April 26, 2013
Frank is "finally free to comment on Patch?" He has been inappropriately commenting on Patch all along which is a clear indication of the lack of oversight of the Ethics Commission and the lack of common sense of the members. Commenting on Patch gives away your obvious bias and makes your judgements on the Ethics board suspect. It never should happen, but it did. Clear example of what is wrong … more ›