On July 20, 2016, the New Canaan Town Council passed an ordinance creating an Ethics Board to review and modify the then-existing Town Ethics Code,┬а address alleged violations of that Code, and render advisory opinions about ethics issues to Town officials and employees.┬а In the November 2016 election, Town electors approved the Charter changes needed to accomplish these goals and the five member Ethics Board began working on its assigned tasks shortly thereafter.
Ethics Board Activities During the Past Five Years
Since 2016, the Ethics Board has rewritten the TownтАЩs Ethics Code and the TownтАЩs Whistleblower Policy, each of which was approved and adopted by the Town Council and the Board of Selectmen, respectively.┬а The Board has also received, analyzed and dismissed for lack of probable cause several formal Ethics Complaints; issued an Advisory Opinion to a candidate for Town office; informally discussed aspects of the Ethics Code with Town Officials; responded, again informally, to questions about the Ethics Code from Town citizens and members of the press; and formally responded to several Freedom of Information Act requests. Finally, the Board has made presentations about the Ethics Code and the Whistleblower Policy to Town employees, boards and committees. (The Ethics Code, the Whistleblower Policy, and the BoardтАЩs minutes, resolutions, opinions and annual reports can be found on the Ethics Board webpage on the TownтАЩs website.)