The Town of Stratford is taking its new ethics code provisions very seriously and it wants to let you know. The town’s ethics commission is bringing letting residents know about the code by having posters in public and private locations with information about how to file a complaint and how to learn more. One of the new, and more controversial, provisions of Stratford’s code is an anti-nepotism stipulation. You can read more about the town attorney’s disagreement with this portion of the new code in the CT Post’s story: Marketing Ethics in Stratford
Most towns in Connecticut have already created ethics codes but there are still some catching up and of those, many are still waiting to see if the state will create a model code. An attempt was made this year but failed at the legislature, in part due to the ongoing budget battles. Stratford is to be applauded for continuing to tackle the issue head on. As their Chairwoman Susan Birge indicated, with the election season soon at hand, public officials will be under closer scrutiny. It’s always better when people know what the rules are and what the consequences are when they are not followed.
