Renewed interest in adopting code of ethics

SALISBURY — Local officials have been discussing for several years now whether it makes sense to adopt a code of ethics for elected and appointed officials as well as town employees.Salisbury’s selectmen, acting on First Selectman Curtis Rand’s suggestion, agreed to look at other towns’ standards of conduct for town workers as an initial step. (At the December meeting the selectmen agreed to abide by a 2005 code of ethics.) The sticking point on a code of ethics has been the creation of a regional entity to evaluate complaints. Until recently the other towns in the Northwestern Connecticut Council of Governments (known as COG, it is made up of first selectmen from nine Litchfield County towns) have been lukewarm about the idea, but Rand reported to the board Jan. 5 that at a COG meeting that morning there was renewed interest.Once a standard of conduct document for town employees is in place, Rand said, the selectmen could tackle the creation of an ethics code for elected and appointed officials.“And once we get that it should go to a town meeting,” he suggested.Selectman Jim Dresser said, “I’d feel hypocritical to have [a code] for employees and not have one for elected and appointed officials. I’m willing to work piecemeal, though.“And it will have to go town meeting because the selectmen can’t impose it on the Planning and Zoning Commission.”“It’s not like people are running roughshod,” said Rand. “I get three or four complaints a year.”