Lisbon Maine's Ethics Panel

Intended Purpose of the Ethics Panel

The purpose and intent of Chapter 12 of our charter is to protect the integrity of Lisbon  Government against actual or reasonably perceived conflicts of interest without creating unnecessary barriers to public service. 

I'm sure the founders of our charter never intended sec. 12-4 (d) (Referral) to be used as a roadblock to eliminating unethical behavior. Nowhere in Chapter 12 does it say the Ethics Panel can only hear referrals. By its very nature it should be searching government for potential problems and advising the council on its findings.

Recently when our Ethics Panel used the charter to hide from its duties it became obvious that we have a much more serious problem than a simple conflict.We have a systemic problem. Our very system is being used to hinder the elimination of conflicts.

Hopefully this is due to ignorance of the actual intended purpose of the Ethics Panel. Possibly the members of the Panel are unaware that they have an obligation to the town to expose conflicts when ever and where ever they find them.

There comes a time in everyone's life, usually in their fourth or fifth decade, when they have to decide if they will stand up and make the morally right decision regardless of the social consequences or hang their head and slink off into obscurity. I believe that time has come for Lisbon's Ethics Panel. 

I hope the panel makes the right decision.


Respectfully
Joe Hill
LisbonMaine.net