How Should the County’s Ethics Board be Appointed?

By Holly Crocco

The Putnam County Legislature is considering changing the way volunteers are appointed to the county’s Board of Ethics.

Currently, the board is comprised of five individuals who are appointed by the county executive and approved by the Legislature.

During the May 12 Rules Committee meeting, Legislator Tommy Regan, R-Southeast, proposed amending the county code to state that two members be appointed by the county executive, two by the Legislature chairperson, and one by the minority party leader, on a rotating basis.

“Looking at the old way of doing business… it didn’t seem to make sense to me that one individual appoint all five,” he said, noting that the change only affects the nominating process, not the review and final approval by the Legislature.

Legislator Dan Birmingham, R-Brewster, asked how the current vacancies would be filled under the new proposal, since there are already two sitting board members. “As chair of the Legislature, I feel uncomfortable voting on this knowing I’m giving myself two, or at least one pick right now,” he said.

Further, Birmingham said the proposal isn’t as unusual as it sounds. “There is something to be said for giving minority party input,” he said, noting that the Legislature nominates members to the Farmland Protection Board, the Home Improvement Board, the Electrical Board, and other volunteer bodies.

Legislator William Gouldman, R-Putnam Valley, pointed out that, seeing as the Ethics Board members serve three-year terms, there may be Legislature chairpersons who never get a chance to make an appointment. Further, he suggested that “minority party” needs to be better defined, seeing as there is the Democratic Party, Conservative Party, Working Families Party, and others.

Legislator Jake D’Angelo, R-Carmel, said the terms could be changed from three years to two, to make sure elected officials on each branch have the opportunity to make their picks.

Legislator Erin Crowley, R-Mahopac, disagreed with the proposal.

“The Legislature’s role is to act as an independent confirming body on behalf of the taxpayers and residents we represent,” she said. “By inserting legislators directly into the appointment process itself, it changes the balance of power and blurs the separation between making appointments and independently reviewing them.”

Crowley also said that giving a member of the minority party their own vote disproportionately disperses authority.

“Every legislator was elected equally and should hold no more influence over appointments than any other member of this body,” she said. “The proposal concentrates influence among a small group of political leaders while reducing independence of the confirmation process.”

Legislator Nancy Montgomery, D-Philipstown, said shared appointment authority is common in New York State.

“I don’t see restructuring the Ethics Board as anything unconventional or unreasonable,” she said. “This is what we do to evolve as a county.”

Legislator Toni Addonizio, R-Kent, suggested the appointments be divvied up so the county executive gets two and the Legislature as a whole gets three – not divided by chairperson and minority party.

“I believe the Legislature also should also be part of the process,” she said. “We never know who actually applied.”

Legislator Laura Russo, R-Patterson, agreed.

“I think three on the Legislature would make sense,” she said. “We nine should be able to come up with some good candidates through the interview process.”

The matter was tabled, with discussion expected to continue at future meetings.