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The Lansing Town Board considered imposing an ethics disclosure policy on elected officials and some employees at a Wednesday meeting.  Supervisor Kathy Miller said the board would have to decide on whether it wants to impose a requirement that officials and employees turn in a disclosure form to guard against conflicts of interest, and to make a list of individuals who will be required to fill out the form.

Miller said officials have considered the disclosure form be filled out annually by elected officials, Planning Board and Zoning Board of Appeals members, and full time employees over the age of 18.  She said she would like to include professional support people such as the town attorney and engineering consultant as well.

If passed, the Ethics Committee will review the forms and pass on any conflicts to the Town Board to adjudicate.  The forms will be locked in the Town Clerk's safe and made available to Ethics Committee members only.

The form would ask for a list of property and business positions including corporate officiers, plus property and positions of Lansing family members.  It also asks for information about self-employment that yields %4,000 or more on household income, licensed professions, and interest in contracts that involve the town.

Councilwoman Ruth Hopkins said the form will make officials and employees think about possible conflicts of interest before making decisions that affect the town.


"The goal of this process is to preserve the public trust, and to increase awareness among the folks who participate in the town," she said.  "I don't think we're looking for excessive paperwork or excessive bureaucracy.  I could see making it optional to those who are not required to fill out the form as a way of increasing awareness and meeting that goal."

Councilman Robert Cree expressed a concern that the policy could make it harder to get citizens to become involved in town committees and projects.

"Would we have trouble attracting people to volunteer their time on some of these committees?" he asked.  "It's not an onerous form by any means, but I would hate to see that be the reason we are not attracting the support and help from residents."

Councilman Ed LaVigne said he wants to start small with definite parameters.  He said that he would be comfortable starting with elected officials.

"My concern is, what is the purpose of this for other people?" he said.  "If it is for trust, then maybe we should limit it to elected officials and see how that goes for the first year and go from there.  Where do you stop?  If it is volunteer committees, which committees?  If you do it with one you have to do it with everyone.  Do you do it with full time and/or part time employees?  It's like pulling on a string in your sweater -- it just keeps going and you can't find the end of it."

Tompkins County Legislator Pat Pryor and Town of Ithaca HR Manager Judy Drake offered suggestions for deciding who will be subject to filling out the form.  Drake said her town limits the list to decision makers. 

"I had to fill these out when I was on the Ithaca Common Council and (now) for the County Legislature," Pryor said.  "In both cases the standard for having to fill out the form was whether or not your position had some decision making or regulatory authority.  Not every employee was required to fill them out."

She said County department heads, administrators, and elected officials are required to fill out the forms.

Miller said the board will discuss who will be required to submit the form at the April 4th board working meeting before voting on the policy at the April 18th Town Board meeting.

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