The Public’s Trust
It is an honor and privilege to serve as a public official; it is not a position of power or one to reward friends or co-workers or one to seek special favors or for financial gain.
As elected public officials there are certain core values critical to maintaining the public’s trust of their respective local government. Honesty, integrity and openness are some of the moral and ethical values topping the list for public officials.
The Freedom of Information Act, voting and the right to free speech are just some of the protections put in place to allow citizens the right to oversee their governments. While this cannot always stop back room deals and shady business practices, it allows the public a means by which to call out issues of concern. Power and greed many times confuse the issue of doing “what is just and right”.
A short time ago a local resident who was hired as an assistant for the Town of Clifton put forth excellent draft language for ordinance consideration to the board of selectman. There were two draft ordinances, the first related to a “code of ethics” and the second was “provisions for recalling selectman”. Neither of these two documents saw a true reading or public hearing, nor did they get presented to the citizens of the town at the annual town meeting. Instead they were filed away.
The standards to which we hold our public officials are high and rightfully so, with that in mind efforts should be made to insure we have a “code of conduct and ethics” along with “recall” provisions to protect the values and wishes of the residents.
As a member of the CCCC (Concerned Citizens of Clifton Council) it is our hope that selectman will draft a model Ethics and Recall provision can be drafted by Maine Municipal Association and presented to the citizens at the 2011 Annual Spring Meeting.
