Residents should serve on new ethics committee Russell presents council members with list of 46 names as nominees BY PATRICIA A. MILLER Staff Writer Councilwoman Kathy Russell continued her quest to have only Brick Township residents, not council members, serve on the new township ethics committee. "I gave this a great deal of consideration," she said at the Feb. 20 council caucus meeting. "I'm asking you to consider citizens instead of council people." But her Republican council counterparts didn't think much of her suggestion. "I don't think it's appropriate to color it as a political issue," said Councilwoman Ruthanne Scaturro. Russell again asked that the ordinance, which was slated for a public hearing at the Feb. 27 council meeting, be amended so that council members would be excluded from serving on the committee. "We have the opportunity to change it," she said. "A few weeks would not hurt a single thing. Make it six people from the community. The people who should be held accountable are the politicians. Take the council out of being a part of this committee." A number of people contacted her recently with names of residents who would be good picks for the committee, she said. Russell presented council members with a memorandum and a list of 46 potential committee members, including former council members, educators, volunteers, business and clergy. "I did not contact anyone on it," she said. "I have not asked anybody to be on this. I want to make that perfectly clear." Councilman Anthony Matthews said council members should serve on the committee to "lead by example." "We were elected to be community leaders and set the standard," Matthews said. The exchanges were in marked contrast to the Feb. 6 caucus meeting, where Republican council members hammered Democratic Mayor Daniel J. Kelly when he suggested that "politics" be kept out of the committee and only residents should serve. And all agreed that an ethics measure is needed. "The fact that Dan Kelly is sitting in this room on a Tuesday night, says we need an ethics ordinance," Kelly said. "We agree on an ethics ordinance. We disagree on the content. If it is a living ordinance, we'll change as time goes on." Kelly was tapped to serve as mayor on Jan. 4, one of three choices presented to the council by the local Democratic municipal committee as a replacement for former longtime Mayor Joseph C. Scarpelli. Scarpelli resigned on Dec. 8 for what he termed "personal reasons." He pleaded guilty in federal court in January to accepting bribes from an unnamed developer. He is slated to be sentenced on May 29. The new ethics committee will serve as an educational tool for township employees, Scaturro said. "One of the things I think we are seeing here in town hall, some people don't know what's right and what's wrong," she said. "This will help them understand the line you can or cannot cross. It's the beginning of a process that is so desperately needed here." Committee members will meet with an individual and explain how a particular matter falls within state ethics guidelines. "It gives them a local sounding board," Matthews said. "Anyone who does file a complaint will get a written answer." Some employees might feel more comfortable speaking with a council person if they have concerns, rather that a department head, Councilman Daniel Toth said. "It can only benefit the community to have this ordinance in place," he said. "It's an ordinance. It can always be amended. Let's give it a shot." Acropolis said he was "absolutely thrilled" that an ethics ordinance was finally going to be created. The measure could be changed in the future, he said. "There hasn't been any council as involved in ethics reform and doing things to get the town back on the right track than the council I am serving with now," he said after the meeting. "We are in the midst of an investigation," Acropolis said. "We want to try and get something on the books so that people can start to have a little more confidence in their government. I am thrilled that people on both sides of the aisle found there is a need for ethics reform, no matter what shape it takes right now." The ordinance calls for a committee composed of three council members and three residents. The residents will be selected by the council. Council members who serve on the committee will have one-year terms. Public members will serve no more than two years, according to the ordinance. The Township Clerk will serve as the ethics officer and will distribute the township code of conduct and state ethics law to all government officers, including those who serve on township boards and employees, the ordinance states. In other business, council members discussed passing a resolution urging Gov. Jon Corzine to review the current school funding formula. Brick's state aid has remained flat over the past five years, said Township Administrator Scott M. Pezarras. "Really, what that equates to is a loss of revenue," he said. Matthews said more attention should be paid to Abbott districts and how they spent their money. "I think they need to audit these districts and see where every dollar is being spent," he said.