Shelton Aldermen Thursday rejected an ethics ordinance that has been in the planning stages for years.
Aldermen didn’t say much during their meeting Thursday about why they sent the local law back to the drawing board. They have plans to revisit the ordinance and bring in a consultant from the Connecticut Conference of Municipalities for assistance.
The rejection Thursday comes after several marathon meetings by the town’s Ethics Board.
The Dirt
Shelton has been the subject of a federal investigation for years. Developers doing business with the city have admitted giving gifts to town officials and employees.
In October, developer Robert Scinto pleaded guilty to making a false statement to federal agents. Scinto lied to FBI agents in June 2008 when he told them he gave nothing more than Christmas gifts to Shelton public officials.
Prosecutors said Scinto gave at least $2,500 in cash to an unnamed building official — and giving $500 in cash to an official identified by prosecutors as public official no. 1 — Mayor Mark Lauretti.
Scinto is scheduled to be sentenced Jan. 7, 2011.
In January of this year, Shelton building inspector Eliott Wilson pleaded guilty to lying to federal agents. Wilson accepted cash, gift certificates and other favors from people doing business with the city.
Shelton developer James Botti is serving six years in prison for his business practices in town. Botti and prosecutors claimed the developer bribed Lauretti. Lauretti has never been charged and denied the claims.
Thanks But No Thanks
The ordinance rejected Thursday would have set guidelines for public officials and employees on accepting gifts, disclosing information about business ties and using city equipment.
It would have also laid out the procedure for filing an ethics complaint.
Five Alderman rejected the proposal without prejudice, which, in this case, means that the Board of Aldermen may use some elements of the proposed ordinance when it takes up the issue again.
“We’ll take it up in January,” said John F. Anglace Jr., president of the Board of Aldermen.
Read the minutes from the public hearing in the document below. Ethics comments begin on page 8 of the document. Article continues after.
In addition to Anglace, the Aldermen present Thursday were Anthony Simonetti, Eric McPherson, John Papa and Lynne S. Farrell.
The three members who were not present included Stanley Kudej, Noreen McGorty and Aldermen John “Jack” Finn, who had been happy earlier this year to see movement with the ordinance.
