Ethics Board: Does Cinnaminson Need One?

If someone has an ethics complaint against a township employee, whom do they contact? Some Cinnaminson residents are asking that question.

However, township officials are saying official ethics complaints go where they’ve always gone—to the state’s local finance board, not to an in-town committee.

Resident Cindy Pierson said that isn’t clear to residents and it should be posted on the township website and at the .

To go a step further, she wants an ordinance she says requires a township ethics committee to either have appointed members or be off the books.

“The ordinance authorizes the township to have a board, but doesn’t require one,” said Cinnaminson solicitor John Gillespie.

Created in 1991, the ordinance only establishes the right to have a board if one is needed, not officially mandates it. Pierson says that isn’t clear.

“It should be removed from the code book,” she said.

The issue could be coming up because of recent charges brought against employees. Several were arrested on theft and corruption charges in February. Even though CSA employees aren’t township employees—they are a semi-autonomous group—any ethics complained lodged against them would go to a local ethics board.

But since Cinnaminson hasn’t appointed members in decades, it would go where it should, to the local finance board, part of the state’s department of community affairs.

“Unless there becomes a reason to appoint a board to do something, my worry is about having to put money into the budget for staff and supplies when they don’t have to do anything,” Gillespie said.

Deputy Mayor Anthony Minniti, the most senior member of township committee, said he didn’t even know an ethics board ordinance existed.

“No administration, Democrat or Republican, has ever named anyone to the ethics board,” he said. “It was passed by ordinance and was tucked away in the ordinance book.”

But, Pierson found it, he said.

“Reflecting on it now, and even discussing it with our attorney, I’d be very hard-pressed as to leave an ethics complaint in the hands of volunteer residents,” Minniti added. “That’s why it always goes to the local finance board.”

An ethics committee would have to be made up of volunteer residents and would need a paid attorney, secretary and have to pay for advertisements.

“It’s a lot of money to spend for a board that has no real power,” Minniti said. “Ethics are not going to be run by a group of volunteers. ”

Furthermore, Minniti said, to have Gillespie research this information is costing the township money.

“We’re not accomplishing anything but running up the bill to the taxpayers,” Minniti said.

That answer has been given to Pierson, Minniti said, in the form of a letter drafted by Gillespie explaining the ethics committee. That letter states, “Since the adoption of [the ordinance], over 20 years ago, no complaints are known to have been filed which would necessitate a Local Ethics Board meeting. As a result, the Board has never had to be constituted; no funding has ever been established for it.”

Gillespie’s opinion went on to say “…it may not be cost-effective to create the Board.”

The letter also stated, “…the absence of a Local Ethics Board does not mean that a resident would not have recourse, if she or he wished to file an Ethics Complaint. Under the statute, the Local Finance Board retains the responsibility to hear complains where a Local Board has not been convened.”

Pierson said she was “very happy” with the letter, but still things the wordage should be stricken from the township codebook.

Additionally, some residents have been saying ethics complaints that would go to the local finance board would be handled by Gerry Seneski. Seneski, Cinnaminson’s former administrator and chief financial officer , took a job with the state’s department of community affairs.

“No,” Minniti said. “Even if that were the case, Gerry would automatically be conflicted out."

Seneski’s new position is with local governmental affairs, which deals with budgets.