City Council Moves to Eliminate Ethics Board

City Council voted 6-1 on Thursday night to eliminate the Ocean City Ethics Board.

A second and potentially final vote is scheduled for the 7 p.m. City Council meeting of April 25.

The local board has considered 11 complaints in six years, and its only finding of an ethical violation resulted in a costly appeal in a case that ultimately was dropped for "procedural deficiencies."

City Council members argued that a state board provides the same ethical oversight, making the local board a potentially costly redundancy.

"I hope the rhetoric is at a high level," Ethics Board member and former Chairman Stanley Pszczolkowski said in public comment before the council discussion of the matter. "Ten people have worked very hard for six years."

But most of the council discussion focused on monetary settlements paid by the city in lawsuits unrelated to the Ethics Board.

Councilman Pete Guinosso, who cast the lone dissenting vote, started the discussion by noting his frustration with more than $1 million paid in recent settlements.

"I think we can make this work," Guinosso ultimately concluded in arguing to maintain the board.

But the majority of the board agreed with Councilman Tony Wilson, who said, "There's already a system in place. Let's utilize it."

Wilson was referring to the state's Local Finance Board, which enforces a state Code of Ethics similar to Ocean City's.

The local board was formed in 2007 under the administration of Mayor Sal Perillo as a way for citizens to file complaints about ethics violations among city officials and employees. 

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City Council had approved the first reading of a similar ordinance but reversed its decision in March 2012.
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