To the Editor:
(Town of Madison, NY – April 2013) Like many of my neighbors in the Town of Madison, I am concerned that the ineptitude shown recently by our Town Board, and the mysterious ways of our Planning Board, are signs of deeper problems in governance. I urge our Supervisor, the Town of Madison Board as a whole, and the members of the appointed Planning Board, to review the requirements of ethical, transparent, open governance.
The Town Supervisor, Ronald Bono, and members of the Town and Planning Boards should do everything in their power to prevent improper conduct or the appearance of impropriety, particularly with a view to ex parte conversations and dealings with outside entities such as EDP, public hearings and workshops, executive sessions, and reliance on surveys rather than referenda or hearings.
In particular, I urge the Town Board of Madison to review, update, circulate, and publicize its Code of Ethics, and to insure that newly appointed Planning Board members and alternates read and agree to it, as required by New York State.
Under New York State law, Towns are authorized to create a Board of Ethics to guide elected and appointed Boards on matters that may be unclear. Such a Board could be a useful form of oversight for the Town of Madison as it faces significant questions about land use, industrial wind facility siting, setbacks, PILOT payments, etc.
Decisions facing the Town Board will impact the Town of Madison and surrounding communities for decades to come. Residents deserve every assurance that our Town officials are above reproach.
Nancy Ries, Town of Madison