71°
WESTON, Conn. Two new faces will be at the next Board of Ethics meeting: Westonites John Albright and Robert Lamb were appointed during Wednesday nights Board of Selectmen meeting.
The selectmen were left to fill two empty seats after it was discovered that some members could have broken the Code of Ethics by exceeding the designated six-year term limits.
According to the code, No member may serve more than six successive years and then may not serve on another two years before he/she may serve again. Under the clause, members Denise Massingale-Lamb and Juan Negroni had to resign, leaving town officials to open a townwide candidate search for two replacements.
Lamb, a 22-year resident, told the board he decided to throw his name into the race because it is a good opportunity for me to give back to the town that I have enjoyed for quite some time.
Lamb attended law school and currently works as an investment management consultant. During the meeting, First Selectman Gayle Weinstein questioned Lambs knowledge of previous Board of Ethics cases, because his wife Denise Massingale-Lamb served on the board.
Given the fact that your wife did serve and was involved with a particular case that is currently ongoing, does that give you any predisposition or are you all set to come in fresh, look at the evidence and make a decision on your own opinion? she asked.
Lamb said, There is never any chatter, never any back and forth with his wife when it comes to town meetings. Working on the ethics board, he said, is a position that would suit me well, and that I would serve well.
Albright has lived in Weston since 1993 and is an attorney with a focus on financial services. Id like to give back to the town and become involved. Given my professional background, I think this is an appropriate role for me, he told the board.
During the meeting, Selectman Dennis Tracey said he liked that Lamb is unaffiliated with any particular political party. The Board of Ethics must be a nonpartisan committee. The issues that come before it can have political overtones, but the role of the Board of Ethics is to make a dispassionate, objective, fair minded decision, which is unaffected by politics.
I strongly believe that unaffiliated voters are highly qualified and I would be concerned about appointing members who are politically active one way or another, Tracey said.
As for Albright, he said, We had an embarrassment in riches here, we have very strong candidates who came forward. I thought John Albright really had a terrific, applicable background, who has been responsible at major corporations for interpreting codes of ethics and I feel he would bring a great deal of expertise to the process."
The selectmen also reappointed Paula Savignol to the ethics commission. The terms for all three will expire Dec. 31, 2013.
Click here to follow Daily Voice Westport and receive free news updates.
