Riga Town Board votes for Ethics Board review of deputy appointment

Riga Town Board votes for Ethics Board
review of deputy appointment

The Riga Town Board has decided to look into developing a policy on nepotism.

During a town board meeting on July 10, council members passed a resolution requesting that the Town Board of Ethics render an opinion and make recommendations about developing a policy for nepotism. The resolution, which was introduced by Riga Town Council Member James Fodge, also allows the Board of Ethics to appoint its own counsel.

The resolution comes in the wake of a decision by Supervisor Pamela Moore in May to fire council member Kenneth Kuter from the position of deputy town supervisor. Moore appointed Gil Budd to replace Kuter. Budd is Moore’s husband.

In introducing the resolution, council member Fodge stated it was in response to charges of nepotism by the citizens and Town of Riga. In an interview with the Suburban News, Fodge said that there has been a great public outcry over the deputy supervisor appointment. He said everybody he meets is asking that something be done.

Several Riga residents wrote letters to the town expressing concern over the appointment. In letters received by Town Clerk Kimberly Pape, residents call the deputy supervisor appointment “political impropriety,” and also state the town supervisor “needs to resign.” Another letter asks Supervisor Moore to “reconsider this decision.”

“I was amused, but not surprised, by the introduction of a resolution to develop a policy on nepotism being made by council member Fodge whose son-in-law, Scott Flagler, was appointed to be the paid fire inspector in January 2007,” Riga Town Supervisor Pamela Moore said after the meeting.

Minutes from the January 2, 2007 meeting state that Moore questioned if any board members had a problem with Fodge’s relation to Flagler and no board members voiced any concerns. Supervisor Moore and Council Members Kenneth Kuter, Robert Ottley, and David Smith voted for the appointment. Council Member Fodge abstained because Flagler is his son-in-law.

In an interview after the meeting, Fodge said Flagler is the right person for the job. He said he made his relationship to Flagler well-known before the vote and abstained from the vote himself. Fodge said Flagler is a former Churchville Fire Chief and works and resides in the community “24/7.” Fodge also said that he knows the appointment could possibly come up before the Ethics Board as they deal with this issue.

Riga Town Council Member Robert Ottley said there is a difference between the appointment of Flagler and Budd. He said the fire inspector appointment was done by the entire board and the citizens of Riga. “The deputy supervisor appointment was done only by the supervisor. No approval from anyone was needed to make the appointment other than the supervisor,” he stated in an interview after the meeting.

Moore said that the current action to formulate a nepotism policy, “boils down to politics.” Moore voted ‘no’ on the resolution, although she said she has no objection to the town board developing additional policies. “Before we voted on this resolution, I did want to know if an Ethics Board may appoint its own counsel. Since that question could not be answered I did not vote for the resolution.”

Moore added, “Without a doubt, there are some residents who genuinely have an interest in this issue. However, there are many others who have applauded my courage to stick to my principles of open government and stand up to the town board and the old guard.”

Note: The Riga Republican Committee endorsed the candidacy of Ken Kuter for the supervisor post in the fall election. Moore also sought the endorsement. She has not announced her plans for the fall election.