Conficts for Nassau Ethics Board members

Nassau's Inspector General last month identified "statutory conflicts" for three of the five county ethics board members and questioned Nassau County Executive Laura Curran's vetting process.

Inspector General Jodi Franzese in a Jan. 16 report noted the county charter calls for four of the five board members to be appointed by the county executive and confirmed by the county legislature. By charter, the county attorney is the fifth member.

The four outside members are not paid for their service.

She said the charter dictates that no member of the board shall hold any public office or have business dealings with the county.

But, she wrote, two of the current board members "have had ongoing business dealings with the county and the third has held two disqualifying public offices since their 2018 appointments in apparent violation" of the charter.

Franzese did not identify the members by name but county records show that Ethics Board Chairman Kenneth Gartner's law firm of Lynn Gartner Dunne, LLP,  received two county contracts worth a total $400,000 in 2018.

Ethics board member Daniel Palmieri, a retired Nassau Supreme Court justice, also serves as a hearing officer at the county's Traffic and Parking Violations Agency, earning a nominal salary.

Board member Christopher Devane, a partner at Devane & Groder, LLP,  states in his ethics board biography that he serves as a Village Justice in the Village of New Hyde Park and as an Associate Village Justice in the Village of Roslyn.

"These statutory conflicts were not concealed from the county," Franzese wrote. Her office "learned that the county departments managing the two members' contracts were aware that their vendors were also members of the board yet apparently failed to identify the conflicts."

She said the county "does not have a vetting process to ensure that all persons appointed to the board are in compliance" with the charter.

The Inspector general recommended the county implement "a documented vetting process" overseen by the deputy county executive for compliance "or other suitable official."

John Chiara is Curran's deputy county executive for compliance.

She said nominees should sign and date an acknowledgement of the charter requirements.

And she recommended the county review other boards and commissions to ensure that all members "now and in the future are on notice of and in compliance with all such requirements."

Franzese report was not published on her website but was issued to adminstration and legislative officials.

Curran's office did not immediately respond to an inquiry as the whether the county would take any actions in response to the Inspector General report.


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