Seven ordinances aim to make pay-to-play reforms in Monroe.
By: Bill Greenwood
MONROE The Township Council has introduced a package of ordinances that would expand ethics rules in Monroe by tightening disclosure and recusal requirements and limiting campaign contributions from professional firms and developers.
The seven-ordinance package, introduced Monday, would cap political contributions from businesses seeking professional service contracts with the township; prohibit contributions from groups seeking development or redevelopment deals; create disclosure and recusal standards for all elected or appointed officials; establish an ethics training officer; prohibit the acceptance of gifts from those interested in doing business with the township; and prohibit the hiring of relatives of full-time township employees except for part-time seasonal positions.
A public hearing and final council vote on the proposed rules is scheduled for April 4. The rules, if approved, would take effect May 1.
Heather Taylor, communications director for Citizen’s Campaign, a watchdog group advocating tighter ethics rules for government officials, praised the proposed rules. Citizen’s Campaign worked with the township on several of the ordinances.
"I think this is a comprehensive, outstanding package that they’ve put together," she said after Monday’s meeting. "A lot of time went into it and effort, and I think the product really stands as a model for throughout the state."
The proposed rules grew out of an ethics review called for by Mayor Richard Pucci in 2006 after it was made public that a private consulting firm that he ran did work for a political action committee that had taken contributions from a developer proposing projects in Monroe. While Township Attorney Joel Shain said the relationship was legal, the mayor dissolved his firm and appointed a committee to review various ethics issues.
The panel focused on the township’s land-use boards, recommending the tighter recusal and disclosure requirements included in the current proposal. At the same time, Township Business Manager Wayne Hamilton reviewed pay-to-play rules and other issues, eventually drafting the ordinances introduced Monday night.
The pay-to-play ordinances would:
set annual contribution limits for individuals and businesses seeking professional service contracts with the township at $300 for each mayoral or council candidate, $300 to a township party committee, $500 to a county party committee and $500 to a political action committee that supports municipal elections or parties.
ban political contributions from builders seeking general development or redevelopment agreements with the township to township candidates, office holders and party committees, county party committees or political action committees. The ban would last from the start of negotiations to the end of an agreement.
Mr. Hamilton said the contractor ordinance is based on a model drafted by Citizen’s Campaign.
"They push that model throughout New Jersey," he said. "So basically, we’re following their model."
The proposed disclosure and recusal rules, based on the ethics panel’s recommendations, create a new set of standards for all elected or appointed township officials, prohibiting them from voting or taking action when they have a financial, business or employer/employee relationship.
Elected and appointed officials, employees and their immediate families would be prohibited from receiving gifts from any individual or business seeking a "township contract, service, work, business, permit, application, legislative or administrative action, or any other grant of privilege," according to the ordinance. Prohibited gifts include cash, loans, services, meals, trips, transportation and lodging and others.
In addition, the new rules expand the township’s existing nepotism ordinance to prevent relatives of any full-time township employee from being hired to full-time or permanent part-time positions with the township. They could work in a part-time seasonal or per-diem position.
The ordinance package also would create a new ethics training officer responsible for creating programs focusing on ethical decision-making and conduct, political activities and solicitation and acceptance of gifts. The officer also would be required to develop a code of business ethics for individuals or groups that provide goods and services to those doing or seeking to do business with the town.
Ms. Taylor said the ethics officer could have a great impact.
"It’s very common when people have lapses in ethical judgment that they just didn’t know," she said. "You can’t take that gift basket from someone that they left there, so having that one person to go to really will prevent unintended violations."

