JAMESBURG — A proposed municipal ethics committee may still have a future in the borough.
At the Nov. 9 Borough Council meeting, Jamesburg council President Otto Kostbar said residents began contacting him after a news story detailed a lack of interest in the committee.
“The ethics committee kind of laid dormant this year because as Councilwoman [Brenda] Deans had said, there was little interest,” Kostbar said.
“But after the article appeared in the newspaper, a number of people contacted me,” he added.
The Sentinel published an article Oct. 20 noting the potential termination of the committee because of lack of interest.
In the story, Deans, who was not present at the Nov. 9 meeting, stated there was some initial interest, but not enough to sustain the committee.
“I thought people would be happy to police us,” she said. “But we haven’t been able to get off the ground yet.”
Following Kostbar’s comments, Mayor Anthony LaMantia encouraged any interested residents to get in touch with the borough and leave names and contact information.
Kostbar explained that the proposed committee, according to New Jersey statutes, could stand alone from the council.
“It’s basically an oversight committee for all activities within the municipality, and there is a statute that basically covers that,” he said.
Based on similar committees in other municipalities, the panel would consist of six Jamesburg residents, at least two of whom must be members of the public, and not elected officials. No more than three members of the ethics board could be from the same political party.
If a sufficient number of residents express interest, the council could create the board through an ordinance. At that point, each member of the board would have to be appointed by a council vote.
Members of the board would serve without compensation, but be reimbursed for “any necessary expenses incurred in the performance of their duties,” according to an announcement about the committee on the borough’s website.
To learn more about the proposal, visit http://www.jamesburgborough.org/news.html.