Town Council Passes Ethics Ordinance

Great news! The Town Council passed the proposed Ethics Ordinance on October 8, 2025! This huge accomplishment was a direct result of engaged public support, constructive input, and the Councilors' commitment to doing what is best for the town. Thank you for your hard work and diligence!

The next step for the ordinance to become effective is for the Mayor to sign it. We urge him to do so, and we ask our supporters to join us in urging its final approval.

Q: Why do we need an Ordinance and a Commission? Does the Town Charter cover us in these situations?
A: The Town Charter has provisions which cover Investigation and Conflicts of Interest. The Charter does not outline specifically what constitutes a Conflict of Interest, and also requires the Town Council to vote to perform an Investigation. 

Nearly 80% of towns in Connecticut have an Ethics ordinance or Code of Ethics, but Ledyard has not. 
Establishing a Code of Ethics to protect our town, as many of our neighboring towns have done, will safeguard us from future unscrupulous behavior and set the standard for what our town considers financial benefit and conflict of interest.

Q: Who does this Ordinance apply to?
A. As it is written, this Ordinance applies to all Town officials, elected or appointed, including all members of committees, commissions, and boards, and all Town employees, including Board of Education members and employees. Some provisions, such as the disclosure statement in Section 6, only apply to Town Councilors, Board of Education members, and the Mayor.

The Ordinance only pertains to ethical misconduct relating to financial benefit of the Respondent. Complaints are filed under penalty of false statement. The Ordinance cannot be used to file a complaint against someone if they are unhappy with a decision or unhappy with the service they have received at a town office or event. After a complaint is received, the process to determine Probable Cause is entirely confidential, and any complaints that are unwarranted and have no Probable Cause will be dismissed and remain confidential.

You can view letters sent to town council at the Admin Committee 9/10 Agenda.
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