Bills in Suffolk alter ethics protocol

Suffolk legislative leaders on Thursday will unveil two bipartisan bills to abolish the county ethics commission and replace it with a new five-member board.

The measures also would expand ethics rules and require for the first time that advisory ethics opinions be made public.

The proposals stem from a lengthy battle involving the legislature, County Executive Steve Levy and the current ethics commission. Some lawmakers have complained that Levy has exercised too much influence over the commission, though Levy denies the claim.

"We want to present an image of absolute impartiality," said legislative Presiding Officer William Lindsay (D-Holbrook).

He noted that making advisory opinions public -- though with names and some details redacted -- would give county workers a road map of acceptable behavior. "We don't want to be the cop on the street catching people doing wrong, we want all employees to be aware of what is ethical and unethical," Lindsay said. The bills are sponsored by Lindsay, minority leader John Kennedy (R-Nesconset), majority leader Jon Cooper (D-Lloyd Harbor) and GOP Legis. Lynne Nowick of St. James.

One would abolish the current three-member ethics commission and replace it with a five-member board that would occupy offices separate from those of the county executive and the legislature. The current ethics commission is housed in the county attorney's office. Board members would earn a stipend of $200 per meeting.

The other measure would create an expanded code of ethics that would prohibit county workers from making personal use of county equipment and resources.

County officials also would have to file county financial disclosure forms even if they also file state forms. Until last year, Levy had maintained that he was not legally required to fill out the county form because as a member of the State Pine Barrens commission he already filed a state disclosure. Though he said his previous filings met all legal requirements, Levy last August also began filing the county forms.

Levy said Wednesday in a statement that, "We have no issue with expanding the number of members, but we take issue with the punitive language against the current commission being singled out because it refused to accede to the county legislature's request that it break the law and disclose confidential information."

Ethics commission chairman Thomas Nolan, executive director Alfred Lama and the commission's counsel did not return calls for comment Thursday.