Long Beach appoints eight to ethics board

Long Beach has attempted to re-energize its Board of Ethics — which has been dormant for about six years — by appointing a new eight-member slate.

The volunteer board, which considers ethical inquiries on behalf of the city, has not met in years and needed to be reconstituted, said City Manager Jack Schnirman.

“We’re eager to get a proper ethics board up and running in the city,” Schnirman said.

The board is expected to “render advisory opinions” when requested, according to documents filed at Long Beach City Hall.

The City Council appointed the new ethics board members by a vote of 3-1. Michael Fagen dissented.

The new members are former City Manager and Police Commissioner John J. Laffey, former acting corporation counsel Lawrence N. Rogak, former 47-year parks and recreation Commissioner Robert L. Carroll, 33-year city employee and former Civil Service Employees Association president Kathleen DiBari, and four community volunteer/activists — Helen Dorado Alessi, Matthew Behrens, Chris Lynch and Stuart Banschick.