BRUNSWICK
The town council on Monday tabled discussion on more stringent rules limiting the types of committees a family member of a councilor may serve on.
Under the town’s policy, no relative — including spouse — of a councilor could be appointed to any board, commission or committee position that is appointed by the council. The policy lists 11 different boards, including the sewer district.
Under an amendment, the policy would apply only to the planning, village review, zoning, assessment review, or marine resource boards and committees.
Monday’s debate comes after a May 8 meeting of the sewer board, in which resident and Republican Town Committee Chairman Jonathan Crimmins questioned sewer board member Jackie Sartoris over the town’s conflict of interest policy.
Sartoris is married to Steven Walker, a member of the town council, who ran for office after Sartoris had been appointed to the sewer board.
On Monday, Crimmins said he wanted to see the council make rules governing conflict of interest more stringent, and that removing the sewer board from the policy “doesn’t serve” transparency.
“Why would the sewer board be taken out?” said Crimmins, at a time when a board member is married to a sitting town councilor.
Council Chairman Benet Pols noted that Sartoris was already appointed to the sewer board when the current draft of the policy was approved by the council in December.
“Miss Sartoris brought to our attention promptly when she realized there was a potential to be in conflict,” said Pols, and the council then concluded that Sartoris could keep her seat on the sewer board.
Pols also noted the difficulty the council has had in filling municipal boards and committees. Most who apply to serve, he said, are not seeking “a step up to the rarified air of the town council or planning board.”
Under the proposed amendment, family members of councilors couldn’t serve on boards with judiciary powers, such as the Zoning Board of Appeals, but could serve on boards that assess fees, like the sewer board.
Councilor John Richardson warned against creating “an artificial distinction” between those two types of powers. Richardson also said it may be “discriminatory” to exclude someone from serving on a board, based on who they were married to.
However, Councilor Jane Millett noted the importance of perception, especially as it relates to government.
“This is council policy, not ordinance,” said Pols, in explaining his support to table the amended policy, and noted the board can revisit its policy later.
Neither the current policy not the proposed amendment applies to relations councilors may have to school board members. Councilor John Perreault is married to school board member Corinne Perreault.
The appointments committee, which is now made up of Councilors Gerald Favreau and Perreault, will review the policy further, with help from Councilor David Watson, a former twotime member of the appointments committee.
“It’s still a work in process that needs to be fine-tuned,” Watson said in an interview before Monday’s meeting.
The present policy has been in the works for years, said Watson. As a member of that committee, Watson said he had worked to “fine-tune” the policy along side nowformer members of that committee that included Sartoris.
Watson, said he thought Sartoris ought not to be reappointed when her term expires, and was leaning on keeping the policy unchanged as it relates to the sewer board, which sets rates for the district’s customers.
Efforts to reach Sartoris on Monday were unsuccessful. Walker, who recused himself during the council’s debate, declined to comment after the council meeting.
In an interview on Monday, Crimmins said that, during the sewer board meeting, Sartoris had acknowledged that the rules were “kind of gray” and she said she had offered her resignation to the council to avoid the perception of a conflict of interest.
“My concerns were answered that night with Jackie’s response,” said Crimmins.
Crimmins said he felt compelled to bring the policy to the sewer board’s attention, because “occasionally” he has heard about favoritism in the town. As an example, Crimmins cited the $247,000 loan to Brunswick Taxi from the Brunswick Development Corp. in 2013. The company’s owner, Dale King is married to Joanne King, who was formerly chairwoman of both the council and the BDC’s board of directors.
Crimmins said he was speaking as a Brunswick resident, not as a chairman of the town’s Republican Party. Sartoris, a Democrat, is running to replace outgoing state Rep. Charlie Priest.
This is at least the second legal issue brought to town government this year that relates to Sartoris.
Sartoris previously complained that signs appeared on private property in support of Ralph Tucker, Sartoris’ opponent in the June 10 primary, shortly before a March 2 caucus. Under Brunswick’s policy, it is illegal to place political signs on private property more than 60 days prior to an election.
The planning board will be holding a hearing May 27 on the sign policy. The board placed the policy under review by Pols, who had previously said the policy wasn’t constitutional.
Pols’ opinion is supported by town attorney Stephen Langsdorf of the law firm Preti Flaherty. Langsdorf cited precedent which shows that “a political sign which relates to a general election, primary election or referendum would be considered ‘core political speech.’”
Langsdorf also noted that a number of federal courts have struck down similar restrictions as a First Amendment violation.
Sartoris in April said she would support changing the policy, but had also stated that the policy change is being done on behalf of a Ralph Tucker supporter. She also claimed the Tucker campaign knowingly violated the town’s policy.
jswinconeck@timesrecord.com
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