Behind the Times

Conflict of interest

Posted on March 21, 2007 by kraus2686
Filed Under Clinton, Elections, Noah's posts, Town Hall |

At least one person — who claims to be a longtime town official — thinks someone who works for a bank shouldn’t be a selectman. Selectman candidate Kevin Haley’s boss received an anonymous letter recently saying the Flagship Bank Veep and loan officer shouldn’t be allowed to run for the Board of Selectmen because it would be a conflict of interest. The town could negotiate financial deals and Haley’s employment would get in the way. Sounds like a bit of a stretch.

If you want to stretch the logic far enough any resident of town could have a conflict of interest. Should selectmen be allowed to vote on trash sticker prices when they are also trash sticker purchasers? Does a selectman who lives on Walnut Street have a conflict of interest because he might be more inclined to make decisions that favor his neighborhood?

Conflict of interest involves individuals who stand to personally benefit financially from deals they are making on behalf of the town. It seems if the town of Clinton were ever negotiating with Flagship Bank that Haley could easily recuse himself. He certainly wouldn’t have any more of a conflict of interest than a business owner in town running for the board.

This letter is ridiculous. The person who wrote it probably knows that — sounds like a good reason not to sign it.