County Articles

Ballston Spa, NY – On Wednesday, February 9th three Saratoga County Supervisors attended an important ethics training offered as part of the New York State Association of Counties (NYSAC) 2011 Legislative Conference. This special four hour Ethics and Integrity in Government training was attended by the 2011 Chairman of the Board of Supervisors Thomas N. Wood, III (R-Saratoga), along with Supervisors Alan Grattidge (R-Charlton) and Patricia Southworth (I-Ballston). Supervisor Grattidge said that “NYSAC did an excellent job today providing timely training to public officials regarding the rules and regulations of the principles of ethics and integrity in government.”



NYSAC created the training program specifically for elected and appointed county officials. It was co-sponsored by the State Commission on Public Integrity, the Dennis A. Pelletier County Government Institute and Cornell University and modeled after the program implemented by Governor Andrew Cuomo.



“Public servants—those elected and those appointed—have a duty to uphold the public trust. This training was designed to address ethical statutes and rules that apply to those who serve the public good,” said NYSAC President William J. Ryan, a Westchester County Legislator.



The county ethics course covered New York's Public Officers Law, Civil Service Law and addressed ethical principals applicable to public employees and those who interact with them. Specifically, training topics included the State’s Commission on Public Integrity, financial disclosure statements, nepotism, outside activities and post-employment restrictions and gifts. Supervisor Southworth said that “All public officials should attend ethics and integrity training sessions such as this one. It’s one more way to ensure open, accountable government and makes us better public servants.”



“We are please to have offered this important, timely and specialized training to our county officials,” said NYSAC Executive Director Stephen J. Acquario, who noted that most government officials have an intuitive sense of what is right and act accordingly. “This course discussed the nuts and bolts of New York’s ethics laws, and addressed the public integrity principles that guide the interactions of our local government officials.”



Chairman Wood said that “This was the most thought provoking and sobering session of the entire NYSAC conference. It stimulated one to review and evaluate themselves and their actions.”