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03/29/2012 12:00 AMThe Board of Selectmen have joined the Board of Ethics in asking for Planning and Zoning Commission members Lisa MacDonald (R) and Cynthia Watts (R) to resign from their elected positions.
After the Board of Ethics found both Watts and MacDonald in violation of the town's code of ethics, the Board of Selectmen presented its final draft of a letter to be submitted to the two Planning and Zoning members, recommending that they resign from their elected town position. Both members had been found to be in violation of section 4 a, c, and e of the town's Code of Ethics, Conflict of Interest.
Police Commissioner Peggy Adler brought the complaint to light on Dec. 5, 2011 after the two women did not recuse themselves from voting in the second John Watt's building application for 186 East Main Street. John Watts is the brother of Cynthia Watts. According to Adler, MacDonald's conflict of interest, was her role as the spouse of John Watt's architect for the project.
In the letter prepared by the Board of Selectmen, First Selectman William Fritz wrote, "The Selectmen support the Board of Ethics findings on this matter. The Selectmen realize and commend your efforts as an elected member of the Planning and Zoning Commission but feel that by violating the Code of Ethics while performing your duties as a member of said board the credibility of the Planning and Zoning Commission will be in question as future applications are presented."
A PDF of the letter presented by the Board of Selectmen is available as Related Content to the right of this story.
Harbor News reporter Kelly Smith contributed to this report.