Advisory Opinion No. 97-77

Re: Maurice Griffin

QUESTION PRESENTED

Whether an individual who volunteered to serve on a municipal commission whose members were appointed by the town council and, therefore, designated officials for filing yearly financial statements with the Ethics Commission, is required to file a financial statement given that the commission to which the Petitioner received appointment became defunct before he had an opportunity to serve.

RESPONSE

The Petitioner volunteered to serve as a member of the Tiverton Industrial Park Commission and was appointed by the Town Council to that body. As a municipal appointed official he falls within the category of public officials required to file yearly financial statements with the Ethics Commission. Prior to attending even a single meeting of the Commission, or otherwise taking any official action as a Commission member, the body became defunct. Therefore, notwithstanding the fact of an appointment, the Petitioner never served as a municipal appointed official. Under these circumstances, the Commission concludes that the financial disclosure requirements of the Code of Ethics are nugatory and that, therefore, the Petitioner is not required to file for calendar year 1996. See R.I. Gen. Laws § 36-14-4, 16.

Code Citations:

36-14-4

36-14-16

Keywords:

financial disclosure