HAMILTON — It appears the Hamilton mayor’s plan to disband the town’s ethics board in favor of the state’s Local Finance Board will not enjoy unanimous support from the town council.

Councilman Kevin Meara, former council president and temporary mayor, said he could not support the proposal to end the local board in a press release.

“I have not lost faith in the people of Hamilton Township, though I understand why they may have lost faith in their government and I believe that there is a wealth of residents with the integrity to sit on the Township Ethics Board,” he said.

The release, a break from the way council members normally voice their opposition to proposals, was sent out Wednesday morning. He proposed reconstituting the local ethics board instead of going to the state one.

He also addressed one of the criticisms Hamilton Mayor Kelly Yaede had of the local board; that it would be the “fox guarding the henhouse” with appointees investigating the officials who appointed them.

“At some point you have to have faith in human nature: that people can serve in these judgement-type positions whether it is a local judge, a local prosecutor or a person on an ethics board,” he said.

You can read the full story here.