HAMILTON — The township will not have an ethics board once the proposal finalized at last night’s council meeting gets the mayor’s signature.

Mayor Kelly Yaede’s proposal, which has quickly become a “political football” between candidates in the fall election, was put forward last month as part of a larger ethics reform in the township. The ordinance also made the local ethics ordinance mirror the state’s and abolished several unused or underused boards.

Dan Keelan, one candidate for council, said he was “disappointed” in the move to a state board. Keelan has asked the township to fund the local board since last year.

“It’s a shame, it’s a tragedy. You’re turning your back on the citizens of the township if you pass this,” he said. “Why can’t you get out in front of everyone else in front of everyone else in terms of local ethics?”

The lone “no” vote on council, Councilman Kevin Meara, said he did not feel comfortable with the proposal. The other four members of council voted for the measure. Meara and others have made the case the township could find people “capable and competent” for the board.

“I’m just not comfortable with this direction in discussing the local ethics board and I’m less comfortable with the Local Finance Board,” he said.

Yaede’s other parts of the ethics plan, expanded ethics training and bringing the township’s boards and commissions under the gifts policy, did not need to go before the council.

You can read that story here.