Time for Lebanon to draft Conflict of Interest policy

We applaud the recent decision by Selectmen Chairman Ben Thompson to do no more auto body work for the town while he serves elected office.

Thompson, who owns Thompson Auto Body LLC of Lebanon, recently submitted an estimate for auto body work on a Fire Department vehicle.

Fire Chief Skip Wood got two other estimates; both were more than 10 percent higher than Thompson's, and the work was given to him.

No one batted an eye, probably because people in town that don't follow such goings-on could care less.

And those who do know that Thompson is an honest, honorable man who would do nothing below board. After all he was saving the town a few bucks. What's the harm?

Plus, he recused himself from the selectmen's meeting while the other selectmen discussed the estimates and awarded him the work.

But looking back on it this week, he said he wouldn't be doing such work again due to even the appearance of any impropriety.

We heartily agree with his decision.

No person in elected office should profit from town contracts. Period.

If you need a town contract to make a living, stay out of elected office and bid for it.

When McDonald's or Coke or Publishers Clearing House put on a contest, the employees of the corporation - and their families - are prohibited from playing.

Why? Because even the appearance of impropriety taints the integrity of the process.

And when an elected official profits from town contracts or purchases, it taints the integrity of town government.

We don't care if selectmen recuse themselves 20 ways till Sunday. They're still all three of them in the corner office doing business.

We call on selectmen to move swiftly to draft and adopt a Conflict of Interest policy for Lebanon. Many towns have them. Find a suitable model, work with it, fine-tune it to Lebanon's needs and put it before the voters next June.

It will be the first step toward a better Lebanon we can all be proud of. We're quite sure it will pass handily.

- HT