Date: Fri 12-Jul-1996

Publication: Bee

Author: ANDYG

Quick Words:

ethics-Beres-Adams

Full Text:

Beres Lodges Ethics Complaint Against P&Z Chairman

B Y A NDREW G OROSKO

A local woman is filing a complaint with the Board of Ethics claiming that the

Planning and Zoning Commission (P&Z) chairman violated the town's code of

ethics.

In a complaint filed July 10, Wendy Beres, chairman of the town's Persons With

Disabilities Committee, objects to comments that were attributed to P&Z

Chairman Stephen Adams in a story in the June 8 edition of The News-Times of

Danbury.

In her complaint, Ms Beres states "I spoke at a Planning and Zoning Commission

meeting on June 6, 1996. At that time, I had informed the commission that (it)

was holding a legally binding hearing in an inaccessible building to disabled

residents, thereby violating the civil rights of at least two known

individuals that intended (to speak) at this hearing."

Ms Beres objected to Mr Adams' comments about her actions at the June 6

session which were published in a June 8 news story. "Mr Adams felt it

necessary to attack me personally. It is unfortunate that a citizen who

exercises (her) constitutional rights should be treated in such a manner (by)

an elected official," Ms Beres states in her complaint to Robert Daley, ethics

board chairman.

Ms Beres states that the town's code of ethics requires that public officials

and employees treat everyone courteously, impartially, fairly and tactfully,

with the exercise of self-restraint, even under stressful conditions.

"Not only did Mr Adams not treat me with tact and courtesy, in (the article)

his comments were vicious (and) unprovoked, and certainly he did not exercise

self-restraint," Ms Beres states.

In The News-Times' June 8 article, Mr Adams stated that Ms Beres was

"grandstanding" at the June 6 P&Z hearing. In that article, Mr Adams stated Ms

Beres exhibited irrational behavior which she needs to get resolved.

"I am asking the commission to consider charging Mr Adams with mistreatment of

the public and (that he) be either removed from office, or at least censured

indefinitely. For when we, the public, are threatened or afraid to speak due

to possible repercussions from our elected officials, we all lose," Ms Beres

states in her complaint.

At the June 6 public hearing, the P&Z heard public comments on zoning

regulations proposed to streamline applications for building wheelchair ramps

at the residences of handicapped people. At the session, Ms Beres pointedly

criticized P&Z members, and Mr Adams in particular, for holding the meeting in

the Alexandria Room of Edmond Town Hall. The room is inaccessible to the

handicapped, according to Mrs Beres.

The following week at a continued public hearing at the handicapped-accessible

Town Hall South, the P&Z approved the zoning rule changes on handicapped ramps

which had been proposed by Ms Beres.

In response to Ms Beres' ethics complaint, Mr Adams said Wednesday that at the

two June public hearings "I believe I treated Ms Beres with courtesy and all

consideration."

Regarding the June 8 newspaper article, Mr Adams said that both he and Ms

Beres have a right to freedom of speech. "I'm just a simple country lawyer

just trying to do my best as a volunteer official," he said.

Mr Adams said Ms Beres' complaint against him makes him angry. "I've never

done anyhting illegal or unethical, that I know of, in my life," he said.

Mr Adams, an attorney, said he has reputation for integrity in the legal

field.

"I'm just doing my job as a volunteer. I don't think there was anything

unethical about what I did," he said. "If people are going to continue to

attack public officials...you're not going to get people to serve on boards

and commissions," he said.

Ms Beres' complaint appears to stem from some personal vendetta she has

against him, Mr Adams said.