Milwaukee County ethics reform measure receives award

The Milwaukee County Ethics Code Study Committee has been awarded the Public Policy Forum’s 2009 “Salute to Local Government” Award for Government Transparency and Ethics. Supervisor Joseph Rice, who initiated and chaired the Committee, accepted the award on behalf of the Committee during the Public Policy Forum’s 17th Annual Award Breakfast.

“This award comes as gratifying recognition for the Committee’s hard work over the last two years and acknowledges the importance of setting and maintaining high ethical standards in Milwaukee County,” Supervisor Rice said.

The “Salute to Local Government” Award for Government Transparency and Ethics is the Public Policy Forum’s most prestigious award and is given to those who demonstrate a high degree of excellence in improving government ethical standards. The Public Policy Forum has been Milwaukee’s leading government watchdog group and has provided quality independent and non-partisan research since 1913.

Members of the Ethics Code Study Committee included Supervisor Joseph Rice, Robert Andrews, Rick Ceschin, Hannah Dugan, Charles Mulcahy, and Dr. Joan Prince.

The Committee’s recommendations resulted in a comprehensive revision of the county’s ethics laws to make them more user-friendly, and easy to understand. Also instituted was a robust education and training program for those subject to the code and a new protocol with the District Attorney’s Office in acting upon ethics complaints.