Woman invalidates ethics complaint against mayor by making it public

New London — A local woman says she has filed a complaint with the city's Board of Ethics alleging the mayor is not authorized to issue executive orders.

But because the complaint has been made public, the ethics board will be unable to consider it, Chairman K. Robert Lewis said Tuesday.

"The state statute is specific: You can't make a complaint public,'' he said.

Lori Hopkins-Cavanagh, an unsuccessful candidate for mayor last fall, issued a press release Wednesday, maintaining that the City Charter does not give the mayor the authority to create executive orders without permission from the City Council.

Mayor Daryl Justin Finizio has issued five executive orders since taking office in November and in each he has cited sections of the charter giving him the authority. Hopkins-Cavanagh is questioning orders 1-4.

During the previous administration, when a city manager was in charge, similar orders were issued in the form of city manager's directives and posted in the city clerk's office.