Norwich — The city Ethics Commission will wait until the utilities board responds in September to ethics violations found against Norwich Public Utilities officials for attending the expenses paid 2016 trip to the Kentucky Derby before recommending changes to the ethics ordinance that could strengthen enforcement language.

Commission members Monday discussed possible changes to improve either the ethics ordinance or the charter chapter that created the Ethics Commission and established the city ethics code.

Lack of enforcement teeth was one point discussed Monday, but member Christopher Dixon said he would prefer waiting to see whether the Board of Public Utilities Commissioners will accept the disciplinary recommendations contained in the ethics violation report submitted to city officials in February. The utilities board has hired an attorney to help it review the ethics report and is expected to discuss it at its Sept. 26 meeting.

The Ethics Commission found that four NPU officials and Mayor Deberey Hinchey violated the city ethics code by participating in the 2016 trip to the Kentucky Derby hosted by the Connecticut Municipal Electric Energy Cooperative. CMEEC had sponsored the lavish trips from 2013 through 2016, calling them strategic retreats, but without formal business meetings, presentations or workshops. Dozens of CMEEC board members, staff, their spouses and other family members and municipal officials from throughout the state attended the trips.

The Ethics Commission recommended that NPU General Manager John Bilda and NPU Division Manager Steve Sinko pay the city full restitution for themselves and their spouses, a total of $15,560 each, and that former utilities board chairwoman Dee Boisclair and Vice Chairman Robert Groner pay back 25 percent, $3,877 each, of the cost of the trips for themselves and their spouses. Boisclair and Groner have resigned from the utilities board.

To date, only Hinchey has paid the restitution of 25 percent of her trip value, $1,945.

The report also recommended stricter travel protocols for NPU officials attending any business related trips.

“I'm very interested in seeing what the NPU board does,” Dixon said. “That will be testimony on how effective we are.”

Chairwoman Carol Menard said she will compile the suggested changes for the commission to discuss again in September before making recommendations to the City Council in October. The utilities board is expected to discuss the ethics report at its Sept. 26 meeting.

Menard said she would like to see a language change that calls for the commission to set a public hearing within 60 days of receiving a complaint. She called the time constraint too tight and suggested it be changed to a 60-day period to investigate whether there is probable cause to schedule a hearing.

The terms of Ethics Commission members also was questioned. Members are appointed by the City Council for two-year terms, with all members serving concurrent terms. That means terms for all five regular members and alternate Linda Bertelson will expire Oct. 18 of this year. Bertelson suggested the city establish staggered terms to avoid the potential for full board replacement at one time.

Bertelson also suggested specific language be added to address what travel expenses should be allowed when city officials attend conferences. Some members proposed using state ethics code language that calls for air travel by coach fares, reasonable meal reimbursements, hotels for only the time period covered by the conference, no entertainment reimbursement and no expenses paid for spouses.

Menard agreed and said it appears different city agencies and officials follow different practices when seeking coverage for the trips, with some employees paying their own meals and other expenses, while for others it's “party on,” Menard said.

c.bessette@theday.com