Norwich – The city Ethics Commission voted unanimously Monday that a land surveying company owned by a member of the Golf Course Authority would be allowed to do work as a subcontractor to the firm selected to build a new pond and well watering system at the city-owned golf course.

Authority member John Paul Mereen asked the commission for an advisory opinion after WSP Water and Environment of Shelton asked if Mereen’s land company, Gerwick Mereen Land Surveying & Land Planning, could verify the wetlands boundaries at the golf course.

Mereen chaired the authority’s committee that proposed and planned the project that will allow the golf course irrigation system to have its own water supply rather than pay for municipal water. The authority has paid about $100,000 per year to Norwich Public Utilities for water.

The Ethics Commission voted that because WSP was hired through the city’s competitive bid process, the work is covered through the competitive bid exemption in the city ethics code. The code allows city board and commission members to be hired by the city as long as the work was part of a competitive bid process.