Community Corner
Meriden Council Calling for Ethics Ruling Before Contract Vote
An issue has arisen over the fact that Mayor Michael Rhode took campaign contributions from unions covered by a high school renovation labor agreement he cast a vote in favor of.
In a deadlocked 6-6 vote last year on whether to to use labor agreements with three city unions for the renovation of Maloney and Platt high schools, Mayor Michael Rhode cast the tie-breaking vote in favor of the measure.
As it turns out, Rhode also took some $6,000 in campaign contributions from those same unions, The Record-Journal newspaper reported.
According to the newspaper, the Meriden City Council voted this week to rescind the agreement with the unions over concerns that it may be driving up costs, and Rhode is considering whether to veto that resolution.
The veto issue is bothering some councilors, with calls now for a review by the city's Board of Ethics before Rhode, a Democrat, can go ahead with any veto motion.
Read the full investigative piece on The Record-Journal's website.
Get more local news delivered straight to your inbox. Sign up for free Patch newsletters and alerts.
