Smart Growth for Vernon, CT
McCoy needs a lesson in ethics

Letters to the Editor
Journal Inquirer
August 14, 2008

First, Vernon Mayor Jason McCoy appears in Superior Court to plea for leniency for a rapist guilty of twice raping a 17-year-old. The rapist is the father of Deputy Mayor Diane Wheelock's granddaughter. Many of us in Vernon felt this was an egregious lack of ethics on the mayor's part.

Now it seems that our mayor has used the same faulty judgment in appointing Deputy Mayor and Republican Council Member, Diane Wheelock, to the $66,979 job as his executive assistant. Not only is it a conflict of interest for her in possibly having to vote against her boss but it also brings a lack of inde­pendence to the council. While McCoy vouches for Wheelock as an "open minded, fair person," a good mayor would avoid all perceptions of unethical prac­tices in his administration. Obviously, McCoy's per­sonal/political relationship with Wheelock is too compelling for good judgment on his part.

The citizens of Vernon should call upon Deputy Mayor Wheelock to exercise her good judgment and step down either from the town council or as McCoy's executive assistant. We should also encour­age Mayor McCoy to take a course in ethics — on his own dime. He obviously needs one.

Charlene Rakyta
Vernon