Staff reports 11:52 a.m.
Saturday, May 3, 2025 11:18 am
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The City of Rochester has initiated formal ethics investigations concerning School Board Members Sandra Keans and Karen Stokes, following the receipt of two separate complaints on April 25, 2025.
In accordance with City Code §7-83.B., a Sufficiency Review Panel, composed of Mayor Paul Callaghan, Police Chief Gary Boudreau, and City Attorney Terence O'Rourke, evaluated the complaints to determine whether they met the criteria for a formal investigation.
The panel concluded that both complaints were sufficient to proceed. Specifically:
The complaint against School Board Member Karen Stokes, filed by fellow Board Member Steven Cusumano, alleges violations of City Code Sections A.3., A.7., and B.1.b.
- A.3: Conduct of Members
The professional and personal conduct of members while exercising their office must be above reproach and avoid even the appearance of impropriety. Members shall refrain from abusive conduct, personal charges or verbal attacks upon the character or motives of other members of Council, Boards, Committees and Commissions, the staff or public. - A.7: Communication
Council Members shall avoid posting to social media in regards to any adjudicative matters pending before the body. Outside of adjudicative matters pending before the body, members of the Council/Commission/Board/Committee are advised not to participate in discrimination or harassment, even if the identified behaviors are not targeting a protected class, consisting of unwelcome conduct, sexual or otherwise, whether verbal, physical, or visual. Harassing conduct includes, but is not limited to: slurs or negative stereotyping; bullying, threatening, intimidating or other hostile acts; degrading jokes and displays or circulation of graphic material that degrades or shows hostility; and physical touching. Members are also advised to never demean or personally attack an employee regarding the employee's job performance in public. - B.1.b: Practice civility and decorum in discussions and debate
Difficult questions, tough challenges to a particular point of view, and criticism of ideas and information are legitimate elements of debate by a free democracy in action. Free debate does not require nor justify, however, public officials to make belligerent, personal, impertinent, slanderous, threatening, abusive, or disparaging comments.
The complaint against School Board Member Sandra Keans, also filed by Board Member Cusumano, alleges a violation of City Code Section A.10.
- A.10: Confidential Information
Members must maintain the confidentiality of all written materials and verbal information provided to members that is confidential or privileged. Members shall neither disclose confidential information without proper legal authorization, nor use such information to advance their personal, financial, or other private interests.
Per City Code §7-83.B.(4), the City Manager will now convene the Board of Ethics to further investigate these matters. Additionally, an Ethics Investigation Officer (EIO) will be appointed by the City Manager to conduct a thorough investigation and present findings to the Board of Ethics.
The Board of Ethics must be comprised of members appointed by the chairpersons of City Council, School Board, and Police Commission. Members include Dan Fitzpatrick (City Council), Sarah Harrington (School Board), and John Larochelle (Police Commission).
The Board of Ethics will meet on Tuesday, May 6, 2025, at 4:15 pm in the Council Chambers Conference Room, City Hall, 31 Wakefield Street. The meeting will be open to the public.
One Rochester resident who didn't want to be identified said she was furious at the ethics complaints that were lodged, adding they were fearful of retaliation from the city.
Meanwhile, A Facebook post from Raymond Wayman lamented the crisis within the board.
"Seems like the school board is a real mess currently!" he aid. "Sounds like there are some real battles going on between members and discussions getting out of hand. Rather than leading to constructive debate, sounds like it's turning personal."