Contact Information

Annual Financial Disclosures for the previous year are due by April 30^th of the subsequent year.

Correspondence can be mailed or faxed to:

Cecil County Ethics Commission
200 Chesapeake Blvd., Suite 2800
Elkton, MD 21921
Fax: 1-866-230-2578

 For additional information about filing or reviewing forms, you may contact Human Resources at ethics@ccgov.org.

PLEASE BE ADVISED:

The Ethics Commission meets per the schedule below at the County Administration Building.  Special sessions will be held as required.  Please be aware that due to the nature of its duties, the Ethics Commission may have to go into Closed Session during its meeting.

"Cecil County, recognizing that our system of representative government is dependent in part upon the people maintaining the highest trust in their public officials and employees, finds and declares that the people have a right to be assured that the impartiality and independent judgment of public officials and employees will be maintained."
- Cecil County Code, Ethics, Chapter 39.

Commission Members

The Ethics Commission consists of five members appointed by the County Executive.

Andrew Goins, Chair - Term expires August 7, 2022
Charles Kelso - Term expires March 3, 2024
Janet Pope - Term expires October 3, 2021
Francis Peterson, JR. - Term expires December 19, 2023

2024 Meeting Schedule

Monday, April 8, 2024, at 5:00 p.m. CANCELLED

Monday, May 6, 2024, at 5 p.m. CANCELLED

Monday, June 10, 2024, at 5:00 p.m.

Monday, September 9, 2024, at 5:00 p.m. - RESCHEDULED - September 30, 2024, at 5 p.m. -CANCELLED

Thursday, November 14, 2024, at 4 p.m. - CANCELLED

Monday, December 9, 2024, at 5:00 p.m.

View Minutes & Agendas

Purpose and Responsibilities

To promote transparency and to promote good government is everybody’s business. The Ethics Commission has asked the Director of Finance to post the following on a cumulative basis according to Chapter 39, the Cecil County Ethics Law:

‘Doing business with’ means:

1. Having or negotiating a contract that involves the commitment, either in a single or combination of transactions, of $5000 or more of county controlled funds, or
2. Being regulated by or subject to the authority of Cecil County, or
3. Being registered as a lobbyist under Chapter 39.

The Ethics Commission, acting under authority of Cecil County and Maryland state law, is charged with the following responsibilities:

• Oversight, retention, review and enforcement of statements of financial and gift disclosure and conflicts of interest for county employees, elected officials, candidates for county office, and Board and Commission appointees.
• Oversight, retention, review and enforcement of annual registration and gift disclosure requirements for lobbyists.
• Issuance of advisory opinions regarding ethics rules, regulations, and requirements. 
• Review and rule on complaints filed alleging ethics violations by persons subject to ethics laws.  
• Respond to and inform public regarding ethics rules, regulations, and requirements.
• Certify to State Ethics Commission annually that county is in compliance with state mandated standards.

Links

• Cecil County Code, Chapter 39
• Cecil County Ethics Commission Regulations Related to Exceptions to the Prohibition on Outside Employment
• Ethics Commission Member Duties
• Ethics Commission FAQs
• Cecil County Government Employee Annual Ethics Training
• Monthly Payments Over $500

Forms, Requirements and Instructions

• Ethics Complaint Form

Financial Disclosure Forms and Instructions

Online Annual Forms Completion: 
If you experience any difficulty completing the below fill-able forms, we recommend using a different browser; both Chrome and Internet Explorer should allow you to complete the Acknowledgement of Understanding or Financial Disclosure forms 1 and 2 online.  You may then save the file and email it to ethics@ccgov.org.


Please Note: Cecil County Ethics Commission Financial Disclosures Submission Policy for Board and Commission Members
It is the policy of the Cecil County Ethics Commission to require a financial disclosure statement from each, and every, county appointed member of every county board and commission.  In most cases, that requirement will be met by filing a Cecil County Ethics Commission’s Financial Disclosure, either Form 1 or Form 2.  Those board and commission members, who normally file their financial disclosure statements with another governmental entity may submit that statement in lieu of the Commission’s form, as long as it satisfies the requirements of Article V of the county code.  However, it is the responsibility of the member to submit the form, it is not the function of the Ethics Commission staff to obtain it on their behalf.



Employees in Public Safety positions Grade 3 and below, and Non-Public Safety Positions Grade 113 and Below*

• Acknowledgement of Understanding Cover Letter
• Acknowledgement of Understanding Form - Notice to Employees
  

 

County Elected Officials and Candidates for County Office and County Department Heads*

• Financial Disclosure Form 1 - Instructions
• Financial Disclosure Form 1 - Elected Officials, Candidates & County Department Heads
  

 

All Appointed Employees, Employees in Public Safety Positions Grade 4 and above, Employees in Non-Public Safety Positions Grades 114 and above, and Board/Commission/Committee Members*

• Financial Disclosure Form 2 - Cover Letter
• Financial Disclosure Form 2 - Instructions
• Financial Disclosure Form 2 - Qualifying Employees; Appointed members of Boards & Commissions; & County Attorneys for Boards, Commissions, Council & Executive
  

 

* - Note: Employees of the Offices of Sheriff, Health Department, Department of Social Services, State’s Attorney, Register of Wills, and Clerk of the Court are subject to the State of Maryland Disclosure Requirements and Forms, but must provide record of their submittals.

• Financial Disclosure Form 3 - Advance Notice of Conflict