ETHICS: NO ACTIVITY IS BETTER THAN ALTERNATIVE

The fact that members of the Cape Girardeau Ethics Commission have been all dressed up with no one to investigate for four years doesn't really surprise anyone.

Voters created the ethics commission by approving an amendment to the city charter.

After initially going begging for applications from potential commissioners -- apparently, they didn't like the requirement of revealing their financial dealings -- the city council appointed the seven-member commission in June 1997. Since then, the group has met once a year to elect officers.

Obviously, a majority of voters thought this group was a good idea. But our elected officials haven't generated any ethics complaints. Their dealings have been open enough to satisfy citizens who otherwise could file complaints.

Of course, the only thing worse than having a do-nothing commission meeting once a year to elect officers would be having one meeting regularly to deal with elected officials' wrongdoing.