A former Marathon contract employee has filed an ethics complaint against Councilman Dick Ramsay for allegedly violating the city charter.

Dave Maimon, a building official until 2005 with Marathon's former contracted building department run by MT Causley Inc., filed the complaint with the Florida Commission on Ethics on Dec. 21, 2009. The ethics commission does not release its investigations before they are reviewed by the full commission at a meeting, but Maimon provided a copy of the filing.

"Council people have the arrogance and lack of respect for the citizens of Marathon that they feel comfortable openly stating that they violate the very charter that they swear to uphold," Maimon said in an interview with the Free Press.

Ramsay did not return phone calls from the Free Press before press time.

In his complaint, Maimon directs the ethics commission's attention to a Dec. 19 newspaper article in which Ramsay is quoted saying "I have violated the city charter on several occasions." Ramsay was referring to having direct discussions with staff about a sewer plant location on Grassy Key that was of concern to many residents.

Maimon said he felt filing the complaint was part of his duty to the city.

"I needed to show people democracy works only if you get involved," he said. "It is our duty, not just our right, to make the city work."

Maimon has been a vocal critic of Ramsay and Vice Mayor Mike Cinque on a host of issues in the past -- notably enlisting an investigative reporter from a Miami TV station to report on dirt collected from the city's sewer project -- and has sought opinions in many disputes from State Attorney Dennis Ward and other state agencies.

"I have filed many complaints with the city and various state agencies, but never to the degree of filing an ethics charge," Maimon said. "I have never seen this degree ... where one councilman admits to violating the charter and another talks about rewriting the charter. It's gone too far."

Cinque, late last year, said he had been working on charter revision proposals with a local lawyer, including exploring the possibility of transitioning to a strong city council form of government from the current strong city administrator form.

Maimon was adamant that his complaints are not personal, and he is not a disgruntled former employee.

"I worked for the city from day one," he said. "I left in 2005 on good terms. ... I do not want to appear to be a trouble maker. My grudge is against their behavior, not the individuals. Councilman Ramsay has no malicious intent. I believe that he does what he believes is good for the city of Marathon. But the city of Marathon is composed of a lot more people than I believe he deals with."

Maimon said he will continue to point out what he believes are examples of bad governance, and hopes others will join him. "We're at the point where if people do not get involved we will have irreparable damage to the city."

Among his other recent concerns is the trip then Interim City Manager Peter Rosasco, Mayor Ginger Snead and Planning Director George Garrett took to Tallahassee to seek money for the purchase of Boot Key.

"Apparently the charter was done through a company owned by the acting city manager," Maimon said of a charter flight booked by the city at a cost of $2,995. He said he is concerned that may be a violation of state ethics codes (112.313, sections 3 and 7) against conflicts of interest and city employees doing business with companies they own. Rosasco is part owner of the charter company that took the city officials to the Tallahassee meeting.

"It's news to me," Rosasco said of his supposed infraction. "We have published rates for the company and they are what they are. I was very careful to document that the cost" was less than what would have been paid to book flights and hotel reservations.

Rosasco said he would have to review the specific charter portions before he could comment further.

The ethics commission is set to meet Feb. 26. Officials would not confirm or deny that the complaint would be reviewed at that time, as is the commission's policy. If the filing is judged to have merit, the commission will likely open an investigation before deciding on a course of action. The filing could also be dismissed as being without merit at the meeting.

Maimon is not resting and waiting to see what happens, however. "I voted for the incorporation of Marathon. I was wrong," he said. "People who want to get involved can e-mail me at fdkb@aol.com."

mphelps@keysnews.com