AUBURN — The city’s Ethics Panel will meet next week to review a potential conflict of interest related to Planning Board member Brian Dubois’ vote last week to approve the Stable Ridge Apartments at 555 Court St.

Prior to the vote, the board held a discussion with city attorney Michael Malloy on conflicts and debated whether to ask Dubois to recuse himself from the vote on the project, but decided unanimously against it.

Dubois, a real estate agent, represented developer Jessica Klimek when the property was purchased, but argued that he has no involvement in its subsequent development.

According to City Clerk Sue Clements-Dallaire, resident Ryan Smith filed a request for an advisory opinion from the Ethics Panel last week, and Smith gathered the 25 voter signatures required to hold a hearing.

Smith, who lives on Harris Street, has been outspoken during both Planning Board and City Council discussions on rezoning and the Court Street project, which was the first project to come forward under new zoning that took effect this month. He was also among a group of five residents who took out petition papers in an effort to repeal the zoning, and is in an effort to collect 1,648 signatures. If successful, the council would be forced to reconsider the ordinance or send the issue to voters.

Smith said Tuesday that he was surprised by the board’s decision last week not to ask Dubois to recuse himself. He argues that even if Dubois doesn’t have any stake in the development, he has a prior relationship with the property owner, and should have recused himself simply based on the optics of it.

“I think that would’ve been the proper thing to do,” he said.

The vote last week was 4-3, with board members Cyr, Leblanc, Ferraro and Dubois in favor.

According to the clerk’s office, Smith submitted three questions to the panel, including, “Is it appropriate for (Dubois) to vote on a development in which he was a buyer agent for?”

During the meeting, Dubois said he took “great offense” to the comments regarding a potential conflict.

“To imply that I invest my time in the Planning Board for some kind of personal gain, I find offensive,” he said, adding that it’s an example of “why many capable people in the community don’t apply for these roles.”

The panel will meet at 5:30 p.m. Tuesday at Auburn Hall.

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