TROY – The city Ethics Commission has ruled that there was no ethical violation by the mayor and corporation counsel in dealing with an information request by a City Council member and that there was no reason to take action.

Councilman Mark McGrath filed the complaint in August against Mayor Patrick Madden and Corporation Counsel James Caruso when he did not receive copies of property deed releases.

“Your sworn complaint and emails fail to allege any violation of the Troy Code of Ethics, New York State’s Public Officers Law, or Civil Service Law,” Ryan E. Manley, the Ethics Commission chairman, wrote McGrath in a Sept. 7 letter.

“Your only allegation appears to be that the City Charter was violated based upon you not having received certain information within the time in which you requested it. The jurisdiction and powers of the Ethics Commission as outlined in Chapter 43 of the Troy City Code do not allow this Commission the ability to compel compliance with alleged violations of the City Charter,” Manley said.

Manley also said it was not within the power of the commission to act as referee over disputes between the city's legislative and executive branches.

McGrath was seeking copies of legal papers known as reverter clauses signed by the Democratic mayor since Jan. 1. The documents end the city's right to take back a property it has sold. The city's handling of these deed restrictions and its past sale of city-owned properties seized for back taxes to city employees has been under investigation by the state attorney general's office. The city turned over documents to the state related to the investigation in late 2017.

McGrath received the copies he wanted after filing the ethics complaint. Manley noted that in his letter.

Mayoral spokesman John Salka said the administration had no comment.