WASHINGTON STATE
EXECUTIVE ETHICS BOARD
2425 Bristol Court SW– 4th
Floor Conference Room – Olympia, WA
September 11, 2015
Regular Meeting Minutes
A. Preliminary Business
1. Roll Call
The regular meeting of the Washington State Executive Ethics Board
(Board) was called to order by Vice Chair Samantha Simmons at 9:00 a.m. In attendance was Member Lisa Marsh. Member Sumeer Singla attended via
telephone. Chair Anna Dudek Ross was absent. Board staff in attendance
included: Executive Director Kate
Reynolds, Assistant Attorney General Bruce Turcott, Assistant Attorney General
Chad Standifer, Investigator David Killeen and Administrative Officer Ruthann
Bryant.
2. Approval of Agenda
Motion 15-026
Moved by Member Singla, seconded by Member
Marsh:
The Board approves the September
11, 2015 agenda as presented.
The motion passed unanimously.
3. Approval of the July 17 and July 29 Meeting Minutes
Motion 15-027 Moved by Member Marsh,
seconded by Member Singla:
The Board approves the July 17, 2015 and July 29, 2015 minutes as presented.
The motion passed
unanimously.
B. Rule-Making Public Hearing
Kate Reynolds presided over the public hearing and presented
proposed rule amendments to WAC 292-110-010 Use of state resources. She
reported that the changes are intended to review the permitted uses of state
resources as well as update and clarify the rule.
Ms. Reynolds stated that written comments received by the Board
would be reviewed and considered by the rule subcommittee.
No one signed up to testify.
C. Enforcement Matters
Stipulations
EEB
Case No. 2013-037 (Johnson)
David
Killeen briefed the Board on a proposed stipulation and order in the matter of Loueta Johnson. Ms. Johnson agreed that she may have
violated RCW 42.52.020, .070 and .160 by using GEAR UP grant money for her
private benefit and gain when she claimed and was reimbursed for travel not
related to the program. Mr. Killeen noted that Ms. Johnson is paying $1,573 in
restitution to the University of Washington.
The Stipulation imposes a penalty of $2,500.
EEB
Case No. 2014-026 (Grassel)
Mr.
Killeen also briefed the Board on a proposed Stipulation and Order in the matter
of Mark Grassel.
Mr. Grassel agreed that he may have violated
RCW 42.52.080 by accepting employment with a company where he managed four
leases during his time with the Department of Natural Resources. The
Stipulation imposes a penalty of $750.
EEB
Case No. 2014-040 (Stephens)
Mr.
Killeen briefed the Board on the proposed Stipulation and Order in the matter
of Zach Stephens. Mr. Stephens agreed
that he may have violated RCW 42.52.160 when he left work during his assigned
shift and did not submit the appropriate amount of leave. The Stipulation
imposes a penalty of $1,500 with $500 suspended.
EEB
Case No. 2014-050 (Moses)
Mr.
Killeen also briefed the Board on the proposed Stipulation and Order in the
matter of Sakura Moses. Ms. Moses agreed
that she may have violated RCW 42.52.160 when she used state resources for her
personal benefit and her outside business. The Stipulation imposes a penalty of
$3,000 with $1,000 suspended.
EEB
Case No. 2015-023 (Goodenough)
Mr.
Killeen briefed the Board on the proposed Stipulation and Order in the matter
of Randall “Keith” Goodenough. Mr.
Killeen noted that this case was settled prior to Reasonable Cause. Mr.
Goodenough agreed that he may have violated RCW 42.52.070 when he used his
position to influence the placement of his son within a state program
administered by the Department of Social and Health Services. The Stipulation
imposes a penalty of $1,500 with $750 suspended.
Executive Director Dismissals
EEB Case No. 2014-075
(Chace) and EEB Case No. 2015-022 (Young)
Kate Reynolds summarized two Executive Director Dismissals.
The Board deferred action on the enforcement matters until after
their closed session.
D. Staff Reports
Kate
Reynolds provided a budget update reported that our request for a second
investigator has been approved and David Killeen will be reallocated to a
Senior Investigator. Recruitment will
begin as soon as the current biennial budget is finalized.
E. Public Comment/Board Member Comment
No
public or Board member comments were expressed.
F. Executive/Closed Session
At
9:17 a.m. the Board moved into Executive Session, immediately followed by Closed
Session to deliberate on quasi-judicial matters.
At 10:18 a.m. the Board returned to regular session and reported
the following:
Motion 15-028 Moved by Vice Chair
Simmons, seconded by Member Marsh:
The Board approves the
Stipulated Facts, Conclusions of Law and Agreed Orders in EEB Case 2013-037, Louetta Johnson as presented.
The motion passed unanimously.
Motion 15-029 Moved by Vice Chair
Simmons, seconded by Member Marsh:
The Board approves the
Stipulated Facts, Conclusions of Law and Agreed Orders in EEB Case 2014-026,
Mark Grassel as presented.
The motion passed unanimously.
Motion 15-030 Moved by Vice Chair
Simmons, seconded by Member Marsh:
The Board approves the
Stipulated Facts, Conclusions of Law and Agreed Orders in EEB Case 2014-040,
Zach Stephens as presented.
The motion passed unanimously.
Motion 15-031 Moved by Vice Chair
Simmons, seconded by Member Singla:
The Board approves the
Stipulated Facts, Conclusions of Law and Agreed Orders in EEB Case 2014-050,
Sakura Moses as presented.
The motion passed unanimously.
Motion 15-032 Moved by Vice Chair
Simmons, seconded by Member Singla:
The Board approves the
Stipulated Facts, Conclusions of Law and Agreed Orders in EEB Case 2015-023,
Randall “Keith” Goodenough as presented.
The motion passed unanimously.
Motion 15-033 Moved by Vice Chair
Simmons, seconded by Member Marsh:
The Board finds Reasonable
Cause in EEB Case No. 2014-093 Erika Fields.
The motion passed unanimously.
Motion 15-034 Moved by Vice Chair
Simmons, seconded by Member Marsh:
The Board finds Reasonable
Cause in EEB Case No. 2014-095 Cheri Carter.
The motion passed unanimously.
Motion 15-035 Moved by Vice Chair
Simmons, seconded by Member Singla:
The Board finds Reasonable
Cause in EEB Case No. 2015-009 Nate Marino.
The motion passed unanimously.
Motion 15-036 Moved by Vice Chair
Simmons, seconded by Member Marsh:
The Board finds Reasonable
Cause in EEB Case No. 2015-025 Amy Emerson.
The motion passed unanimously.
Motion 15-037 Moved by Member Marsh,
seconded by Vice Chair Simmons:
The Board dismisses EEB
Case No. 2014-052 Gail Harmon.
The motion passed unanimously.
Motion 15-038 Moved by Member Marsh,
seconded by Member Singla:
The Board denies the
Motion for Default in EEB Case No. 2014-080 Nora Dudley.
The motion passed unanimously.
Motion 15-039 Moved by Member Marsh,
seconded by Vice Chair Simmons:
The Board grants a Motion
for Default in EEB Case No. 2014-079 Antoinette Bates.
The motion passed unanimously.
G. Miscellaneous Matters/Adjournment
There
being no miscellaneous matters, the meeting was adjourned at 10:23 a.m.
Approved by the Board 1/15/16