WASHINGTON STATE
EXECUTIVE ETHICS BOARD
January 9, 2026
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 Chair Kelli Hooke at 9:00 a.m. In attendance were Vice Chair Megan Abel and Members
Cam Comfort, David Hankins and Mark Rapozo. Board staff in attendance included:
Executive Director Kate Reynolds, Senior Counsel Matt Kernutt, Assistant
Attorney General Julia Eisentrout, Administrative Officer Ruthann Bryant, and
Senior Digital Forensic Investigator Justin Cotte.
2. Approval of Agenda
Motion 26-001 Moved by Member Comfort,
seconded by Chair Hooke:
The Board approved the January
9, 2026 agenda as presented.
The motion passed unanimously.
3. Approval of the November 14, 2025, Meeting
Minutes
Member Comfort noted an incorrect case number in the
25-101 Motion.
Motion 26-002 Moved by Member Comfort,
seconded by Chair Hooke:
The Board approved the September 12, 2025 minutes as amended.
The motion passed unanimously.
B. Election of Officers
Motion 26-003 Moved by Chair Hooke,
seconded by Member Comfort:
The Board elects
Megan Abel as Chair effective January 12, 2026.
The motion passed unanimously.
Motion 26-004 Moved by Chair Hooke,
seconded by Member Hankins:
The Board elects
Cam Comfort as Vice Chair effective January 12, 2026.
The motion passed unanimously.
C. Enforcement Matters
Stipulations
EEB
Case 2024-032 (O’Neal)
Executive Director Kate Reynolds briefed
the Board on a proposed Stipulation and Order in the matter of Shelly O’Neal,
an Office Assistant 3 with the
Department of Corrections. Shelly O’Neal agreed they may have violated the
Ethics in Public Service Act when they openly disclosed private medical
information about another employee while on the phone in front of other staff
members. The proposed order
imposes a civil penalty of $500 with $250 suspended.
EEB
Case 2024-054 (Yates)
Executive Director Kate Reynolds also
briefed the Board on a proposed Stipulation and Order in the matter of Shar
Yates, former Medical Assistance Program Specialist 2, with the Health Care
Authority. Shar Yates agreed that they may have violated the Ethics in Public
Service Act by engaging in multiple incidents of live streaming on the social
media platform TikTok during meetings, including broadcasting comments made by
those in attendance at the meeting. The proposed order imposes a civil penalty
of $4,500.
EEB
Case 2025-019 (Mears)
Senior Digital Forensic Investigator
Justin Cotte briefed the Board on a proposed Stipulation and Order in the
matter of Michelle Mears, Licensing Services Representative 2 with the
Department of Licensing. Evidence indicated that Michelle Mears avoided paying
the regional transit authority tax on their personal vehicles by using the
address of one of their subordinates instead of their own address. The proposed order imposes a civil
penalty of $4,000 with $1,500 suspended.
EEB
Case 2025-030 (King)
Senior Digital Forensic Investigator
Justin Cotte briefed the Board on a proposed Stipulation and Order in the
matter of Cory King, former Juvenile Rehabilitation Specialist at Green Hill
School with the Department of Children, Youth and Families. Cory King agreed
that they may have violated the Ethics in Public Service Act when they browsed
the internet for personal use, including visits to several pornographic sites. The
proposed order imposes a civil penalty of $4,500.
Executive
Director Dismissals
Kate Reynolds summarized two
Executive Director Dismissals in
EEB Case 2025-050 (Weyl) and EEB Case 2025-051 (Lewis).
The Board deferred action on enforcement matters until after their
closed session.
D. Advisory Opinion Request
Board Chair Kelli Hooke continued discussion on a
request for an advisory opinion submitted by a private citizen regarding the
Office of the Attorney General using state resources to prepare and respond to
a Washington State Bar Association grievance filed against the Attorney
General.
Executive Director Kate Reynolds provided background
and historical information on Advisory Opinions.
Member Comfort reported that WAC 292-110-050
specifically states that advisory opinions are intended to provide guidance
to a state officer or state employee in advance of an action or decision and to
prevent ethics violations.
It was also noted that Member Hankins is recused from
the matter and Executive Director Kate Reynolds is recused from discussion on
the issue.
Motion 26-005 Moved by Chair Hooke,
seconded by Member Comfort:
The Board declined
to issue an Advisory Opinion as they are intended to provide
guidance to a state officer or state employee in advance of an action or
decision and to prevent ethics violations, not to review an action or decision
by a state officer/employee.
Voting for: Chair Hooke, Vice Chair Abel and Members Comfort and
Rapozo.
Not Voting: Member Hankins
The motion passed.
E. Advisory Opinion Review
Executive Director Kate Reynolds reported on an Advisory
Opinion (AO) review project and presented a group of AOs related to Gifts.
The Board requested that footnotes be added in 99-05 Cash Awards
and 00-05 Cash Awards from Non-profit to provide clarification. Staff brought them
back to the Board for review at the next Board meeting.
Motion 26-006 Moved by Member Comfort,
seconded by Chair Hooke:
The Board
approved updates to the following Advisory Opinions:
§
Advisory Opinion 96-01: Payments
for Educational Programs
§ Advisory
Opinion 96-02: Unsolicited Refreshments
§ Advisory
Opinion 96-05:
Limitations on Gifts to Employees of Regulatory Agencies
§
Advisory Opinion 96-06: Hosted
Reception-Acceptance of Food and Beverages
§
Advisory Opinion 96-12: Accepting
Food and Beverages at a Community or Civic Event
§
Advisory Opinion 97-02: Accepting
Food and Beverages at Government-Sponsored Events
§
Advisory Opinion 98-01:
Acceptance of Meals by a Regulatory
Employee
§
Advisory Opinion 98-03:
Community Colleges/Acceptance of Gifts
§
Advisory Opinion 98-06: Acceptance
of Meals by a Regulatory Employee
§
Advisory Opinion 98-10: Door Prizes
§
Advisory Opinion 00-06: Cash
Awards for Scientific Achievement
§
Advisory Opinion 01-05:
Receipt of Gifts by State Officers,
Repayment at Face Value of Gifts from Agency Vendors
§
Advisory Opinion 01-07A:
Gift Restrictions on Donations Made by Non-State Entities
The motion passed
unanimously.
F. Rulemaking
Executive Director Kate Reynolds began discussion on
draft amendments to WAC 292-110-007 Definitions. The amendments include language
to allow service by email for documents.
Following discussion, the Board will hold off on any
rulemaking regarding service until further information is received regarding
changes to the U.S. Postal Service post mark dates.
G. Staff Reports
No
staff reports were given.
H. Public Comment/Board Member Comment
No
public or Board Member comments were given.
I. Closed Session
At 10:00
am the Board moved into Closed Session.
At 11:10 am the Board returned to regular session and reported the
following:
Motion 26-007 Moved by Chair Kelli Hooke,
seconded by Vice Chair Abel:
The Board approved the Stipulated
Facts, Conclusions of Law and Agreed Order in EEB Case 2024-032, Shelly O’Neal,
imposing a civil penalty of $500 with $250 suspended.
The motion passed unanimously.
Motion 26-008 Moved by Member Comfort,
seconded by Member Hankins:
The Board approved the
Stipulated Facts, Conclusions of Law and Agreed Order in EEB Case 2024-054,
Shar Yates, imposing a civil penalty of $4,500.
The motion passed unanimously.
Motion 26-009 Moved by Member Comfort,
seconded by Chair Hooke:
The Board approved the
Stipulated Facts, Conclusions of Law and Agreed Order in EEB Case 2025-019, Michelle
Mears, imposing a civil penalty of $4,000 with $750 suspended.
The motion passed unanimously.
Motion 26-010 Moved by Member Hankins,
seconded by Member Comfort:
The Board approved the
Stipulated Facts, Conclusions of Law and Agreed Order in EEB Case 2025-030, Cory
King, imposing a civil penalty of $4,500.
The motion passed unanimously.
Motion 26-011 Moved by Member Comfort,
seconded by Member Hankins:
The Board found Reasonable
Cause over $500 in EEB Case 2024-042 Erik Lawrence.
The motion passed unanimously.
Motion 26-012 Moved by Member Hankins,
seconded by Member Comfort:
The Board found Reasonable
Cause over $500 in EEB Case 2024-037 Paul Sessions.
The motion passed unanimously.
Motion 26-013 Moved by Vice Chair Abel,
seconded by Chair Hooke:
The Board
determined the complaint is unfounded and dismissed EEB Case 2024-075 Thomas Sayan.
The motion passed unanimously.
Motion 26-014 Moved by Vice Chair Abel,
seconded by Member Comfort:
The Board
determined the complaint is unfounded and dismissed EEB Case 2024-089 Brandy Thomas.
The motion passed unanimously.
Motion 26-015 Moved by Chair Hooke,
seconded by Vice Chair Abel:
The Board found Reasonable
Cause over $500 in EEB Case 2025-061 Bob Ferguson.
Voting for: Chair Hooke, Vice Chair Abel
and Members Hankins and Rapozo.
Not Voting: Member Comfort.
The motion passed.
Motion 26-016 Moved by Member Rapozo,
seconded by Member Comfort:
The Board
determined any violation that may have occurred
does not constitute a material violation because it was inadvertent and minor,
or has been cured, and, after consideration of all of
the circumstances, further proceedings would not serve the purposes of this
chapter and dismissed EEB Case 2025-070 Kelly
Quinby.
The motion passed unanimously.
Motion 26-017 Moved by Vice Chair Abel,
seconded by Member Hankins:
The Board issued a Default
and Final Order in EEB Case 2024-055 Bridget Mwendar,
imposing a civil penalty of $500.
The motion passed unanimously.
The
Board denied a request for reconsideration in EEB Case 2024-025 Patrick Depoe and reported that a written order will be issued.
J. Miscellaneous Matters/Adjournment
There
being no miscellaneous matters, the meeting was adjourned at 11:16 a.m.
Approved by the Board 3/13/26