WASHINGTON STATE
EXECUTIVE ETHICS BOARD
January 10, 2025
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
Jan Jutte, Cam Comfort and David Hankins. 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 25-001 Moved by Member Comfort,
seconded by Member Hankins:
The Board approved the January
10, 2025, agenda as presented.
The motion passed unanimously.
3. Approval of the October 29 and November 8, 2024, Meeting Minutes
Member Hankins
requested the approval date on the November 8, 2024, be changed to reflect
today’s date.
Motion 25-002 Moved by Member Jutte,
seconded by Member Comfort:
The Board approved the October 29, 2024, minutes as presented and
the November 8, 2024, minutes as amended.
The motion passed
unanimously.
B. Enforcement Matters
Stipulations
EEB
Case 2023-076 (Lupinski)
Senior Digital Forensic Investigator
Justin Cotte briefed the Board on a proposed Stipulation and Order in the
matter of Kurt Lupinski, Head Baseball Coach with Lower Columbia College. Kurt
Lupinski agreed that they may have violated several sections of the Ethics in
Public Service Act. Evidence indicated
that Kurt Lupinski had an outside business running baseball camps on one of the
college’s sports fields and rented the field to their outside business at a
lower rate than others were charged and used state resources for both their outside
business and personal use. The proposed order imposes a civil penalty of $1,500
with $750 suspended.
EEB Case 2023-079 (Lember)
Justin Cotte also briefed the Board on a
proposed Stipulation and Order in the matter of Richard Lember, a Worksource Virtual Specialist 4 with the Employment
Security Department. Richard Lember agreed
that they may have violated the Ethics in Public Service Act by using state
resources for personal benefit. Evidence
indicated that Richard Lember downloaded and saved several personal documents
on their state computer and browsed the internet visiting numerous news,
entertainment, shopping and real estate sites and two personal email websites. The proposed order imposes a civil penalty of $5,000 with $2,000
suspended.
The Board deferred action on the enforcement matters until after
their closed session.
C. Review of Draft Advisory Opinion 25-01
Kate Reynolds presented a draft Advisory Opinion
related to the use of state resources by state employees working to receive a
college or educational certificate.
After discussion, the Board suggested several edits
and will continue their review at the next meeting.
D. Staff Reports
Executive
Director Kate Reynolds reported on SB 5143 regarding the Ethics in Public
Service Act and noted that the bill has been worked on by the Legislative
Ethics Board.
E. Public Comment/Board Member Comment
No
public or Board Member comments were given.
F. Closed Session
At 9:37
am the Board moved into Closed Session.
At 11:00 am the Board returned to regular session and reported the
following:
Motion 25-003 Moved by Vice Chair Abel,
seconded by Member Comfort:
The Board approved the Stipulated
Facts, Conclusions of Law and Agreed Order in EEB Case 2022-076 Kurt Lupinski, imposing
a civil penalty of $1,500 with $750 suspended.
The motion passed unanimously.
Motion 25-004 Moved by Member Hankins,
seconded by Member Jutte:
The Board approved the
Stipulated Facts, Conclusions of Law and Agreed Order in EEB Case 2023-079 Richard
Lember, imposing a civil penalty of $5,000 with $1,000 suspended.
Voting For: Chair Hooke,
and Members Jutte, Comfort and Hankins.
Not Voting: Vice Chair Abel
The motion passed.
Motion 25-005 Moved by Member Comfort,
seconded by Chair Hooke:
The Board found Reasonable
Cause over $500 in EEB Case 2023-081 Bradley Bowman.
The motion passed unanimously.
Motion 25-006 Moved by Member Jutte,
seconded by Member Comfort:
The Board found Reasonable
Cause of $500 or less in EEB Case 2023-085 Kevin Glover.
The motion passed unanimously.
Motion 25-007 Moved by Member Hankins,
seconded by Member Jutte:
The Board found Reasonable
Cause over $500 in EEB Case 2023-086 Taylor Brummett.
The motion passed unanimously.
Motion 25-008 Moved by Member Comfort,
seconded by Chair Hooke:
The Board found Reasonable
Cause over $500 in EEB Case 2023-087 Jason English.
The motion passed unanimously.
Motion 25-009 Moved by Member Jutte,
seconded by Member Hankins:
The Board found Reasonable
Cause over $500 in EEB Case 2023-091 Miguel Islas-Sanchez.
The motion passed unanimously.
Motion 25-010 Moved by Vice Chair Abel,
seconded by Member Hankins:
The Board found Reasonable
Cause of $500 or less in EEB Case 2023-073 Bobby Humes.
The motion passed unanimously.
Motion 25-011 Moved by Member Jutte,
seconded by Member Comfort:
The Board issued a Motion
for Default in EEB Case 2023-064 Zachary Estep.
The motion passed unanimously.
Motion 25-012 Moved by Member Jutte,
seconded by Vice Chair Abel:
The Board issued a Motion
for Default in EEB Case 2023-072 Christopher Miller.
The motion passed unanimously.
G. Miscellaneous Matters/Adjournment
There
were no miscellaneous matters and the meeting was
adjourned at 11:05 a.m.
Approved by the Board 3/14/25