WASHINGTON STATE

EXECUTIVE ETHICS BOARD

2425 Bristol Court SW– 1st Floor Conference Room 148 – Olympia, WA

March 14, 2008

Regular Meeting Minutes

A. Preliminary Business

1. Roll Call

The regular meeting of the Washington State Executive Ethics Board (EEB) was called to order by Chair Judy Golberg at 9:00 a.m. In attendance were Vice Chair Neil Gorrell and Members Evelyn Yenson and Linnaea Jablonski. Board staff in attendance included: Executive Director Melanie de Leon, Senior Assistant Attorney General Linda Moran, Administrative Officer Ruthann Bryant and Investigators Nancy Lewin and Sue Jones. Assistant Attorney General Ted Miller was excused.

2. Approval of Agenda

Motion 08-008 Moved by Member Yenson, seconded by Member Jablonski:

The Board approves the March 14, 2008 agenda as presented.

The motion passed unanimously.

3. Approval of February 8, 2008 Meeting Minutes

Motion 08-009 Moved by Member Jablonski, seconded by Vice Chair Gorrell:

The Board approves the February 8, 2008 minutes as presented.

The motion passed unanimously.

B. Legislation

Melanie de Leon noted that the legislative session ended and briefly summarized legislation that will have an impact on RCW 42.52. She discussed a bill which allows for private business activities in state-owned housing and noted that Parks will adopt a housing policy to be approved by the Board at a future meeting. She also discussed a bill that expands whistleblower protections and includes the Executive Ethics Board as an agency that can receive whistleblower complaints.

Vice Chair Gorrell suggested discussing the impact of the whistleblower protection bill at the Board retreat.

C. Staff Reports

1. Executive Director’s Report

Melanie de Leon summarized her activity report for February, highlighting outreach efforts to recruit ethics advisors in executive branch agencies and progress in the new training program. She also provided a trend analysis and breakdown of complaints by agency, number of FTEs, year and section of law.

She also reported that the Interagency Committee of State Employed Women (ICSEW) requested an informal staff analysis asking if they could solicit donations from its members, businesses, state employees, and political figures for a silent auction to be held during their conference. The money collected from the auction would then be donated to a local charity in the area where the conference is held.

The Board requested that Senior Assistant Attorney General Linda Moran complete a legal analysis on the issue.

2. AAG Report

No Assistant Attorney General reports were given.

3. Other Staff Reports

Ruthann Bryant distributed the laptops to the members and briefly discussed the use and procedures for the meeting material cds.

F. Public Comment/Board Member Comments

No public or Board member comments were provided.

G. Executive or Closed Session

At 10:20 a.m. the Board moved into Closed Session to discuss potential litigation, deliberate and to receive and evaluate complaints against state employees and officers.

At 10:53 a.m. the Board returned to regular session and announced it had accepted the Final Order of Dismissal in EEB Case No. 08-003.

H. Miscellaneous Matters/Adjournment

There being no miscellaneous matters, the meeting was adjourned at 10:54 a.m.

Approved by the Board 4/11/08