WASHINGTON STATE

 EXECUTIVE ETHICS BOARD

2425 Bristol Court SW– 4th Floor Conference Room – Olympia, WA

July 13, 2018

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 John Ladenburg at 9:00 a.m.  In attendance were Vice Chair Shirley Battan and Members Anna Dudek Ross and Gerri Davis. Member Lisa Marsh was absent. Board staff in attendance included:  Executive Director Kate Reynolds, Sr. Assistant Attorney General Bruce Turcott, Assistant Attorney General Chad Standifer, Investigators David Killeen and Bobby Frye and Administrative Officer Ruthann Bryant.

 

2.     Approval of Agenda

 

Motion 18-038 Moved by Vice Chair Battan, seconded by Chair Ladenburg:

 

The Board approves the July 13, 2018 agenda as presented.

 

The motion passed unanimously.

 

3.     Approval of the May 11, 2018 and May 18, 2018 Meeting Minutes

       

Motion 18-039 Moved by Chair Ladenburg, seconded by Vice Chair Battan:  

 

The Board approves the May 11, 2018 minutes as presented.

 

The motion passed unanimously.

 

Motion 18-040 Moved by Chair Ladenburg, seconded by Vice Chair Battan: 

 

The Board approves the May 18, 2018 minutes as presented.

 

The motion passed unanimously.

 

 

 

 

B.    Rule-Making

WAC 292-130 Public Records

Kate Reynolds presented proposed rule amendments to WAC 292-130 Public Records and noted that no stakeholder comments were received during the public comment period.  She requested approval to file the CR-102 and added that a public hearing will be scheduled in September.

 

Motion 18-041 Moved by Chair Ladenburg, seconded by Vice Chair Battan: 

 

The Board approves the filing of the CR-102 on WAC 292-30 Public Records.

 

The motion passed unanimously.

 

C.    Enforcement Matters

Stipulations

EEB Case No. 2016-063 (Sanchez)

Senior Investigator David Killeen briefed the Board on a proposed stipulation and order in the matter of Paul Sanchez.  Mr. Sanchez agreed that he may have violated the Ethics in Public Service Act when he used state resources for his private benefit and gain. The Stipulation imposes a penalty of $1,250.

EEB Case No. 2017-059 (Bustamante)

Mr. Killeen briefed the Board on a proposed stipulation and order in the matter of Krista Bustamante. Ms. Bustamante agreed that she may have violated the Ethics in Public Service Act when she used her position to access a Department of Social and Health Services client case file in a computer system to obtain information on his current location and benefits he was receiving. The Stipulation imposes a penalty of $2,500 with $1,250 suspended.

EEB Case No. 2017-070 (Criswell)

Mr. Killeen also briefed the Board on a proposed stipulation and order in the matter of Allison Criswell.  Ms. Criswell agreed that she may have violated the Act when she required her students to purchase a textbook that she co-authored with another faculty member. The Stipulation imposes a penalty of $1,500 with $1,000 suspended.

The Board deferred action on the enforcement matters until after their closed session.

 

D.    Policy Reviews

Ruthann Bryant presented a Complying with State Ethics Law policy from the Department of Commerce and recommended approval.

 

 

Motion 18-042: Moved by Vice Chair Battan, seconded by Member Dudek Ross:

 

The Board approves the Department of Commerce Complying with State Ethics Law policy as presented.

 

The motion passed unanimously.

 

Kate Reynolds presented the Department of Transportation’s Honoraria – Ethics in Public Service policy. She noted that the policy was approved in 1998 and since that approval, only minor changes had been made.

 

Motion 18-043: Moved by Chair Ladenburg, seconded by Member Davis:

 

The Board approves the Department of Transportation Honoraria – Ethics in Public Service policy as presented.

 

The motion passed unanimously.

 

Ruthann Bryant also presented Washington State University Athletics Department Staff Ticket policy.

 

Vice Chair Battan requested that Washington State University add a clarifying statement to the policy to advise employees that they could not give their tickets away to others.

 

Motion 18-044: Moved by Chair Ladenburg, seconded by Member Davis:

 

The Board tabled Washington State University’s Athletic Department Staff Ticket Policy until their September meeting.

 

The motion passed unanimously.

 

E.    Staff Reports

Kate Reynolds reported on a letter from Sue Bradley regarding EEB Case 2016-058 Forrest Rodgers and the Eastern Washington State Historical Society.  Ms. Bradley submitted her comments on facts reported in Mr. Rodgers’ Stipulation for the record.

Public Comment/Board Member Comment

No public or Board member comments were expressed.

 

 

F.    Executive/Closed Session

At 9:18 a.m. the Board moved into Executive Session, immediately followed by Closed Session to deliberate on quasi-judicial matters. 

At 10:15 a.m. the Board returned to regular session and reported the following:

 

Motion 18-045 Moved by Chair Ladenburg, seconded by Member Davis:

 

The Board approves the following Stipulated Facts, Conclusions of Law and Agreed Orders as presented:

 

·       EEB Case 2016-063 Paul Sanchez

·       EEB Case 2017-070 Krista Bustamante

·       EEB Case 2017-070 Allison Criswell

 

The motion passed unanimously.

 

Motion 18-046 Moved by Vice Chair Battan, seconded by Chair Ladenburg:

 

The Board finds No Reasonable Cause in EEB Case 2017-056 Paulette Nelson.

 

The motion passed unanimously.

 

Motion 18-047 Moved by Vice Chair Battan, seconded by Member Davis:

 

The Board finds No Reasonable Cause in EEB Case 2017-065 Kathryn Scott.

 

The motion passed unanimously.

 

Motion 18-048 Moved by Vice Chair Battan, seconded by Member Davis:

 

The Board finds No Reasonable Cause in EEB Case 2017-071 Cheral Manke.

 

The motion passed unanimously.

 

Motion 18-049 Moved by Member Dudek Ross, seconded by Vice Chair Battan:

 

The Board finds Reasonable Cause Over $500 in EEB Case 2017-075 Latika Chandler.

 

The motion passed unanimously.

 

Motion 18-050 Moved by Member Dudek Ross, seconded by Chair Ladenburg:

 

The Board Dismissed EEB Case 2018-004 Michael Cannon.

 

The motion passed unanimously.

 

Motion 18-051 Moved by Member Dudek Ross, seconded by Chair Ladenburg:

 

The Board finds Reasonable Cause Over $500 in EEB Case 2018-014 Nancy Nelson.

 

The motion passed unanimously.

 

Motion 18-052 Moved by Member Dudek Ross, seconded by Member Davis:

 

The Board Dismissed EEB Case 2018-017 Debbie Rogers.

 

The motion passed unanimously.

 

Motion 18-053 Moved by Member Dudek Ross, seconded by Member Davis:

 

The Board finds Reasonable Cause Over $500 in EEB Case 2018-020 Cathy Petrie.

 

The motion passed unanimously.

 

Motion 18-054 Moved by Member Dudek Ross, seconded by Vice Chair Battan:

 

The Board finds Reasonable Cause under $500 in EEB Case 2018-021 Chyerl Wolfe-Lee.

 

The motion passed unanimously.

 

Motion 18-055 Moved by Chair Ladenburg, seconded by Member Davis:

 

The Board affirms Executive Director Dismissals in the following cases:

·       EEB Case 2017-072 Brian Dixon

·       EEB Case 2017-073 Joy Schourey

·       EEB Case 2017-074 Randi Croyle

 

The motion passed unanimously.

 

G.   Miscellaneous Matters/Adjournment

There being no miscellaneous matters, the meeting was adjourned at 10:22 a.m.

 

Approved by the Board 9/14/18