STATE OF WASHINGTON

EXECUTIVE ETHICS BOARD

 

REGULAR BOARD MEETING MINUTES

 

November 12, 1999

 

The Executive Ethics Board convened in Regular Session at 1:10 p.m., at the Lee Ann Miller AGO Conference Center, Rowe 6, Building 1, 4224 6th Avenue SE, Lacey, Washington 98504.

 

        Present:        Janet Lim, Chair

                             Cheryl Rohret, Vice Chair

Paul Gillie, Board Member

Sutapa Basu, Board Member

 

Also Present:       Meg Grimaldi, Executive Secretary

William B. Collins, Counsel

 

 

1.     PRELIMINARY BUSINESS

       a.  ROLL CALL

       Chair Lim, Board Members Gillie, and Basu were present.  Board Member Foyd had an excused absence.  Also present were Executive Secretary Meg Grimaldi and Counsel William B. Collins.  Vice Chair Rohret arrived at 1:45 p.m.

 

       b.  APPROVAL OF AGENDA

       Ms. Grimaldi requested the agenda be amended to include a proposed Stipulation and Order in EEB Case No. 98-15.  Board Member Basu moved to approve the agenda as amended.  Board Member Gillie seconded the motion and the Board unanimously approved the agenda.

 

c.  APPROVAL OF MINUTES FROM SEPTEMBER 16, 1999 REGULAR MEETING

       Board Member Basu moved to approve the September 16, 1999, meeting minutes as written.  Board Member Gillie seconded the motion and the Board unanimously approved.

 

2.  REQUEST FOR AN ADVISORY OPINION

       a.  Draft Advisory Opinion 99-07 – Request relating to outside compensation for Clark College Employees. Ms. Grimaldi reviewed the Clark College Foundation’s request for an advisory opinion and briefed Board members on a staff analysis of the ethics issues raised by the request under RCW 42.52.110 or RCW 42.52.120.  Board members directed staff to obtain more information on the relationship between the college and the foundation, and practices at other institutions of higher education within the state.

 

3.  PROPOSED DRAFT LEGISLATION – AWARDS FOR MERITORIOUS PUBLIC SERVICE.

       Mr. Collins reviewed proposed language to amend RCW 42.52 and permit receipt of cash awards for meritorious public service.  Chair Lim asked whether the proposal included language from the federal statutes that were reviewed at the Board meeting on September 16, 1999.  Mr. Collins discussed those subsections based on the federal statutes.  Ms. Grimaldi recommended including a subsection that would have such awards approved by the appropriate ethics board.  Board members concurred with the staff recommendation. 

 

4.  SETTLEMENTS/HEARINGS – EEB CASE NOS. 98-15 AND 98-22.  Ms. Grimaldi presented a proposed Stipulation in EEB Case No. 98-15 to resolve an allegation that a state employee had improperly used agency e-mail to oppose a citizen’s position on a legislative bill unrelated to the state employee’s official duties.  Under this Stipulation, the employee agreed to pay a civil penalty of $100.  Ms. Grimaldi also presented a proposed Stipulation in EEB Case No. 98-22 to resolve an allegation that a former state employee placed an ineligible spouse on state-paid health and dental insurance plans.  Under this Stipulation, the former employee agreed to pay restitution in the amount of $1575 and a civil penalty in the amount of $250.

 

STAFF BRIEFING - Ms. Grimaldi briefed the Board on the following issues:

       Approval of Meeting Schedule for 2000.  The Board agreed to the following meeting dates in the Year 2000:  January 7, February 18, March 10, April 14, May 12, June 16, July 28, September 8, October 13, and November 17.  Election of Chair and Vice Chair.  Board members agreed that Vice Chair Rohret would become Chair, and that Board Member Basu would become Vice Chair for the Year 2000.  EEB Budget.  Ms. Grimaldi informed the Board that the Attorney General’s Office had increased the Board’s budget by $85,000 for the biennium.  Reconsideration of Executive Ethics Board decisions in EEB Case Nos. 98-19, 98-20, and 98-24.  Ms. Grimaldi presented Mr. Donald Williams who was present to petition the Board to reconsider its no reasonable cause determinations in these cases.  Mr. Williams stated his reasons for objecting to the Board’s determinations.  Installation of Personal Lines on State-Owned Cellular Phones:  Ms. Grimaldi briefed a request from the State Auditor for clarification on whether state employees could install personal lines on their state-owned cellular phones.  The Board unanimously concurred that personal lines should not be installed.

 

PUBLIC COMMENTS/BOARD COMMENTS–No comments were offered.  Board member Gillie left the meeting at this time.

 

EXECUTIVE SESSION

       Chair Lim called the Board into Executive Session at 2:45 to discuss Board enforcement actions.  The Executive Session ended at 4:05 p.m. 

 

REGULAR MEETING RESUMED - The Board approved the Stipulation and Order for EEB Case No. 98-15 and 98-22  without modification.  No member of the Board moved to reconsider Board action in EEB Case Nos. 98-19, 98-20, and 98-24.

ADJOURNMENT

       The public meeting adjourned at 4:10 p.m.

 

                                                                         Approved by the Executive Ethics Board

 

                                                                         _________________________________________

                                                                         MARGARET A. GRIMALDI, Executive Secretary

 

                                                                         Date:  _________________________________