HomeMy WebLinkAbout137-S RunkIn Re: Samuel Runk
File Docket:
X -ref:
Date Decided:
Date Mailed:
Before: Daneen E. Reese, Chair
Louis W.Fryman, Vice Chair
John J. Bolger
Frank M. Brown
Susan Mosites Bicket
Donald M. McCurdy
01 -040 -P
Order No. 137 -S
2/4/02
2/15/02
This is a final adjudication of the State Ethics Commission as to the alleged
delinquency and /or deficiency of Statement(s) of Financial Interests required to be filed
pursuant to Sections 4/1104 and 5/1105 of the Public Official and Employee Ethics Act
( "Ethics Act "), 65 P.S. §401 et seq. /65 Pa.C.S. §1101 et seq.
The Investigative Division initiated these proceedings by filing with the State Ethics
Commission and serving upon Respondent a Petition for Civil Penalty(ies ). An Order to Show
Cause was issued to Respondent. An Answer was not filed by the Respondent, and a
hearing was deemed waived. The record is complete.
This is a final Order, and it is publicly available upon issuance. Reconsideration may
be requested, but a request for reconsideration will not affect the finality of this adjudication or
its availability as a public document. Any reconsideration request must be received at this
Commission within thirty days of the mailing date noted above and must include a detailed
explanation of the reasons as to why reconsideration should be granted in conformity with 51
Pa. Code §21.29(b).
Runk 01 -040 -P
Page 2
I. FINDINGS:
1. Respondent is an adult individual who resides or maintains a mailing address at 1203
Buffalo Run Road, Bellefonte, PA 16823.
2. At all times relevant to these proceedings, Respondent has been an Auditor for Benner
Township and as such Respondent has at all times relevant to these proceedings been
a "public official" as that term is defined in Section 2 of the Ethics Law, 65 Pa.C.S.
§1102.
3. Respondent as a public official is subject to the Statement of Financial Interests filing
provisions of the Ethics Law.
4. Respondent has failed to provide full financial disclosure as required by the Ethics
Law. Respondent has failed to file Statements of Financial Interests for calendar
year(s) 1997, 1998 and1999 with the State Ethics Commission, which Statements of
Financial Interests were to be filed by May 1 of 1998, 1999 and 2000, and Respondent
has therefore transgressed Sections 4 and 5 of the Ethics Law, 65 Pa.C.S. § §1104,
1105.
5. By Notice letter dated July 13, 2000, Respondent was served with Notice in
accordance with Section 7(5) of the Ethics Law of the specific allegations against
Respondent concerning the above transgression. Said Notice letter provided
Respondent an opportunity to avoid the institution of these civil penalty proceedings by
filing accurate and complete Statements of Financial Interests for calendar year(s)
1999 within twenty (20) days of the date of the Notice letter. Respondent has failed
and refused to file Statements of Financial Interests for calendar year(s) 1999 so as to
comply with the specific requirements of the Ethics Law. A true and correct copy of the
said Notice letter is attached hereto as collective Exhibit "A" and made a part hereof.
6. By Notice letter dated August 6, 2001, Respondent was served with Notice in
accordance with Section 7(5) of the Ethics Law of the specific allegations against
Respondent concerning the above transgression. Said Notice letter provided
Respondent an opportunity to avoid the institution of these civil penalty proceedings by
filing accurate and complete Statements of Financial Interests for calendar year(s)
1999 within twenty (20) days of the date of the Notice letter. Respondent has failed
and refused to file Statements of Financial Interests for calendar year(s) 1999 so as to
comply with the specific requirements of the Ethics Law. A true and correct copy of the
said Notice letter is attached hereto as collective Exhibit "B" and made a part hereof.
7. Section 9(f) of the Ethics Law provides:
Section 9. Penalties
(f) In addition to any other civil remedy or criminal penalty
provided for in this act, the commission may, after notice has
been served in accordance with section 7(5) and upon a majority
vote of its members, levy a civil penalty upon any person subject
to this act who fails to file a statement of financial interests in a
timely manner or who files a deficient statement of financial
interests, at a rate of not more than $25 for each day such
statement remains delinquent or deficient. The maximum penalty
payable under this paragraph is $250.
65 Pa.C.S. §1109(f).
8. For each violation the Commission finds, Respondent is subject to civil penalty liability
under Section 9(f) of the Ethics Law, 65 Pa. C.S. §1109(f) at a rate of not more than
Runk 01 -040 -P
Page 3
$25.00 per day for each day the Statement of Financial Interests remains delinquent or
deficient, for a maximum civil penalty of $250.00 per violation. Because Respondent
has committed one (1) violation alleged herein, Respondent is subject to total maximum
civil penalty liability of $250.00 for said violation.
9. There are no mitigating circumstances and Respondent should be assessed the
maximum civil penalty of $250.00 for each violation, in that the twenty -day deadline set
forth in the said final Notice letter to Respondent has expired and the Respondent has
not complied.
II. DISCUSSION:
As an Auditor for Benner Township, Respondent Samuel Runk was at all times
relevant to these proceedings a "public official" subject to the provisions of the Public Official
and Employee Ethics Act ( "Ethics Act "), 65 Pa.C.S. §1101, et seq.
Pursuant to Section 1104(a) of the Ethics Act, Samuel Runk was specifically required
to file a Statement of Financial Interests for calendar years 1997, 1998, and 1999 with the
State Ethics Commission on or before May 1, 1998, 1999, and 2000. Section 1104(a)
provides:
§1104. Statement of financial interests required to be filed
(a) Public official or public employee.--Each public official of the
Commonwealth shall file a statement of financial interests for the preceding
calendar year with the commission no later than May 1 of each year that he
holds such a position and of the year after he leaves such a osition. Each
public employee and public official of the Commonwealth shall file a statement
of financial interests for the preceding calendar year with the department,
agency, body or bureau in which he is employed or to which he is appointed or
elected no later than May 1 of each year that he holds such a position and of
the year after he leaves such a position. Any other public employee or public
official shall file a statement of financial interests with the governing authority of
the political subdivision by which he is employed or within which he is appointed
or elected no later than May 1 of each year that he holds such a position and of
the year after he leaves such a position. Persons who are full -time or part -time
solicitors for political subdivisions are required to file under this section.
65 Pa.C.S. §1104(a).
The complete financial disclosure which Samuel Runk as an Auditor for Benner
Township was required to provide in the Statement of Financial Interests form is statutorily
mandated in detail at Section 1105 of the Ethics Act, 65 Pa.C.S. §1105.
Section 1109(f) of the Ethics Act provides as follows:
§1109. Penalties
(f) Civil Penalty. -- In addition to any other civil remedy or criminal
penalty provided for in this chapter, the commission may, after notice has been
served in accordance with section 1107(5) (relating to powers and duties of
commission) and upon a majority vote of its members, levy a civil penalty upon
any person subject to this chapter who fails to file a statement of financial
interests in a timely manner or who files a deficient statement of financial
interests, at a rate of not more than $25 for each day such statement remains
delinquent or deficient. The maximum penalty payable under this paragraph is
$250.
Runk 01 -040 -P
Page 4
65 Pa.C.S. §1109(f).
An application of Section 1109(f) to this case establishes that this Commission has the
discretion to levy a maximum civil penalty against the Respondent for each delinquent or
deficient Statement of Financial Interests.
The prerequisite service of a Notice letter in accordance with Section 1107(5) was
satisfied. Respondent did not remedy the failure to comply with the Ethics Act although given
more than the usual grace period following Notice in which to do so.
The Investigative Division then instituted formal proceedings against Respondent by
filing with the State Ethics Commission and serving upon Respondent a Petition for Civil
Penalties. The State Ethics Commission issued an Order to Show Cause, ordering
Respondent to show cause why a civil penalty should not be levied against Respondent.
Respondent did not file an answer to the Order to Show Cause. There is nothing of
record which would constitute a defense or excuse for Respondent's failure to comply with the
Ethics Act. Respondent has failed to show cause why a civil penalty should not be levied
against Respondent in this matter.
We find that Respondent Samuel Runk, as an Auditor for Benner Township, failed to
comply with Section 1104(a) of the Ethics Act, 65 Pa.C.S. §1104(a), when he failed to file a
Statement of Financial Interests for calendar years 1997, 1998, and 1999 with the State
Ethics Commission.
We hereby levy one civil penalty against Respondent Samuel Runk at the rate of
Twenty -Five Dollars ($25.00) per day, for each day Respondent's Statement of Financial
Interests for calendar years 1997, 1998, and 1999 has remained delinquent. Given the
number of days during which the Statement of Financial Interests has remained delinquent,
the resultant amount to be levied against Respondent is Two - Hundred and Fifty Dollars
($250.00).
Respondent shall be ordered to make payment of the above civil penalty in the amount
of $250.00 within 30 days of the issuance of this adjudication and Order, by forwarding a
check to this Commission made payable to the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, for deposit in
the State Treasury.
Respondent shall be ordered to file a complete and accurate Statement of Financial
Interests for calendar years 1997, 1998, and 1999 with this Commission within 30 days of the
issuance of this adjudication and Order.
III. CONCLUSIONS OF LAW:
1. Samuel Runk, as an Auditor for Benner Township, was at all times relevant to these
proceedings a "public official" subject to the provisions of the Public Official and
Employee Ethics Act ( "Ethics Act "), 65 Pa.C.S. §1101 et seq.
2. Respondent, as a an Auditor for Benner Township, failed to comply with Section
1104(a) of the Ethics Act, 65 Pa.C.S. §1104(a), when he failed to file a Statement of
Financial Interests for calendar years 1997, 1998, and 1999 with the State Ethics
Commission.
3. Notice of the delinquency of Respondent's Statement of Financial Interests for
calendar years 1997, 1998, and 1999 was previously served upon Respondent in
accordance with Section 1107(5) of the Ethics Act, 65 Pa.C.S. §1107(5).
4. Based upon the totality of the circumstances in this case, a civil penalty in the total
amount of $250.00 is warranted.
IN RE: Samuel Runk
Respondent
File Docket: 01 -040 -P
Date Decided: 2/4/02
Date Mailed: 2/15/02
ORDER NO. 137 -S
1. Samuel Runk, as an Auditor for Benner Township, failed to comply with Section
1104(a) of the Public Official and Employee Ethics Act ( "Ethics Act "), 65 Pa.C.S.
§1104(a), when he failed to file a Statement of Financial Interests for calendar years
1997, 1998, and 1999 with the State Ethics Commission.
2. This Commission hereby levies one civil penalty against Respondent Samuel Runk at
the rate of Twenty -Five Dollars ($25.00) per day for each day Respondent's Statement
of Financial Interests for calendar years 1997, 1998, and 1999 has remained
delinquent, for a total civil penalty of Two - Hundred and Fifty Dollars ($250.00).
Respondent is ordered to pay the said civil penalty in the total amount of $250.00
within 30 days of the issuance of this Order, by forwarding a check to this Commission
payable to the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania for deposit in the State Treasury.
3. Respondent Samuel Runk is ordered to file a complete and accurate Statement of
Financial Interests for calendar years 1997, 1998, and 1999 with the State Ethics
Commission within 30 days of issuance of this Order.
4. Failure to comply with any provision of this Order will result in the initiation of an
appropriate enforcement action.
BY THE COMMISSION,
DANEEN E. REESE, CHAIR