HomeMy WebLinkAbout03-524 WimerNorman J. Wimer
155 Elm Street
Box 389
Tionesta, PA 16353
Dear Mr. Wimer:
ADVICE OF COUNSEL
March 17, 2003
Re: Simultaneous Service, County Commissioner and Coroner.
03 -524
This responds to your letter of February 13, 2003, by which you requested advice from
the State Ethics Commission.
Issue: Whether the Public Official and Employee Ethics Act ( "Ethics Act "), 65 Pa.C.S.
X01 et seq., imposes any prohibition or restrictions upon a county commissioner with
regard to simultaneously serving as coroner in the same county.
Facts: As a County Commissioner for Forest County ( "County "), you seek an advisory
r�he State Ethics Commission regarding the conflict of interest provisions of the Ethics
Act.
You state that you would like to simultaneously serve as County Commissioner and
County Coroner. You ask whether such simultaneous service is permissible. You state your
understanding that if you would be permitted to simultaneously serve in these positions, you
would, as County Commissioner, be required to abstain and to make oral and written
disclosures with regard to approval of the Coroner's office expenses. You ask whether you
would also be required to abstain and make disclosures with regard to policy setting matters
pertaining to the Coroner's Office, such as setting fees for autopsy reports, cremation
authorizations, and the like, as well as attendance at required seminars.
Discussion: It is initially noted that pursuant to Sections 1107(10) and 1107(11) of the
Ethics Act, 65 Pa.C.S. §§ 1107(10), (11), advisories are issued to the requestor based upon
the facts which the requestor has submitted. In issuing the advisory based upon the facts
which the requestor has submitted, the Commission does not engage in an independent
investigation of the facts, nor does it speculate as to facts which have not been submitted. It is
the burden of the requestor to truthfully disclose all of the material facts relevant to the inquiry.
65 Pa.C.S. §§ 1107(10), (11). An advisory only affords a defense to the extent the requestor
has truthfully disclosed all of the material facts.
Wimer 03 -524
March 17, 2003
Page 2
As a County Commissioner, you are a "public official" subject to the provisions of the
Ethics Act. See, e.q., Wagner, Order 1069. If elected County Coroner, you would in that
capacity also be considered a "public official" subject to the Ethics Act. See, e.q., Yatron,
Opinion 02 -008.
Sections 1103(a) and 1103(j) of the Ethics Act provide:
§ 1103. Restricted Activities
(a) Conflict of interest. —No public official or public
employee shall engage in conduct that constitutes a conflict of
interest.
(j) Voting conflict. —Where voting conflicts are not
otherwise addressed by the Constitution of Pennsylvania or by
any law, rule, regulation, order or ordinance, the following
procedure shall be employed. Any public official or public
employee who in the discharge of his official duties would be
required to vote on a matter that would result in a conflict of
interest shall abstain from voting and, prior to the vote being
taken, publicly announce and disclose the nature of his interest
as a public record in a written memorandum filed with the person
responsible for recording the minutes of the meeting at which the
vote is taken, provided that whenever a governing body would be
unable to take any action on a matter before it because the
number of members of the body required to abstain from voting
under the provisions of this section makes the majority or other
legally required vote of approval unattainable, then such
members shall be permitted to vote if disclosures are made as
otherwise provided herein. In the case of a three - member
governing body of a political subdivision, where one member has
abstained from voting as a result of a conflict of interest and the
remaining two members of the governing body have cast
opposing votes, the member who has abstained shall be
permitted to vote to break the tie vote if disclosure is made as
otherwise provided herein.
65 Pa.C.S. §§ 1103(a), (j).
The following terms pertaining to conflicts of interest under the Ethics Act are defined
as follows:
§ 1102. Definitions
"Conflict" or "conflict of interest." Use by a public
official or public employee of the authority of his office or
employment or any confidential information received through his
holding public office or employment for the private pecuniary
benefit of himself, a member of his immediate family or a
business with which he or a member of his immediate family is
associated. The term does not include an action having a de
minimis economic impact or which affects to the same degree a
class consisting of the general public or a subclass consisting of
an industry, occupation or other group which includes the public
official or public employee, a member of his immediate family or a
business with which he or a member of his immediate family is
associated.
Wimer 03 -524
March 17, 2003
Page 3
"Authority of office or employment." The actual
power provided by law, the exercise of which is necessary to the
performance of duties and responsibilities unique to a particular
public office or position of public employment.
65 Pa.C.S. § 1102.
In applying the above provisions of the Ethics Act to the question of simultaneous
service, it is initially noted that the General Assembly has the constitutional power to declare
by law which offices are incompatible. Pa. Const. Art. 6, § 2. There does not appear to be
any statutorily declared incompatibility precluding simultaneous service in the positions in
question.
Turning to the question of conflict of interest, pursuant to Section 1103(a) of the Ethics
Act, a public official /public employee is prohibited from using the authority of public
office /employment or confidential information received by holding such a public position for the
private pecuniary benefit of the public official /public employee himself, a member of his
immediate family, or a business with which he or a member of his immediate family is
associated.
Where simultaneous service would place the public official /public employee in a
continual state of conflict, such as where in one position he would be accounting to himself in
another position on a continual basis, there would be an inherent conflict. (See, Johnson,
Opinion 86 -004). Where an inherent conflict would exist, it would appear to be impossible, as
a practical matter, for the public official /public employee to function in the conflicting positions
without running afoul of Section 1103(a).
Absent a statutorily - declared incompatibility or an inherent conflict under Section
1103(a), the Ethics Act would not preclude an individual from simultaneously serving in more
than one position, but in each instance of a conflict of interest, the individual would be required
to abstain and to satisfy the disclosure requirements of Section 1103(j) as set forth above.
In this case, based upon the facts that have been submitted, there does not appear to
be an inherent conflict that would preclude simultaneous service as County Commissioner
and Coroner. Consequently, such simultaneous service would be permitted within the
parameters of Sections 1103(a) and 1103(j) of the Ethics Act.
Pursuant to Section 1103(a) of the Ethics Act, you would generally have a conflict of
interest in matters before you as a County Commissioner or Coroner that would financially
impact you, a member of your immediate family, or a business with which you or a member of
your immediate family is associated. Such matters would include approving the Coroner's
office expenses. Subject to the "de minimis" and "class /subclass" exclusions in the definition
of "conflict" or "conflict of interest" set forth above, a conflict could also exist as to setting the
fees for autopsy reports, cremation authorizations, and the like if you, a member or your
immediate family, or a business with which you or a member of your immediate family is
associated would be financially impacted thereby. As for approval to attend required seminars,
a conflict of interest could exist depending upon the factual circumstances (such as related
expenses). You may seek further advice from the Commission as to particular factual
circumstances as they arise.
In each instance of a conflict of interest, you would be required to abstain fully and to
satisfy the disclosure requirements of Section 1103(j) of the Ethics Act.
Lastly, the propriety of the proposed conduct has only been addressed under the
Ethics Act.
Wimer 03 -524
March 17, 2003
Page 4
Conclusion: As a County Commissioner for Forest County ( "County "), you are a
"public official" subject to the provisions of the Public Official and Employee Ethics Act
('Ethics Act "), 65 Pa.C.S. § 1101 et seq. If elected County Coroner, you would in that
capacity also be considered a "public official" subject to the Ethics Act. You may, consistent
with Section 1103(a) of the Ethics Act, simultaneously serve in the positions of County
Commissioner and County Coroner, subject to the restrictions, conditions and qualifications
set forth above. In each instance of a conflict of interest, you would be required to abstain fully
and to satisfy the disclosure requirements of Section 1103(j) of the Ethics Act.
Lastly, the propriety of the proposed course of conduct has only been addressed under
the Ethics Act.
Pursuant to Section 1107(11), this Advice is a complete defense in any enforcement
proceeding initiated by the Commission, and evidence of good faith conduct in any other civil
or criminal proceeding, provided the requestor has disclosed truthfully all the material facts and
committed the acts complained of in reliance on the Advice given.
This letter is a public record and will be made available as such.
Finally, if you disagree with this Advice or if you have any reason to
challenge same, you may appeal the Advice to the full Commission. A
personal appearance before the Commission will be scheduled and a
formal Opinion will be issued by the Commission.
Any such appeal must be in writing and must be actually received at
the Commission within thirty (30) days of the date of this Advice pursuant
to 51 Pa.Code § 13.2(h). The appeal may be received at the Commission
by hand delivery, United States mail, delivery service, or by FAX
transmission (717- 787 - 0806). Failure to file such an appeal at the
Commission within thirty (30) days may result in the dismissal of the
appeal.
Sincerely,
Vincent J. Dopko
Chief Counsel