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Home My WebLink About22-521 Balent PHONE: 717-783-1610 STATE ETHICS COMMISSION FACSIMILE: 717-787-0806 TOLL FREE: 1-800-932-0936 FINANCE BUILDING WEBSITE: www.ethics.pa.gov 613 NORTH STREET, ROOM 309 HARRISBURG, PA 17120-0400 ADVICE OF COUNSEL June 29, 2022 To the Requester: David R. Balent Exeter Borough Councilman 22-521 Dear Mr. Balent: This responds to your letter dated June 03, 2022, wherein you requested an advisory from the Pennsylvania State Ethics Commission (“Commission”), seeking guidance as to the issue presented below: Issue: 1. Whether the Public Official and Employee Ethics Act (“Ethics Act”), 65 Pa.C.S. § 1101 et seq., would impose prohibitions or restrictions upon an individual serving as a Borough Councilman with regard to voting on the hiring of his daughter for the position of Zoning Officer. Brief Answer: YES. The individual would have a conflict of interest pursuant Section 1103(a) of the Ethics Act with regard to voting on the hiring of his daughter for the position of Zoning Officer. Facts: You request an advisory from the Commission based upon submitted facts, the material portion of which may be fairly summarized as follows. You are a Councilman for Exeter Borough, located in Luzerne Country, Pennsylvania. Exeter Borough has posted a job opening for a Zoning Officer. Your daughter, Noelle E. Balent (“Ms. Balent”), has applied for the open position. Balent, 22-521 June 29, 2022 Page 2 Based upon the above submitted facts, you seek guidance as to the following question: (1) Whether you may vote or take action with regard to hiring Ms. Balent for the position of Zoning Officer. 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 requester based upon the facts that the requester has submitted. In issuing the advisory based upon the facts that the requester has submitted, the Commission does not engage in an independent investigation of the facts, nor does it speculate as to facts that have not been submitted. It is the burden of the requester 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 requester has truthfully disclosed all of the material facts. As a Borough Councilman, you are a public official subject to the provisions of the Ethics Act. 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. Balent, 22-521 June 29, 2022 Page 3 65 Pa.C.S. §§ 1103(a), (j). The following terms related to Section 1103(a) are defined in the Ethics Act 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. “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. "Immediate family." A parent, spouse, child, brother or sister. 65 Pa.C.S. § 1102. Subject to the statutory exclusions to the Ethics Act’s definition of the term “conflict” or “conflict of interest,” 65 Pa.C.S. § 1102, 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, any member of his immediate family, or a business with which he or a member of his immediate family is associated. The use of authority of office is not limited merely to voting but extends to any use of authority of office including, but not limited to, discussing, conferring with others, and lobbying for a particular result. Juliante, Order 809. (emphasis added). In each instance of a conflict of interest, a public official/public employee would be required to abstain from participation, which would include voting unless one of the statutory exceptions of Section 1103(j) of the Ethics Act would be applicable. Additionally, the disclosure requirements of Section 1103(j) of the Ethics Act would have to be satisfied in the event of a voting conflict. Balent, 22-521 June 29, 2022 Page 4 In applying the above provisions of the Ethics Act to the instant matter, you are advised as follows. Based upon the submitted facts that your daughter, Ms. Balent, has applied for the open position of Zoning Officer with the Exeter Borough, you are advised that you would have a conflict of interest under Section 1103(a) of the Ethics Act with regard to voting on thehiring of Ms. Balent to the open position. Subject to the voting conflict exceptions of Section 1103(j) of the Ethics Act, you would be required to abstain fully from participation in each instance of a conflict of interest. The propriety of the proposed conduct has only been addressed under the Ethics Act; the applicability of any other statute, code, ordinance, regulation or other code of conduct other than the Ethics Act has not been considered in that they do not involve an interpretation of the Ethics Act. Conclusion: As Borough Councilman, you area public official subject to the provisions of the Ethics Act. Based upon the submitted facts that your daughter, Ms. Balent, has applied for the open position of Zoning Officer with the Exeter Borough, you are advised that you would have a conflict of interest under Section 1103(a) of the Ethics Act with regard to voting on thehiring of Ms. Balent to the open position. Subject to the voting conflict exceptions of Section 1103(j) of the EthicsAct, you would be required to abstain fully from participation in each instance of a conflict of interest. Pursuant to Section 1107(11) of the Ethics Act, an 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 requester 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. Respectfully, Bridget K. Guilfoyle Chief Counsel