HomeMy WebLinkAbout23-543 Campbell
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
July 28, 2023
To the Requester:
Frank Campbell
23-543
Dear Mr. Campbell:
This responds to your letter dated July 6, 2023, by which you requested an advisory from
the Pennsylvania State Ethics Commission (Commission), seeking guidance as to the issue
presented below:
Issue:
Whether the Public Official and Employee Ethics Act (Ethics Act), 65 Pa.C.S. § 1101 et
seq., would prohibit an individual from simultaneously serving in the following three
positions: (1) a Member of the Howe Township Municipal Authority; (2) a Member of the
Borough of Newport Planning Commission; and (3) a County Commissioner for Perry
County, Pennsylvania.
Brief Answer: NO. The Ethics Act would not prohibit the individual from simultaneously
serving in the aforesaid three positions.
Facts:
You are a currently a Member and Chairman of the Howe Township Municipal Authority
, which is located in Howe Township, Perry County,
Pennsylvania. The Township Municipal Authority operates a recently installed sanitary sewer
collection system which has an intermunicipal agreement with the Borough of Newport
and the Oliver Township Municipal Authority.
You are also currently a Member and Vice-Chairman of the Borough of Newport Planning
Commission . You have submitted a copy of Chapter 39 of the
Borough of Newport Code of Ordinances ), which provides, in
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July 28, 2023
Page 2
pertinent part, that the Borough Planning Commission shall consist of up to five Members
appointed by Borough Council. See, Borough Code of Ordinances, § 39-3. The Borough Planning
Commission possesses the powers granted by the Municipalities Planning Code, 53 P.S. § 10201
et seq. See, Borough Code of Ordinances, § 39-4. The Planning Commission further possesses
the power and authority to, inter alialy for, monitor, implement and take all steps to
fulfill and complete, with any other party, grants, funds, contracts, etc., as needed to carry out
duties of \[the\] See, Borough Code of Ordinances, § 39-4 C. The Planning
Commission al
and protection of the shade trees in the Borough. See, Borough Code of Ordinances, §§ 39-2,
55-2.
Three County Commissioners will be elected in the November 2023 general election, and you are
one of three individuals who will be on the ballot for the November 2023 general election for the
office of County Commissioner. Accordingly, it is anticipated that you will be elected as a County
Commission in the November 2023 general election.
You seek guidance as to whether the Ethics Act would permit you to simultaneously serve
as: (1) a Member of the Township Municipal Authority; (2) a Member of the Borough Planning
Commission; and (3) a County Commissioner.
Discussion:
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 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 material facts.
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
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July 28, 2023
Page 3
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), 1103(j).
The following terms related to Section 1103(a) are defined in the Ethics Act as follows:
§ 1102. Definitions
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.
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.
65
Pa.C.S. § 1102, a public official/public employee is prohibited from using the authority of public
office or confidential information received by holding such a public position for the private
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July 28, 2023
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pecuniary (financial) 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.
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.
Conclusion:
In applying the above provisions of the Ethics Act to the instant matter, you are advised as
follows.
As a Member of the Township Municipal Authority, you are a public official subject to the
provisions of the Ethics Act. Based upon a review of the pertinent provisions of the Borough Code
of Ordinances, the Borough Planning Commission is not a purely advisory board, and therefore,
in your capacity as a Member of the Borough Planning Commission, you are a public official
subject to the provisions of the Ethics Act. Cf., Muscalus, Opinion 02-007 (holding that the Ethics
excludes members of purely advisory boards). If you
would be elected as a County Commissioner, upon assuming said position, you would in that
capacity also be a public official subject to the provisions of the Ethics Act.
With regard 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 that would
preclude you from simultaneously serving in the three public positions at issue.
Turning to the question of conflict of interest, 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, McCain, Opinion 02-009). 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) of the Ethics Act.
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. However, in each instance of a conflict of interest, the individual would be required to
abstain from participation.
In this case, based upon the facts that have been submitted, there does not appear to be an
inherent conflict that would preclude you from simultaneously serving as: (1) a Member of the
Township Municipal Authority; (2) a Member of the Borough Planning Commission; and (3) a
County Commissioner.
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July 28, 2023
Page 5
Consequently, such simultaneous service would be permitted subject to the restrictions and
requirements of Sections 1103(a) and 1103(j) of the Ethics Act.
Lastly, the propriety of the proposed conduct has only been addressed under the Ethics Act.
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