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In Re: Maureen Oremus,
Respondent
s,rKrE ETHICS, COMMISSION
FINANCE 61,A-DING
613 NORTH s,rREET, ROOM 309
HARRISBURG, PA 17120-0400
File Docket:
Order No.
Date Decided:
Date Mailed:
22-0005-C
1827
10/4/23
10/6/23
Before: Michael A. Schwartz, Chair
Rhonda Hill Wilson, Vice Chair
Shelley Y. Simms
Paul E. Parsells
David L. Reddecliff
Robert P. Caruso
This is a final adjudication of the State Ethics Commission.
FACSIMILE: 717-787-0806,
WEBSITE: wwwoth! L5-0-gpv
-
Procedurally, the Investigative Division of the State Ethics Commission conducted an
investigation regarding possible violation(s) of the Public Official and Employee Ethics Act
("Ethics Act"), 65 Pa. C. S. § 1101 et M., by the above -named Respondent. At the commencement
of its investigation, the Investigative Division served upon Respondent written notice of the
specific allegations. Upon completion of its investigation, the Investigative Division issued and
served upon Respondent a Findings Report identified as an "Investigative Complaint." A
Stipulation of Findings and a Consent Agreement were subsequently submitted by the parties to
the Commission for consideration. The Stipulated Findings are set forth as the Findings in this
Order. The Consent Agreement has been approved.
L ALLEGATIONS:
That Maureen Oremus, a public employee as the Zoning Officer for Harveys Lake
Borough, violated Sections I 104(a), 11 05(a), I 105(b)(5), and I I 05(b)(8) of the: Ethics Act'
(1) When she failed to file Statements of Financial Interests for calendar years 2015
and 2018 and subsequently filed backdated forms for those calendar years to give
the impression that the forms for those years were timely filed; and
(2) When she failed to list all sources of income on her calendar year 2017 and 2018
Statements of Financial Interests, and when she failed to list all office, directorship,
or employment of any nature whatsoever in any business entity on her Statement
of Financial Interests for calendar year, 2019.
11, FINDINGS:
Oremus, 22-0005-C
Page 2
Maureen Oremus ("Oremus") has served as the Zoning Officer for Harvey Lake Borough
("Borough"), Luzerne County, Pennsylvania, since 2014.
2. Oremus has the following job duties as the Borough Zoning Officer:
a. Issue and review zoning permits;
b. Perform initial inspections;
C. Attend all Borough meetings; and
d. Consult with engineers, architects, and contractors.
3. Oremus is a public employee in her position as the Borough Zoning Officer, and in that
capacity, she is required to annually file a Statement of Financial Interests ("SFI") form by
May 1 containing information for the prior calendar year.
4. The State Ethics Commission ("Commission") annually contracts for the printing of SFI
forms.
a. Orders for forms are generally placed with the printing company in December each
year.
b. The ordered forms are received by the Administrative Division of the Commission
in December, prior to January I" of the filing year.
C. Each year the Commission makes minor changes to the forms, and the forms are
printed with a revision number (Rev.) which corresponds with the year in which the
filing is to take place.
For example, form SEC-1, Rev. 0 1/ 19 was to be filed in the year 2019.
d. Directions affixed to the SFI form clearly state to sign the form, to enter the current
date, and to not backdate the form.
e. Forms are then bulk mailed to each municipality, state board, and state agency in
the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania.
5. Pursuant to the procedure outlined above, the Administrative Division of the Commission
annually mailed SFI forms to the Borough for completion by the Borough's public officials
and public employees.
a. The Commission mailed SFI forms annually to the Borough between 2015 and the
present.
Oremus, 22-0005-C
Page 3
For filing year 2015, forms printed with an identification number of SEC-1,
Rev. O1/16 were mailed to all municipalities in the Commonwealth,
including the Borough, on or around December 31, 2015.
For filing year 2018, forms printed with an identification number of SEC-1,
Rev. 01/19 were mailed to all municipalities in the Commonwealth,
including the Borough, on or around December 31, 2018
6. The Borough Secretary/Treasurer, Irene Sankey ("Sankey"), receives and distributes the
SFI forms to Borough officials and employees -- including Oremus — each year.
a. Sankey routinely distributed scanned SFI forms in January of each year via email
to Borough officials and employees, including Oremus.
b. It is the responsibility of each individual public official and public employee to
accurately complete and timely file an SFI form with the Borough.
1. SFI forms can also be completed online at www.ethics.pa.gov.
2. The Borough is required to maintain SFI forms of public officials and public
employees who are required to file.
According to Sankey, some forms were missing because of an office move within
the Borough Building.
7. Oremus, in her capacity as the Borough Zoning Officer, was annually required to file an
SFI form by May I" with information pertaining to the prior calendar year.
8. Each year, Oremus, as the Borough Zoning Officer, was provided with a blank SFI form
for completion.
a. Either Sankey or a previous Secretary/Treasurer provided Oremus with SFI forms
to be completed for calendar years 2015 through 2021.
9. On November 17, 2022, a Special Investigator with the Commission contacted Sankey via
email to request SFI forms in conjunction with a compliance review.
a. The purpose of the compliance review was to review the SFI forms that were
completed by all Borough officials and covered employees.
b. After reviewing the SFI forms on file with the Borough, Sankey discovered that she
did not have SFI filings for Oremus for calendar years 2015 and 2018.
Sankey informed Oremus that she did not have SFI forms on file for calendar
years 2015 and 2018.
Oremus, 22-0005-C
Page 4
C. Sankey advised Oremus to date the forms to give the appearance her SFI forms were
timely filed for calendar years 2015 and 2018.
d. Oremus backdated her 2015 and 2018 SFI filings to give the appearance the forms
had been timely filed for both years.
e. Sankey added the forms that Oremus completed to the Borough SFI file.
10. On November 29, 2022, a Commission Special Investigator obtained and received Oremus'
SFI forms as part of the compliance review.
a. Calendar years 2015 through 2021 SFI forms filed by Oremus were maintained
within Borough files.
b. The review found that Oremus backdated her 2015 and 2019 SFI filings.
11. On or around November 17, 2022, Oremus, in her capacity as the Borough Zoning Officer,
filed SFI forms for calendar years 2015 and 2018, listing her public position and
governmental entity, and affixing her signature and purported date she signed/completed
the forms, as follows:
Calendar Year Purported Date of Completion SEC Form Used
2015 3/3/2016 SEC-1, Rev. 01/20
2018 3/4/2019 SEC-1. Rev. 01/20
a. Oremus's 2015 and 2018 SFI forms contained dates of execution/completion
which were factually impossible based upon the date those forms had been
printed.
b. The SEC-1, Rev. 01/20 form was not printed/distributed until January 2020.
12. Oremus filed SFIs with the Borough for calendar years 2017 through 2019 which
included the following disclosures:
a. Calendar Year: 2017
Dated: 2/15/2018 on form ,SEC-1, Rev. 01/18
Position: Zoning Officer
Government Entity: Harveys Lake
Borough Occupation: Zoning Officer
Real Estate Interests: 406 Bodle Road, Wyoming PA 18644
Creditors: Landmark Community Bank 5%, Cross Valley Federal Credit 5%
Direct/Indirect Sources of Income: None
Gifts: None
Transportation: Harveys Lake Borough/Value: $900.42
Office Directorship or Employment in Any Business: None
Financial Interest in Any Business: None
Orernus, 22-0005-C
Page 5
Other Financial Interests: None
b. Calendar Year: 2018
Dated: 3/4/2019 on form SEC-1, Rev. 01/20
Position: Zoning Officer
Government Entity: Harveys Lake
Borough Occupation: Zoning Officer
Real Estate Interests: 406 Bodle Road, Wyoming PA 18644
Creditors: Cross Valley Federal Credit/ Interest Rate: Left Blank
Direct/Indirect Sources of Income: Failure to Complete
Gifts: None
Transportation: None
Office Directorship or Employment in Any Business: None
Financial Interest in Any Business: None
Other Financial Interests: None
C. Calendar Year: 2019
Dated: 3/4/2020 on form SEC-1, Rev. 01/20
Position: Zoning Officer
Government Entity: Harveys Lake
Borough Occupation: Zoning Officer
Real Estate Interests: 406 Bodle Road, Wyoming PA 18644
Creditors: Cross Valley Federal Credit / Interest Rate: ?
Direct/Indirect Sources of Income: Harvey's Lake Borough / Air Excellence
(913 W. Main St. Plymouth)
Gifts: None
Transportation: None
Office Directorship or Employment in Any Business: Trucksville Volunteer
Fire & Rescue
Position Held. Fire Board Secretary
Financial Interest in Any Business: None
Other financial Interests: None
13. Oremus failed to list the Borough as a direct/indirect source of income on her 2017 and
2018 SFI forms.
a. Oremus' 2017 and 2018 Internal Revenue Service Form W-2 Tax and Wage
Statements confirmed she received $18,819.28 in 2017 and $15,792.45 in 2018 as
the Borough Zoning Officer.
14. Oremus failed to record her occupation or profession related to her employment with Air
Excellence on her 2019 SFI form.
15. On February 8, 2023, Oremus provided a sworn statement to a Commission Special
Investigator.
Oremus, 22-0005-C
Page 6
a. Oremus acknowledged that she was provided with SFI forms each year as the
Borough Zoning Officer.
b. Oremus was aware of the process of filing SFI forms each year as a Zoning Officer.
Oremus confirmed she backdated her 2015 and 2018 SFI forms to give the
impression her forms had been timely filed.
III. DISCUSSION:
As the Zoning Officer for Harveys Lake Borough ("Borough"), Luzerne County,
Pennsylvania, since 2014, Respondent Maureen Oremus ("Oremus") has been a public
official/public employee subject to the provisions of the Public Official and Employee Ethics Act
("Ethics Act"), 65 Pa. C.S. § 1101 et seq..
The allegations are that Oremus violated Sections 1104(a), 1105(a), 1105(b)(5), and
1 t05(b)(8) of the Ethics Act:
(1) When she failed to file Statements of Financial Interests for calendar years 2015
and 2018 and subsequently filed backdated forms for those calendar years to give
the impression that the forms for those years were timely filed; and
(2) When she failed to list all sources of income on her calendar year 2017 and 2018
Statements of Financial Interests, and when she failed to list all office, directorship,
or employment of any nature whatsoever in any business entity on her Statement
of Financial Interests for calendar year 2019.
Per the Consent Agreement, the Investigative Division has exercised its prosecutorial
discretion to nolle pros the allegations in paragraph (2) above. We therefore need not address
those allegations.
Section 1104(a) of the Ethics Act provides that each public official/public employee must
file a Statement of Financial Interests for the preceding calendar year, by May 1 of each year that
he holds the position and the year after he leaves it.
As noted above, the parties have submitted a Consent Agreement and Stipulation of
Findings. The parties' Stipulated Findings are set forth above as the Findings of this Commission.
We shall now summarize the relevant facts as contained therein.
Oremus has served as the Borough Zoning Officer since 2014, in which capacity she is
required to annually file a Statement of Financial Interests by May 1.
Each year this Commission contracts for the printing of blank Statement of Financial
Interests forms. The printed Statement of Financial Interests forms are received by the
Administrative Division of this Commission in December, prior to January 1 of the filing year.
Each year the printed forms bear a revision number that corresponds with the year in which the
forms are to be filed. As an example, printed forms bearing the revision number SEC-1, Rev.
Oremus, 22-0005-C
Page 7
01/19 were printed to be used for Statement of Financial Interests filings required to be made in
2019. Instructions accompanying the printed forms clearly state to sign the form, to enter the
current date, and to not backdate the form. The Commission bulk mails the printed forms to
municipalities in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, including the Borough.
Either the current Borough Secretary/Treasurer, Irene Sankey ("Sankey"), or a previous
Borough Secretary/Treasurer provided Oremus with blank Statement of Financial Interests forms
to complete each year. On November 17, 2022, a Commission Special Investigator contacted
Sankey to request Statement of Financial Interests forms on file with the Borough for the purpose
of performing a compliance review with regard to filings by Borough public officials and public
employees. After Sankey reviewed the Statement of Financial Interests forms on file with the
Borough, she discovered that there were no Statements of Financial Interests on file for Oremus
for calendar years 2015 and 2018. Sankey then informed Oremus that she did not have Statements
of Financial Interests for calendar years 2015 and 2018 on file with the Borough, and Sankey
advised Oremus to date Statement of Financial Interests forms to give the appearance that they had
been timely filed for calendar years 2015 and 2018. Oremus subsequently backdated Statement
of Financial Interests forms for calendar years 2015 and 2018 to give the impression that the forms
had been timely filed, and Sankey added the forms to Borough files.
On November 29, 2022, a Commission Special Investigator received Oremus' Statement
of Financial Interests forms for calendar years 2015 through 2021 as part of the compliance review.
Oremus' Statement of Financial Interests for calendar year 2015 was dated 3/3/2016, and her
Statement of Financial Interests for calendar year 2018 was dated 3/4/2019. The Statement of
Financial Interests forms that Oremus completed for calendar years 2015 and 2018 bore the
revision number of SEC-1, Rev. 01/20. It was impossible for Oremus to have completed the
Statement of Financial Interests fortes on the dates purported because the SEC-1, Rev. 01/20 form
was not printed and distributed until January 2020.
Having highlighted the Stipulated Findings and issues before us, we shall now apply the
Ethics Act to determine the proper disposition of this case.
The parties' Consent Agreement sets forth a proposed resolution of the allegations as
follows:
3. The Investigative Division will recommend the following in relation
to the above allegations:
a. That two violations of Section 1104(a) of the Public
Official and Employee Ethics Act, 65 Pa.C.S. §
1104(a), occurred when Oremus failed to file
Statements of Financial Interests for calendar years
2015 and 2018 and subsequently filed backdated
forms for those calendar years to give the impression
that the forms for those years were timely filed.
b. The remaining count will be nolle grossed.
Oremus, 22-0005-C
Page 8
4. Oremus agrees to make payment in the amount of $400.00 in
settlement of this matter payable to the Commonwealth of
Pennsylvania, and forwarded to the Pennsylvania State Ethics
Commission, within thirty (30) days of the issuance of the final
adjudication in this matter.
S. Oremus agrees to file complete and accurate amended Statements of
Financial Interests with Harveys Lake Borough, through the
Pennsylvania State Ethics Commission, for calendar years 2015 and
2017 through 2019 within thirty (30) days of the issuance of the final
adjudication in this matter.
6. Oremus agrees to not accept any reimbursement, compensation or
other payment from Harveys Lake Borough representing a full or
partial reimbursement of the amount paid in settlement of this
matter.
7. The Investigative Division will recommend that the State Ethics
Commission take no further action in this matter; and make no
specific recommendations to any law enforcement or other authority
to take action in this matter. Such, however, does not prohibit the
Commission from initiating appropriate enforcement actions in the
event of Respondent's failure to comply with this agreement or the
Commission's order or cooperating with any other authority who
may so choose to review this matter further.
a. The Respondent has been advised that as a matter of
course, all orders from the Commission are provided
to the Attorney General, albeit without any specific
recommendations pursuant to paragraph 7 above.
b. The Respondent has been advised that all orders
become public records and may be acted upon by law
enforcement as they deem appropriate.
C. The non -referral language contained in this
paragraph is considered an essential part of the
negotiated consent agreement.
Consent Agreement, at 1-2.
In considering the Consent Agreement, we agree with the parties, and we hold, that two
violations of Section 1104(a) of the Ethics Act, 65 Pa.C.S. § 1 t04(a), occurred when Oremus failed
to file Statements of Financial Interests for calendar years 2015 and 2018 and subsequently filed
backdated forms for those calendar years to give the impression that the forms for those years were
timely filed.
Oremrts, 22-0005-C
Page 9
As part of the Consent Agreement, Oremus has agreed to make payment in the amount of
$400.00 payable to the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania and forwarded to this Commission within
thirty (30) days of the issuance of the final adjudication in this matter. Oremus has agreed to not
accept any reimbursement, compensation or other payment from the Borough representing a full
or partial reimbursement of the amount paid in settlement of this matter. Oremus has further
agreed to file complete and accurate amended Statements of Financial Interests for calendar years
2015 and 2017 through 2019 with the Borough, through this Commission, within thirty (30) days
of the issuance of the final adjudication in this matter.
We agree that the aforesaid recommendations are appropriate, including the
recommendation that Oremus file complete and accurate amended Statements of Financial
Interests for calendar years 2015 and 2017 through 2019, notwithstanding the nolle pros as to the
allegations pertaining to deficiencies in her SFIs for calendar years 2017 and 2019.
Accordingly, per the Consent Agreement of the parties, Oremus is directed to make
payment in the amount of $400.00 payable to the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania and forwarded
to this Commission by no later than the thirtieth (30"') day after the mailing date of this adjudication
and Order.
Oremus is directed to not accept any reimbursement, compensation or other payment from
the Borough representing a full or partial reimbursement of the amount paid in settlement of this
matter.
To the extent she has not already done so, Oremus is directed to file complete and accurate
amended Statements of Financial Interests for calendar years 2015 and 2017 tlnough 2019 with
the Borough, through this Commission, by no later than the thirtieth (301h) day after the mailing
date of this adjudication and Order.
Compliance with the foregoing will result in the closing of this case with no further action
by this Commission. Noncompliance will result in the institution of an order enforcement action.
IV. CONCLUSIONS OF LAW:
As the Zoning Officer for Harveys Lake Borough, Luzerne County, Pennsylvania, since
2014, Respondent Maureen Oremus ("Oremus") has been a public official/public
employee subject to the provisions of the Public Official and Employee Ethics Act ("Ethics
Act"), 65 Pa. C.S. § 1101 et etc ..
2. Two violations of Section 1104(a) of the Ethics Act, 65 Pa.C.S. § 1104(a), occurred when
Oremus failed to file Statements of Financial Interests for calendar years 2015 and 2018
and subsequently filed backdated forms for those calendar years to give the impression that
the forms for those years were timely filed.
In Re: Maureen Oremus, File Docket: 22-0005-C
Respondent Date Decided: 10/4/23
Date Mailed: 10/6/23
ORDER NO. 1827
Two violations of Section 1104(a) of the Public Official and Employee Ethics Act ("Ethics
Act"), 65 Pa.C.S. § 1104(a), occurred when Maureen Oremus ("Oremus"), as the Zoning
Officer for Harveys Lake Borough ("Borough"), Luzerne County, Pennsylvania, failed to
file Statements of Financial Interests for calendar years 2015 and 2018 and subsequently
filed backdated forms for those calendar years to give the impression that the forms for
those years were timely filed.
2. Per the Consent Agreement of the parties, Oremus is directed to make payment in the
amount of $400.00 payable to the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania and forwarded to the
Pennsylvania State Ethics Commission by no later than the thirtieth (30t") day after the
mailing date of this Order.
3. Oremus is directed to not accept any reimbursement, compensation or other payment from
the Borough representing a full or partial reimbursement of the amount paid in settlement
of this matter.
4. To the extent she has not already done so, Oremus is directed to file complete and accurate
amended Statements of Financial Interests for calendar years 2015 and 2017 through 2019
with the Borough, through the Pennsylvania State Ethics Commission, by no later than the
thirtieth (30'h) day after the mailing date of this Order.
5. Compliance with paragraphs 2, 3, and 4 of this Order will result in the closing of this case
with no further action by this Commission.
a. Non-compliance will result in the institution of an order enforcement action.
BY THE COMMISSION,
Michael A, Schwart ., a'r-