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HomeMy WebLinkAbout25-555 McKelvey 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 December 12, 2025 To the Requester: Laura McKelvey 25-555 Dear Ms. McKelvey: This responds to your letter dated November 28, 2025, by which you requested an advisory from the Pennsylvania State Ethics Commission (“Commission”), seeking guidance as to the issue presented below: Issue: Whether Section 1103(a) of the Public Official and Employee Ethics Act (“Ethics Act”), 65 Pa.C.S. § 1103(a), pertaining to conflict of interest, would prohibit an individual serving as a School Director for the Salisbury Township School District, who is employed as a teacher with the Allentown School District, from participating in negotiations, discussions, or other actions of the Salisbury Township School District pertaining to employment matters involving Salisbury Township School District personnel. Brief Answer: Section 1103(a) of the Ethics Act generally prohibits an individual who holds a position of public office/public employment from using the authority of the public position or confidential information received by holding the public position for the private pecuniary (financial) benefit of the individual, any member of the individual’s immediate family, or a business with which the individual or an immediate family member is associated. Unless there would be a private pecuniary (financial) benefit to the individual or a member of the individual’s immediate family, Section 1103(a) of the Ethics Act would not prohibit the individual from participating in negotiations, discussions, or other actions of the Salisbury Township School District pertaining to employment matters involving Salisbury Township School District personnel. Facts: You are a School Director for the Salisbury Township School District and a member of the Pennsylvania School Boards Association. You recently became employed as a teacher with the McKelvey, 25-555 December 12, 2025 Page 2 Allentown School District. You are not currently a member of any teachers’ union, the Pennsylvania State Education Association (“PSEA”), or the National Education Association (“NEA”). You have no direct financial interest in Salisbury Township School District contracts beyond your standard responsibilities as a School Director. You seek guidance regarding any potential conflicts of interest with respect to performing the duties of your public position as a School Director in employment matters involving Salisbury Township School District personnel. In particular, you pose the following questions: (1) Whether you would be permitted to participate in negotiations or discussions with the Salisbury Township School District teachers’ union; (2) Whether you would be permitted to participate in negotiations or discussions with the Salisbury Township School District support staff union; (3) Whether you would be permitted to participate in negotiations, discussions, or approvals regarding individual employment contracts for the Salisbury Township School District Superintendent, Assistant Superintendent, Human Resources Director, or Chief Financial Officer; and (4) Whether any of the answers to the questions abovewould change if you would become a member of the Allentown School District teachers’ union, PSEA, or NEA. 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 McKelvey, 25-555 December 12, 2025 Page 3 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), 1103(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. “Business.” Any corporation, partnership, sole proprietorship, firm, enterprise, franchise, association, organization, self-employed individual, holding company, joint stock company, receivership, trust or any legal entity organized for profit. McKelvey, 25-555 December 12, 2025 Page 4 “Business with which he is associated.”Any business in which the person or a member of the person's immediate family is a director, officer, owner, employee or has a financial interest. 65 Pa.C.S. § 1102. Subject to the statutory exclusions to the definition of the term “conflict” or “conflict of interest” (i.e., the “de minimis exclusion” and the “class/subclass exclusion), 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 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 School Director for the Salisbury Township School District, you are a public official subject to the provisions of the Ethics Act.Pursuant to Section 1103(a) of the Ethics Act (pertaining to conflict of interest), you generally would be prohibited from using the authority of your public position as a School Director or confidential information received by holding your public position as a School Director for the private pecuniary(financial) benefit of yourself, any member of your immediate family, or a business with which you or a member of your immediate family is associated. You are advised that unless there would be a private pecuniary (financial) benefit to you or a member of your immediate family, Section 1103(a) of the Ethics Act would not prohibit you from: (1) participating in negotiations or discussions with the Salisbury Township School District teachers’ union; (2) participating in negotiations or discussions with the Salisbury Township School District support staff union; or (3) participating in negotiations, discussions, or approvals regarding individual employment contracts for the Salisbury Township School District Superintendent, Assistant Superintendent, Human Resources Director, or Chief Financial Officer. Membership in the Allentown School District teacher’s union, PSEA, or NEA would not affect your ability to participate as a Salisbury Township School District School Director in any of the aforesaid employment matters. McKelvey,25-555 December 12, 2025 Page 5 In each instance of a conflict of interest, you would be required to abstain from participation, which would includevoting 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. 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 receivedat 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