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HomeMy WebLinkAbout05-594 CONFIDENTIALADVICE OF COUNSEL November 16, 2005 Re: Conflict; Public Official /Employee; School Director; Head Coach; Volunteer. 05 -594 This responds to your letter of October 20, 2005, by which you requested advice from the State Ethics Commission. Issue: Whether the Public Official and Employee Ethics Act ( "Ethics Act "), 65 Pa. .S. § 1101 et seq., presents any prohibition or restrictions upon a school director with regard to serving as the head coach for an athletic team for the school district on a volunteer basis. Facts: You currently serve as the Head Coach for the A High School B Team. You are a candidate for School Director for the C School District. You state that you started the B program for the A Schools in [year] and served for two years as a volunteer coach without a contract for D. During the [year] season, you were paid under a Limited Service Contract while you worked with over 100 E. You note that the A High School B Team is the two -time defending F Champions, boasting the league defensive MVP, two Academic AII- Americans, and an AII- American Honorable Mention. You further note that the Team holds the record for goals scored, assists, and goals against. You desire to maintain an active role in coaching the A High School B Team on a volunteer basis in a non - contracted position. You pose the following two specific inquiries: 1. Whether under the Ethics Act, a School Director may also serve as a volunteer coach in a non - contracted position; 2. If the answer to the above is in the negative, whether any circumstances would exist where such would be permissible under the Ethics Act. 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 Confidential Advice, 05 -594 November 16, 2005 Page 2 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. If you would win the election for School Director, you would, upon assuming office, be a public official subject to the provisions of the Ethics Act. Section 1103(a) of the Ethics Act provides: § 1103. Restricted activities (a) Conflict of interest. - -No public official or public employee shall engage in conduct that constitutes a conflict of interest. 65 Pa.C.S. § 1103(a). The following terms 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. 65 Pa.C.S. § 1102. In addition, Sections 1103(b) and 1103(c) of the Ethics Act provide in part that no person shall offer to a public official /employee anything of monetary value and no public official /employee shall solicit or accept anything of monetary value based upon the understanding that the vote, official action, or judgment of the public official /employee would be influenced thereby. Reference is made to these provisions of the law not to imply that there has been or will be any transgression thereof but merely to provide a complete response to the question presented. Section 1103(j) of the Ethics Act provides as follows: § 1103. Restricted activities Confidential Advice, 05 -594 November 16, 2005 Page 3 (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(j). In each instance of a conflict, Section 1103(j) requires the public official/ employee to abstain and to publicly disclose the abstention and reasons for same, both orally and by filing a written memorandum to that effect with the person recording the minutes or supervisor. In the event that the required abstention results in the inability of the governmental body to take action because a majority is unattainable due to the abstention(s) from conflict under the Ethics Act, then voting is permissible provided the disclosure requirements noted above are followed. See, Pavlovic, Opinion 02 -005. In applying the above provisions of the Ethics Act to the instant matter, 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, any member of his immediate family, or a business with which he or a member of his immediate family is associated. A prohibited private pecuniary benefit is an essential element for finding that a public official has transgressed Section 1103(a) of the Ethics Act. Based upon the facts that you have submitted wherein you specifically state that your services as the Head Coach for the A High School B Team would be strictly voluntary and uncompensated, there would be no private pecuniary benefit involved and consequently, Section 1103(a) of the Ethics Act would not restrict you from continuing to provide such services while serving as a School Director. Because you may continue to serve as the Head Coach for the A High School B Team on a voluntary and uncompensated basis, your second specific inquiry need not be addressed. 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 Confidential Advice, 05 -594 November 16, 2005 Page 4 interpretation of the Ethics Act. Specifically not addressed herein is the applicability of the Public School Code of 1949. Conclusion: If you would win the election for School Director for the C School District, you would, upon assuming office, be a public official subject to the provisions of the Public Official and Employee Ethics Act ( "Ethics Act "), 65 Pa.C.S. § 1101 et seq. Section 1103(a) of the Ethics Act would not prohibit you from continuing to serve as the Head Coach for the A High School B Team based upon your specific factual representation that your services would be strictly voluntary and uncompensated. Because there would be no private pecuniary benefit involved, Section 1103(a) of the Ethics Act would not restrict you from continuing to provide such services while serving as a School Director. Lastly, the propriety of the proposed conduct has only been addressed under the Ethics Act. Pursuant to Section 1107(11), 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. Sincerely, Vincent J. Dopko Chief Counsel