<font color='black' size='2' face='arial'><h1 id="story-headline">Elected official’s lobbying likely wrong</h1><br>
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<strong>By
<a href="mailto:drowland@dispatch.com">
Darrel Rowland
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<span class="author-organization">The Columbus Dispatch</span>
<span class="timestamp">Sunday December 8, 2013 6:04 AM</span>
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<div>A state school-board member apparently is breaking the law by lobbying the legislature and other
state agencies at the same time he holds his elected post.</div>
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<div>Bryan Williams is a board member elected from the Akron area as well as a lobbyist for the
Associated Builders and Contractors of Ohio. This year alone, he lobbied on behalf of the
association of nearly 1,000 commercial construction contractors on a dozen bills, including the $60
billion-plus state budget and an education bill on post-secondary enrollment, state records
show.</div>
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<div>“The Ethics Law prohibits an elected member of a state board or commission from receiving
compensation for services he or she performs personally on a matter that is before any state
agency,” said Paul M. Nick, executive director of the Ohio Ethics Commission, citing a 2007
advisory opinion.</div>
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<div>“Although the law does provide a limited exception for non-elected board members who perform
services before agencies other than the one they serve, there is no such exception for elected
members.”</div>
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<div>A violation is a first-degree misdemeanor, punishable by a maximum of six months in jail and a
$1,000 fine.</div>
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<div>That “limited exception” would apply to another school board member, C. Todd Jones of New
Albany, a registered lobbyist for the Association of Independent Colleges and Universities of Ohio.
Because he was appointed by Gov. John Kasich to his board post, Jones can lobby state lawmakers or
agencies — but only if he files appropriate paperwork annually with the Ethics Commission.</div>
<div>On those forms, board members attest that they will refrain from participating in matters before
the board that affect the state agency they are lobbying.</div>
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<div>However, Jones’ latest filing came in May 2011. He said he thought that filing was good for two
years, and he didn’t turn in new forms until less than three weeks ago, when he added another state
agency he is lobbying.</div>
<div>“Nothing had changed from those (2011) filings. Everything was exactly the same,” Jones
said.</div>
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<div>He called his lack of filings for 21/2 years an unintentional technical error.</div>
<div>Jones said, “That was my mistake, and I told them (ethics-board staff members), if you guys need
to do something, I accept responsibility and will never do that again.”</div>
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<div>He added, “I’m very scrupulous about making sure that I don’t cross the line. ... The public was
not denied any information about my activities.”</div>
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<div>Nick noted that Ohio law requires the forms to be filed “prior to rendering services.” Jones
also lobbied on the state budget and post-secondary education act this year, state records
show.</div>
<div>Williams, a former Republican state representative and Summit County elections administrator
from Fairlawn, did not return calls or emails seeking comment.</div>
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<div>The 2007 advisory opinion from the commission noted, “The prohibition is intended to serve the
public interest in effective, objective, and impartial government by prohibiting a state official
or employee from using the influence of his or her position on behalf of clients. All public
officials and employees must accept necessary restrictions to avoid any likely interference with
the responsibilities of the public positions they hold.”</div>
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<div>The Ethics Commission discussed state school-board members’ ethics last week in light of
<em>Akron Beacon Journal</em> stories and a subsequent
<em>Dispatch</em> editorial last month, Nick said.</div>
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<div>Williams told the
<em>Beacon Journal</em> that ethical conflicts are inevitable: “There’s no way around it. People
are going to gravitate to the position that they have interest in.”</div>
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<div>The state school board, which hires the state superintendent and establishes overall education
policy for the state, has 11 elected members and eight appointed by the governor.</div>
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<a href="mailto:drowland@dispatch.com"><br>
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<div><a href="mailto:drowland@dispatch.com">drowland@dispatch.com</a>
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