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impose administrative fines, and whether Council members could be restricted from sending <br />campaign literature in the six -month time period prior to an election. <br />Regarding administrative fines, Mr. Hookano said it appeared fines could be imposed <br />through an ordinance. However, he was still researching the issue and did not have a final <br />opinion yet. His opinions would go to Chair Hoffmann, who could forward them to the Board <br />for review. <br />Regarding campaign mail -outs, Mr. Hookano said he also needed to do more research on <br />this, to make sure there would be no conflicts with the State's campaign spending laws. <br />Mr. Hookano said he expected to finalize both opinions in December. <br />The Chair informed the members that he had handed out two draft ordinances on these <br />matters to them at the start of the meeting, for their review. <br />Mr. Ashida said a potential problem just occurred to him on the administrative fine issue, <br />if the Council should pass it: If the Board of Ethics should determine that a County officer <br />violated the Code, and so imposed a fine, he could foresee a situation in which that officer might <br />turn around and file a claim with his office, stating that the officer was a volunteer board <br />member, did not receive pay, was acting in the scope of his authority, and therefore the County <br />should pick up the tab. He suggested that Mr. Hookano discuss with Chair Hoffmann a <br />provision that County officers and employees cannot seek reimbursement from the County. <br />Mr. Ashida said an unintended consequence of the fine could be that people would be <br />'less willing to serve on a board or commission, if they knew they could be fined by the Board of <br />Ethics and would be on their own to pay it. <br />Mr. Dill asked Mr. Ashida whether it seemed likely the Council would pass the bill, and <br />Mr. Ashida said that Chair Hoffmann seemed in favor of it, and there was precedent because the <br />State Ethics Commission was able to do so. <br />The Chair and Ms. Nicholson stated they wanted to know whether the State Ethics <br />Commission had administered a fine on anyone yet, so they could take it into consideration <br />before moving forward. Mr. Ashida said he would find out. <br />Ms. Malanka asked Mr. Ashida whether the potential fine would keep people from <br />applying for County jobs, and Mr. Ashida said he did not see it as such a risk that it would be a <br />disincentive to apply for County jobs. He said he was more concerned about fining volunteers <br />and asked the Board members whether it would be a disincentive to them. The Chair said it <br />would not be for him. <br />Mr. Hookano said a mechanism would need to be in place to notice a hearing and have <br />the opportunity to be heard and to cross - examine, and Mr. Dill said an appeal process would <br />need to be in place as well. Mr. Ashida said he agreed there would need to be due process. <br />The Chair said that although the Board could find someone in violation of the Ethics <br />Code, it did not necessarily mean a fine would be imposed. He asked Mr. Ashida how many <br />