2008-06-25 Board of Ethics Minutes Regular Session

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NICHOLSON: - -to find it not in violation. JACOBSON: And if I may make a suggestion, because you are expressing some rational concerns. Along the lines of in your ruling you might want to say what it can or can't be used for, to clarify. NICHOLSON: That's exactly what I was about to say, that we make it very clear that it not be used for any campaign purposes. JACOBSON: Or if you choose to approve this, whatever else restrictions you feel are important so that it would not be abused. LUM: This County letterhead would not be used in campaign anyway, right? JACOBSON and NICHOLSON (simultaneously): It's not supposed to be. CHAIR: Well I just personally, I have problems going down this road, because I'm worried about where it's going to end up and how do we stop it. Next thing you know we will have regular employees sending out their picture on letterhead for regular business. LUM: 1 wonder if the picture were in some other place on the stationery, if that would- NICHOLSON: - -But then you're talking about design, though- LUM: 1 am talking about design, yes. Like down by his signature. I have thought about it a lot and in —we're looking at all persons shall be treated in a courteous, fair and impartial manner —using County property or personnel for other than public activity or purpose. I also looked at number 2 -83(1) which talks about all public property and equipment are to be treated as a public trust and are not to be used in a proprietary manner or for personal purposes. But I couldn't even squeeze it into that. JACOBSON: If I may interrupt, I feel that the main thing for this is basically to enhance my effectiveness, not to run for office, but if people know who I am then hopefully I can provide better representation to the people who pay my salary. That's one of the biggest thing because then people can continue to harass me out in public and when I go to Safeway, thirty people will stop me and maybe now it will be sixty. LUM: I think that you are demonstrating a public purpose for choosing to do this to my satisfaction, so that you are using this property for a public activity or purpose. So I don't see it violating the ethics code. NICHOLSON: I don't see any violation of the ethics code but I would like to hear more from John on- LUM: - -on how to use it responsibly- NICHOLSON: - -What you think the sticking point might be, or points.