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County ethics official urges DDA members to seek advisory opinions on conflicts
Summary
Rhonda Geiger of the Palm Beach County Commission on Ethics told the DDA new and returning board members to request advisory opinions when personal or business interests might overlap with DDA actions and explained the commission's legal sufficiency standard for complaints.
Rhonda Geiger, a representative of the Palm Beach County Commission on Ethics, briefed the Downtown Development Authority on July 13 about how the commission analyzes conflicts of interest and how advisory opinions can prevent complaints.
Geiger told the board that conflicts generally require three elements: a prohibited entity (personal interest, close family, outside business), a financial benefit and that the benefit be "special"—one that is particularized to a class of 100 or fewer people. "So a prohibited entity, financial benefit, and the financial benefit has to be considered special," she said.
She encouraged board members, particularly new members, to request advisory opinions where questions exist. "Asking for an advisory opinion really protects, it protects you in the long run, and it puts the public at ease," Geiger said. She also warned that the legal sufficiency threshold to file a complaint is low: a complaint can meet legal sufficiency even if later the commission finds no evidence of wrongdoing.
The briefing prompted discussion of recent and potential advisory-opinion requests; the DDA chair and members said they will use the commission as a proactive resource as new board members begin their terms.
Ending: The board thanked Geiger for the guidance and indicated members will seek opinions if individual circumstances require further clarity.
