A change in the county ethics code prohibiting county employees from receiving certain gifts will not affect county commissioners.
“I wouldn?t take advantage of [the office] anyway,” Commissioner Perry Jones said.
“When people give big gifts, they usually want something in return.”
The commissioners are expected to amend the code prohibiting county employees from receiving free admission and tickets to sporting, cultural and political events.
Commissioner Julia Gouge said enacting these rules could be a good idea.
“They can say they aren?t allowed to accept the gift,” she said.
However, county commissioners can accept these gifts as long as the donor attended the event “as a courtesy or ceremony to the elected office,” according to the state ethics commission.
Jones said he attended an Orioles game with Verizon representatives a couple of years ago to discuss plans about bringing broadband Internet access to the industrial complex under construction off Route 97 across from the airport and the rest of the county.
The baseball tickets were general admission and so cheap that filling out a disclosure statement for them wasn?t necessary, he said.
Beginning in 2003, county commissioners are required to complete gift disclosure statements for all items received.
If you go
The Carroll County commissioners are expected to approve the code amendment at 11 a.m. Tuesday at the County Office Building, Room 300A, 225 N. Center St., Westminster.
Gotta love the perks
» Jolene Sullivan, executive director of citizen services, gave pens in 2003 to Commissioners Julia Gouge, Perry Jones and Dean Minnich.
» Sullivan gave a sweater to Minnich as a Christmas gift last year.
» All three commissioners also received ties during a tour at JoS. A. Bank.
