Loudoun County Board Chairman Scott K. York said he represented his development company in one or two meetings with county planning staff concerning issues that could come before his board.
York told The Examiner his December discussion about zoning issues for an Ashburn-area shopping center on behalf of ServiceStar Development Company was acceptable, saying, “There is no conflict of interest.”
He asked County Attorney Jack Roberts for guidance, however, and has since vowed not to represent his company in future meetings with county staff.
“[Roberts] advised I shouldn’t be discussing items with staff,” York said. “I will not be discussing those items with staff. I will not be discussing those items with the planning commission or board of supervisors.”
York, an independent, is ServiceStar’s executive vice president for the Atlantic region. ServiceStar is developing the Cameron Chase Village Center.
A York critic raised the allegation during Tuesday’s board meeting, when York was on vacation with his family.
“For someone who has been a part of county government for going on 16 years, you would think that he would know better than to sit down in a meeting with county staff representing the company that pays his salary,” Republican Supervisor Mick Staton said.
A packet of documents outlining the allegation was anonymously distributed to board members, and Staton commented on its contents during the televised meeting Tuesday.
Staton’s allegations were “pot and kettle,” York said, because Staton had not recused himself from a vote on a pending development in which the developer had contributed thousands to his campaign funds. Staton said that is allowed under state laws.
The Loudoun County Board is the focus of an ongoing criminal investigation into possible public corruption.
