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Censure recommended over Chardon leak
(by Joseph Koziol Jr. - October 21, 2009)
Censure recommended over Chardon leak
By JOSEPH KOZIOL JR.
The City of Chardon's board of ethics review agreed unanimously Monday to recommend a formal censure of Councilwoman Mary Bramstedt.
The board reached its conclusion after discussing the report filed by International Research Group, of Cleveland, which had been hired by the city to determine whether a leak occurred from an executive session of council. The leak reportedly involved confidential information on the city's position in labor negotiations with city workers.
Law Director James Gillette is to prepare a draft statement, which the board will review and sign before forwarding it to City Council.
Mr. Gillette said council will have the final decision on what action, if any, is to be taken.
The board relied on two provisions in a code of conduct in reaching the decision. One states that council members "shall respect the confidentiality of information" they receive during the course of their duties. A second states that sanctions may be imposed on members who fail to abide by the rules.
Board member Patricia Hanson said the report clearly shows that there was a breach of rules, noting that this is not the first time. "There has been a leaking of that, and this has to stop," she said.
Board member John Park agreed. It's clear that someone gave out confidential information, he said. "I'm with you. We can't have this."
Board member Carolyn Schwan said that, at first, she did not believe it was a "big deal." But after reading the report and ordinances, she said, she became convinced that there was a leak of information, and that Mrs. Bramstedt was responsible. "The investigation seemed to only lead to Mrs. Bramstedt," she said. "There was no information that another person might be the leaker."
Mrs. Hanson said she did not believe that the leak was the done "maliciously or with vindictive thoughts, but it did occur, and that is unacceptable. It all points only in one direction," she said. "The investigation itself said it was this person that leaked the information."
Mrs. Hanson said, more than the leak, she was disturbed by allegations in the report that money was given by Mrs. Bramstedt. "It steps over many lines, than just disclosure of confidential information," she said.
After Mr. Gillette explained that the board could recommend a public reprimand, formal censure or call for a loss of committee assignments, Mrs. Hanson asked for a definition of each. She said she wants to send a strong message to future council members that such behavior would not be tolerated. "If that's the toughest we can do, the formal censure, that's what we should do," she said.
About a half dozen residents questioned whether the board had sufficient evidence to warrant the recommendation.
"Where's the concrete evidence?" resident Paula Noyes asked. She said there was no physical evidence that any of the reported incidents actually occurred.
Mrs. Hanson agreed, saying no cards with cash were ever found and that no witness saw an exchange of money. But she said it's not like the television show "Law and Order," where everything is wrapped up cleanly in the end. She said the board members could only take the information given and draw conclusions independently.
Mrs. Bramstedt said Mr. Park is biased, based on a 2003 news article that followed her defeat for a City Council seat.
Mr. Park said he did not recall making any disparaging remarks. "I have no idea what's she's talking about," he said. In fact, two other board members reached the same conclusion independently, he said.
Mrs. Bramstedt said, although she did not take a polygraph test, as requested by investigators, she would have if she had been accused of a "heinous crime," despite her medical concerns.
"These were all fabrications, lies," she said. "I didn't say anything," she said.
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