CHARLESTON, W.Va. – The West Virginia Ethics
Commission issued public reprimands and assessed fines as part of two
settlement agreements approved on July 12, 2018.
Michelle Malone, director of the River Road Public Service District in
Morgantown, was ordered to pay a fine of $1,000 and reimbursement in the amount
of $750 to the Ethics Commission for its expenses of prosecuting the
matter. She admitted that the employment of her husband and daughter by
the River Road PSD, and by the Paw Paw PSD, did not comply with the Ethics Act
and its associated Legislative Rule due to her involvement in their supervision
and matters affecting the terms and conditions of their employment.
Dustin W. Zickefoose, the Upshur County Assessor, was ordered to pay a fine of
$1,500 and to immediately cease and desist from engaging in the business of
buying and selling real estate in Upshur County, either personally or as an
agent for others, while serving as Assessor. He also agreed, effective
September 1, 2018, to cease and desist working for the Upshur Agency Inc. as an
independent contractor or in any other capacity unless and until he receives an
Advisory Opinion or Employment Exemption from the Ethics Commission stating
that he may be employed as an independent contract appraiser by a business
located in Upshur County when the appraisal work is only for out-of-county
properties and businesses.
The
Conciliation Agreements may be viewed on the Commission’s website at ethics.wv.gov.