CHARLESTON, W.Va. – The West Virginia Ethics Commission issued a public reprimand
and assessed a $2,000 fine as part of a Conciliation (settlement) Agreement
approved on February 7, 2019.
Jeff D. Davis, a Hancock County Commissioner, admitted that
he had violated the contract and voting provisions of the West Virginia
Governmental Ethics Act by continuing to allow his car wash business, Water
World, Inc., to do business with the county after he began serving as a County
Commissioner in 2001 and by voting to approve payments to his business.
The Hancock County Commission paid Water World a total of $29,487.35 between 2013 and 2017 for washing county
vehicles consisting primarily of cruisers used by the Hancock County Sheriff’s
Office. After the Ethics Commission referred the matter to the Hancock County
Prosecuting Attorney’s Office for possible criminal action, Davis repaid this
amount as restitution/disgorgement to the County Commission. He was not
prosecuted for any alleged crime.
The Ethics Act prohibits public officials from voting on
matters in which they or a business with which they are associated has a
financial interest. Davis admitted that he voted to approve invoices from his
business and did not remove himself from the meeting room and disclose his
interests as required by the Ethics Act.
Davis also was ordered to undergo training on the Ethics Act
as part of the settlement of the ethics complaint against him.
The
Conciliation Agreement may be viewed on the Commission’s website at ethics.wv.gov.