Steve Arnold, vice chairman of the Guilford County Board of Commissioners, is defending himself against charges from two fellow board members that he plotted to create a high-level county job for himself as he prepares to leave office.
“I was not involved with the timing of the opening or the description of the position,”Arnold said.
How about the creation of the position?
“But I do support the manager’s decision to fill the position.”
Did Steve Arnold speak with anyone within Guilford County's Government
about the position?
about the position?
The position — director of land use, construction and real estate — showed up on the county’s website last month.
Arnold, who leaves office in December, said he is considering applying for the job...
Did Steve Arnold become aware of said position before the general public?
Commissioner Paul Gibson said it’s a transparent attempt to keep Arnold running the county with Chairman Melvin “Skip” Alston and Manager Brenda Jones Fox.
Tailoring a new director’s position to Arnold’s experience as a developer and former commissioner is political payback plain and simple, Gibson said. And he thinks it may violate the commissioners’ code of ethics, adopted this year.
Avoid using your knowledge of contemplated action...
or information known to you in your official capacity and not made public,
to acquire a financial interest in any property, transaction, or enterprise,
or to gain a financial benefit that may be affected by the information
or contemplated action... (G.S. 14-234.1)
Code of Ethics for the Board of Commissioners
of Guilford County, North Carolina
or information known to you in your official capacity and not made public,
to acquire a financial interest in any property, transaction, or enterprise,
or to gain a financial benefit that may be affected by the information
or contemplated action... (G.S. 14-234.1)
Code of Ethics for the Board of Commissioners
of Guilford County, North Carolina
“I want to know why when we’ve been cutting every department to the bone, when our county employees haven’t had any kind of raise in two years (and) seven months, after we know we’re not merging planning, we just have to create this new job just as Steve Arnold is leaving office,” he said.
When Arnold was asked if accepting a job created by one of his employees just as he left office would be unethical, he said he couldn’t answer.
Lying by omission
One lies by omission by omitting an important fact,
deliberately leaving another person with a misconception.
Wikipedia
One lies by omission by omitting an important fact,
deliberately leaving another person with a misconception.
Wikipedia
“The argument, at this point, is irrelevant,” he said. “I may or may not decide to apply, and I may or may not make it through the process. No one knows what is going to happen in the future, including me.”
A board member is considered to be acting with impropriety
if a reasonable person who was made aware
of the totality of the circumstances surrounding the board member’s action
would conclude that it was more likely than not
that the behavior did not befit someone in the board member’s position.
Code of Ethics for the Board of Commissioners
of Guilford County, North Carolina
if a reasonable person who was made aware
of the totality of the circumstances surrounding the board member’s action
would conclude that it was more likely than not
that the behavior did not befit someone in the board member’s position.
Code of Ethics for the Board of Commissioners
of Guilford County, North Carolina
...When an advertisement for the new position appeared on the county’s website, some thought the timing was suspiciously convenient.
"Better is a little with righteousness
than great income with injustice."
Proverbs 16:8
than great income with injustice."
Proverbs 16:8
...Fox said she hadn’t spoken to Arnold about the job and didn’t know whether he was interested.
Who did speak or was in contact with Mr. Arnold?
...Arnold said he’s always for reducing government where possible.
RINO?
But this job, he said, is too important to cut..."
Joe Killian
Greensboro News & Record
Should Guilford County Commissioner Steve Arnold
accept a job with Guilford County?
4 comments:
While I am grateful to the Commissioners for holding down taxes, this stinks to the high heavens.
2 steps forward and five steps back on this one, amazing. We will see if there is any pushback to hire steve arnold and to me is there any ethical issues involved with this job position.
"While I am grateful to the Commissioners for holding down taxes"
What gives you the impression they have held down taxes if they are borrowing another $650,000,000?
Well my last years taxes were the same as the previous year. I wasn't aware of the borrowing. Thanks george
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