Charges of Johnston School Election Misconduct to be Reviewed by State Ethics Board Today

State officials will review today an ethics complaint filed by Johnston school board member John Dutcher accusing board members, administrators and staff of misconduct during the fall 2011 board campaign.

The review was orginially scheduled for Friday, Sept. 28.

Dutcher filed the complaint in July with the Iowa Ethics and Campaign Disclosure Board and included more than 400 pages of emails as evidence. He claims that district employees used public resources last year to advocate for the election of four school board candidates, Deb Henry, Jill Morrill, Mike Farrell and Greg Dockum. All four were elected in September 2011.

On Monday, Farrell was chosen to serve as the board president, while Dockum was selected for vice president. Dutcher obstained from voting for board president and voted no for Dockum for vice president.

The Iowa Ethics and Campaign Disclosure Board is slated to review the complaint at 2 p.m.  via teleconfrence.

The board is expected to meet in closed session to discuss the complaint, but will return to  open session to vote on whether to dismiss the complaint or order an investigation.

Dutcher said he had heard rumors district employees worked on the 2011 campaigns using district resources and equipment. Expressly advocating for or against a ballot issue or candidate is prohibited by Iowa law.

Board members Henry and Dockum said they had no comment on the complaint and were waiting to see what action the Iowa Ethics and Campaign Board would take.

When reached by the Des Moines Register in July, Farrell and Morrill said they could not recall using district email for campaigning last year.

Megan Tooker, executive director and legal counsel for the Iowa Ethics and Campaign Disclosure Board and legal counsel told Johnston Patch in August that if the board found the complaint to be valid, it could call for an investigation. If that proves valid, the board could impose penalties in the form of a public reprimand or fine.

"Each case is different," she said. "Two thousand dollars is a severe penalty and not what we typically issue. The board has a lot of discretion and weighs the facts of every case."

Tooker said the board does not have the jurisdiction to remove anyone from office.

She could not speak specifically to the complaint filed by Dutcher.

Catch-up on previous coverage of the complaint and other board issues:

• Residents Seeking Ouster of Johnston School Board Member Submit Petition
• Allegations of Johnston School Election Misconduct Could be Reviewed by State Ethics Board in Late August
• Voter Seeks Information on How to Remove Johnston School Board Member
• Residents Seeking Ouster of Johnston School Board Member Submit Petition