These agreements often include “public reprimands” for officials found to have violated Ohio ethics law, though they’re not publicized or posted online by the state agency.
Last year, the commission’s investigative unit addressed more than 900 allegations related to misdemeanor or felony violations of ethics law. A total of 174 cases were investigated last year — 128 of these sprouted from villages, cities, townships and counties, according to the 2024 annual report.
Ninety-six settlement and censure cases were closed in 2024.
No settlement agreements were made with a Miami Valley official through the state ethics commission last year — unlike in previous years — but several other officials across the state were reprimanded.
Below is a summary of the Ohio Ethics Commission settlements from 2024:
Allen County
Joshua Parker, the fiscal administration support assistant director of the Allen County Department of Job and Family Services, was reprimanded by the ethics commission for violating state ethics law for his involvement in a transportation contract with the Allen County Regional Transportation Authority — where Parker also served as a board member.
Although Parker did not vote on the transportation contract, he had a “fiduciary interest in the contract,” according to the settlement agreement.
Parker accepted the reprimand from the ethics commission.
Muskingum County
Muskingham County Board of Developmental Disabilities member Robert Beitzel violated state ethics law through his involvement in approving a $10,299 contract that approved the work of Xpressive Graphix, a company that had an ongoing business relationship with Beitzel’s father’s company, Ace Truck Equipment Company.
Beitzel was also employed by his dad’s business. The public contract involved the creation of signage for the MCBDD, and Ace was involved in the final steps of creating the signs. Beitzel self-reported this incident to the state, according to the settlement agreement.
Beitzel accepted a reprimand from the state and agreed to complete ethics training.
Octa Village Council
In Fayette County, Octa Village Councilmember Ronald Ison was reprimanded for his role in approving a $15,000 land sale.
The Ohio Ethics Commission found that Ison violated ethics law by participating in the discussion to sell his real estate parcels to the village while he was serving as a councilmember, by being paid by the village for the real estate sale and by deeding the property to the village.
Ison accepted a reprimand from the ethics commission.
Vinton Village Council
In Gallia County, Denver Bates was contracted as the Vinton village contractor while he was also serving as a village council member.
According to a settlement agreement, Bates violated public contract provisions in Ohio ethics law because there is no record of him abstaining from a council vote that raised his hourly rate as a contractor. Bates also voted on matters that pertained to village contractual services, including the repair of the village town hall.
Bates no longer serves on council or works for the village, and he accepted a reprimand from the state.
Euclid City Council
Euclid City Council President Charlene Mancuso violated ethics law through her participation in the Euclid Waterfront Improvement Plan steering committee, which benefited her personal residential property.
Manusco participated in the discussion and voted on passages related to the improvement plan. According to the settlement agreement, Manusco was erroneously advised by the city’s law director that there was no conflict of interest for her participation because the project benefitted the entire city.
Manusco accepted a reprimand and agreed to complete ethics training.
Clay Twp., Ottawa County
In Ottawa County, Clay Twp. Trustee Chad Gargas was reprimanded for soliciting clients for ditch cleaning work that he would later approve permits for as a township trustee.
Gargas also discussed his clients’ projects during township meetings, and he also voted in favor of a paving contract with his business associate, HB Company.
Gargas accepted a reprimand and agreed to complete ethics training.
Lyme Twp.
Roger Hunker, of Huron County, violated Ohio ethics law by using his influence as a Lyme Twp. trustee to pass a resolution that benefitted his private employer, Apex Clean Energy, Inc.
In his role as a Lyme Twp. trustee, Hunker also attended Oxford Twp., Sherman Twp. and Huron County commission meetings to promote Apex and voice his support for a payment-in-lieu-of-taxes program for his private employer’s proposed wind turbine project, which was ultimately rejected by the commission.
According to the settlement agreement, Hunker accepted a reprimand and agreed to complete ethics training.
South-Western Schools
John Uhrin, a transportation route supervisor at South-Western City Schools in Franklin County, was reprimanded by the state ethics commission for his involvement in a $240,000 contract with the school district with his private employer, K12 School Consultants LLC.
Uhrin was not involved in any of the contract negotiations for the private company, but the Ohio Ethics Commission found Uhrin had an interest in the profit of the public contract because he owned stock in K12 and was the business’ vice president while also working as a bus driver for the school district, according to the settlement agreement.
Uhrin accepted a reprimand by the ethics commission and agreed to complete ethics training.
Westerville Schools
At Westerville City Schools, former school board member Nancy Nestor Baker violated state ethics law by using her position to influence the promotion of a family member — specifically voting to approve a salary change for a group of employees that included her daughter.
Nestor-Baker self-reported the incident to the ethics commission through her attorney, according to the settlement agreement. She accepted a reprimand from the state ethics commission. Nestor-Baker resigned from the school board in August 2024.
Wings Academy
In Cuyahoga County, Wings Academy chief administrative officer DeShawn King was reprimanded by the state ethics commission for her involvement in a public contract between her public employer and her personal management company.
The ethics commission found that King used the influence of her public office to secure an exclusive management deal, according to the settlement agreement.
King accepted a reprimand by the ethics commission and agreed to complete ethics training.
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