Three Bollinger County residents fined for state ethics violations

The Missouri Ethics Commission has fined three Bollinger County residents for violating Missouri statutes.

Wanda Rhodes, Doug Arnzen and Tim Wiseman each were fined $1,000 for their involvement as members of the Concerned Citizens of Bollinger County. According to a consent order the commission handed down Jan. 13, the fine will be reduced to $100 if the three paid within 45 days of the decree. If they violate campaign finance laws again over the next two years, they will be liable for the entire $1,000 fine.

Rhodes, Arnzen and Wiseman were investigated after the commission received three complaints over information the Concerned Citizens for Bollinger County distributed before last year’s vote to lower the taxes that support the Bollinger County Library from 20 cents to 10 cents per $100 assessed property-tax valuation.

The commission found “no committee was registered with the Bollinger County Clerk or the Missouri Ethics Commission with the name ‘Concerned Citizens of Bollinger County’ at the time of the April 7 election.”

Rhodes had used $264.54 in personal funds to print 5,000 fliers supporting the proposition to lower the tax and distributed them throughout the county. Rhodes also bought a newspaper ad for $345, but at the time said she did not know the identity of everyone who contributed to the ad’s cost. She instructed the newspaper to place a statement on the ad that anyone could contact her for a list of sponsors. According to the commission’s findings, Wiseman had paid the $345 for the ad. Several people requested a list of sponsors from Rhodes but received no response.

In addition, Arnzen paid $100 for a radio ad that aired 50 to 60 times in support of the tax cut.

The commission found there was probable cause to believe:

• Rhodes violated Section 130.031.8 RSMo by knowingly publishing, circulating and distributing 5,000 fliers with an incorrect “paid for by” disclosure statement;
• Rhodes and Wiseman violated Section 130.031.8 RSMo by knowingly publishing, circulating and distributing a newspaper ad with an incorrect “paid for by” disclosure;
• all three respondents violated sections 130.021.5, 130.041, 130.046 and 130.036.8 RSMo by failing to file a statement of committee organization, failing to file regular disclosure reports of contributions and expenditures, failure to appoint a treasurer and maintain an official depository account, and they did so knowingly.

Complaints also were filed against Kelly Beyer, Sheila Bollinger, Carl Crites, Dorothy Eldracher, Robert Polracki, Roger and Betsy VanGennip, Glenda Wall, Carolyn Woodfin, Myra Underwood, Judy Rhodes and Ronald and Nancy Davis, but they were dismissed in October.