Mahoning County officials get updates on Ohio ethics laws

YOUNGSTOWN — Several dozen Mahoning County officials got schooled on the Ohio Ethics Law this morning.

Susan Willeke, education and communication administrator with the Columbus-based Ohio Ethics Commission, delivered the two-hour presentation at Oakhill Renaissance Place.

The state’s ethics law is a criminal law that bars biased expenditures of public funds and conflicts of interest in decision-making by public officials.

“We all have a right to know that government’s fair - that it wasn’t influenced - that it wasn’t skewed by those outside interests,” Willeke told the audience, which consisted of all three county commissioners and a broad spectrum of county agency and court officials.

As an example, Willeke said a Job and Family Services worker needs to remove himself or herself from the eligibility determination when a relative applies for benefits.

For the complete story, read Wednesday's Vindicator and Vindy.com