Editor’s note: This story is part of a series about what issues local elected officials may need to recuse themselves from during a vote.
Read about York County’s Board of Supervisors here.
Read about James City County’s Board of Supervisors here.
It’s not unusual for elected officials to have more than one job: State and local officials are attorneys, contractors, educators, and more.
So, when there’s a vote on a subject related to a city council or board of supervisors member’s “day job,” what happens?
Typically, the official is required to recuse themselves from the vote.
The City of Williamsburg, like both York and James City counties, uses the Virginia State and Local Government Conflict of Interests Act to determine when a City Council member needs to recuse themselves from a vote.
The Conflict of Interests Act covers voting on conflicts of interest, as well as receipt of gifts and more.
Under the Act, elected officials are required to annually file a disclosure statement, called the Statement of Economic Interests.
City spokeswoman Lee Ann Hartmann said there is no running list of issues council members must recuse themselves from.
“The question of conflict can be complex,” Hartmann said.
If a council member has questions about whether they should recuse themselves, the can refer to the Conflict of Interests Act, consult with the city attorney, or seek advice from the Commonwealth’s Attorney or the Virginia Conflict of Interest and Ethics Advisory Council.
“We rely on the member to determine their conflict and recuse themselves as needed,” Hartmann said.
Here’s information from each council member’s Statement of Economic Interests, as well as their salary while serving on City Council.
Paul Freiling, mayor
Salary: $9,600
Statement of Economic Interests:
- Employed by Colonial Williamsburg as a fundraiser
- Family member employed by Colonial Williamsburg as a fundraiser
- Family member employed by College of William & Mary as a project analyst
- Mutual funds and bonds through various American Funds accounts
- Mutual funds through various Northwestern Mutual accounts
- Mutual funds through Meridian Growth Fund Legacy Class
- Mutual funds through Baird Care Plus PD INV
- Mutual funds through Metropolitan West Total
- Mutual funds through Pimno INCM CL D
- Equity (mutual) funds through various Schwab accounts
- Bonds and stocks through various Vanguard accounts
- Freiling or family member received gifts from various people or groups, including City of Williamsburg for the ACT-SO Breakfast, Prentis Award from the College of William & Mary, four tickets to the LGPA Kingsmill Tournament, two tickets to Funhouse Fest from the Virginia Arts Festival via City of Williamsburg, two tickets to a William & Mary football game via the university, dinner from the U.S.-Spain Council, and admission to a football game tailgate from Chesapeake Bank.
Doug Pons, vice mayor
Salary: $7,200
Statement of Economic Interests:
- President of Triangle Housing, Inc. in Williamsburg
- General partner of Quarterpath Association
- Family member employed by Parks Orthodontics
- Personal debt to banks, credit unions or other savings institutions
- Personal debt to issuers of credit cards
- Stock in Virginia Motels, Inc.
- Stock in Triangle Housing, Inc.
- Stock in Residence, Inc.
- Stock in Golden Pond, Inc.
- The Flats of Williamsburg owned by Pons or a family member
- Residential rental property in York County owned by Pons
- Pons received a gift to attend the president’s tailgate from William & Mary
Ted Maslin
Salary: $7,200
Statement of Economic Interests:
- Employed at Riverside Health System in Newport News as a project manager
- Mutual funds through USAA Transamerica, Fidelity and multiple accounts through Vanguard.
- Maslin owns residential rental property in Wolfeboro, New Hampshire
Barbara Ramsey
Salary: $7,200
Statement of Economic Interests:
- Stocks in various companies including 3M Company, Apple, Blackstone, Boeing, Coca Cola, ConoccoPhillips, Emerson Electric, General Mills, Home Depot, Intel, Johnson & Johnson, McDonalds Corp., Nextera Energy, Nike, Philip Morris, Phillips 66, Dominion Energy, Accenture PLC Ireland, American Tower Reit, Amgen, Anheuser Busch, BB&T, Bristol Myers Squibb, Caterpillar, Colgate Palmolive, DowDupont, Duke Energy, Enridge, Exxon Mobil, IBM, JP Morgan, Medtronic, Microchip Technology, Nucor Corp., Oracle, Pepsico, Qualcomm, Schlumberger, Verizon, Vodafone, First Trust Dyn Devel Int ETF, General Electric, Fidelity Adv New Insights A, Janus Henderson Gib Tech A, Janus Henderson Intl Opp A, Oppenheimer Developing Markets A, Pioneer Mlti Ast Ult Sht Inc C
- Mutual funds in various companies including American Pacific, American Inc FD of America, American Smallcap World, Clearbridge Value Trust, MFS Virginia Muni Bond, Royce Premier Consult, Vanguard 500 Indx Admiral, Western Asset Managed Muni
- Five rental properties owned by Ramsey. Three in James City County, one in Williamsburg and one in Currituck City, North Carolina
- Ramsey received gifts from various people or groups, including ACT-SO luncheon from the City of Williamsburg, NAACP dinner from the City of Williamsburg, dinner from the Spain Council, tailgate and football tickets from Chesapeake Bank, and President’s Box tailgate and football tickets from the College of William & Mary
Benny Zhang
Salary: $7,200
Statement of Economic Interests:
- CEO of BMZ Developments in Williamsburg
- Stock in AT&T
- Owner of BMZ Developments
- BMZ Developments owns residential rental property in Williamsburg
- Zhang received payments for talks, meetings and conferences, including the annual Virginia Municipal League conference, the annual ACT-SO banquet and the annual scholarship luncheon for the W.M. Wallace Scholarship Dinner
- Zhang received a graduation gift of a drink coaster from a personal friend
Update: Councilman Benny Zhang’s disclosure statement was updated Jan. 25 to reflect the ACT-SO banquet was not under “talks, meetings and conferences.” The ACT-SO banquet, per the amendment, is now listed under “Gifts” in the disclosure.
