Spouse of Western Connecticut State University Employee Pays $400 for Ethics Violations

Press release from the state board of ethics:

Donald Stitt of Danbury, CT paid a $400 civil penalty for violating the Code of Ethics by entering into two contracts with the state valued at amounts over $100. Neither contract was awarded through an open and public process, as required by the Code of Ethics.

According to the stipulation and consent order finalized on April 26 with the Office of State Ethics (OSE), Stitt, who is married to a full-time faculty member of the Theatre Arts Department at Western Connecticut State University (WCSU), entered into contracts with WCSU in July of 2009 and 2010. The contracts, valued at $300 and $500 respectively, were for Stitt’s services in running workshops for the Master’s in Fine Arts program. Neither of the two contracts was awarded through an open and public process.

Connecticut law prohibits a state employee or an immediate family member of a state employee from entering into any contract with the state, valued at one hundred dollars or more, unless the contract has been awarded through an open and public process.

“To prevent public employees from having an inside track, either in appearance or actuality, the Code of Ethics requires all but the smallest state contracts to be awarded through an open and public process,” said OSE Executive Director, Carol Carson.