Thrasher asks court to delay Woodlawn Springs vote in wake of ethics complaint
Planning commission members Mark Mathis, left, and Martin Carpenter prepare for the Dec. 12, 2017 public hearing regarding a zoning amendment requested by the owners of the Woodlawn Springs Golf Course. An ethics complaint filed by Pete Trzop Friday alleges Mathis’ business interests present a conflict of interest with his votes as a planning commission member.
By JIM BROOKS
Nelson County Gazette / WBRT Radio
Saturday, March 3, 2018 — In an email to Nelson Fiscal Court on Saturday, Don Thrasher, the Republican candidate for Nelson County judge executive, called on the fiscal court to delay its final approval of the Woodlawn Springs Golf Course zoning amendment in light of an ethics complaint against a member of the planning commission.
DON THRASHER
Thrasher provided the media a copy of the ethics complaint filed Friday, March 2, 2018, by Pete Trzop that alleges multiple conflicts of interest for commission member Mark Mathis due to his participation in the commission’s public hearing and subsequent vote on a zoning amendment requested by Woodlawn Springs Golf Course LLC.
In his letter to Judge Executive Dean Watts and the magistrates, Thrasher suggests delaying the final vote on the matter until the court’s April 17, 2018 meeting. Per state statute, the court has 90 days — until April 23, 2018 — to take action on the planning commission’s recommendation. The delay would give the ethics board time to consider Trzop’s complaint.
“The perception of fairness, equity and honesty is at stake here,” Thrasher wrote in his letter to the court.
THE COMPLAINT. Pete Trzop’s ethics complaint, dated Feb. 28, 2018 but filed Friday, alleges that Mathis has multiple conflicts of interest related to his ownership of paving and road construction companies, his business relationship with and past political support for former state Rep. Jodie Haydon, whose family members own the Woodlawn Springs golf course property.
In his complaint, Trzop alleges that Mathis’ ownership interest in Bardstown Asphalt Co. and MAGO Construction present a conflict of interest because his businesses work locally, and any local government road development, paving or construction projects represent possible sources of income by his companies.
Zoning changes that Mathis may approve might eventually lead to road construction projects that could involve one of his companies — including the zoning amendment for Woodlawn Springs. Such a situation would be a conflict of interest, the complaint alleges. Trzop also alleges that business transactions between firms owned by Mathis and Jodie Haydon — whose family members own the Woodlawn Springs Golf Course — would also present a possible conflict of interest for Mathis.
Trzop’s complaint further cites Mathis’ political donations to Jodie Haydon ($100 in 1998 to Haydon’s successful campaign for state representative, and $1,000 in 2009 for Haydon’s unsuccessful bid for the 14th District state senate seat) as possible conflicts of interest because Haydon’s family connection to the golf course property.
Trzop claims that Mathis also failed to list a company he has ownership in on his annual financial disclosure forms that are required from elected and appointed officials by the county’s ethics ordinance.
DEAN WATTS
SANCTIONS REQUESTED. Trzop’s complaint requests an ethics investigation to determine if Mathis’ votes as a member of the planning commission have resulted in financial gain for Mathis; requests that the ethics board determine if a fine up to $1,000 is warranted; require his resignation or removal from his appointed position if a conflict of interest is found; and a possible referral of any conflict found forward to the local Commonwealth Attorney’s office for review.
When contacted Saturday by the Nelson County Gazette, Nelson County Judge Executive Dean Watts said he had not yet read Thrasher’s request to delay Nelson Fiscal Court’s final vote on the zoning amendment for Woodlawn Springs Golf Course, nor had he read Trzop’s ethics complaint against planning commission member Mark Mathis.
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