In what may be a violation of the city ethics law, Baltimore City Council President Sheila Dixon used an investigative hearing to press a major city contractor on why it was not awarding more work to a company that employs her sister.
The hearing was held to determine whether Comcast of Baltimore has complied with the minority subcontracting provision of its 12-year city franchise. Utech, one of several firms that Comcast has hired to meet those requirements, is a Baltimore company that employs Dixon's sister.During Thursday's council committee hearing, Dixon - who ran afoul of city ethics regulations 2 1/2 years ago - never mentioned her sister's job with Utech, even as she specifically inquired about the firm and whether Comcast was still using it, and others, to honor its contract.
Dixon also said that she supported calling for the hearing - authorized by a council resolution last month - because several minority firms had alerted her that Comcast was no longer employing them. She mentioned only a handful of companies by name, including Utech, which stopped working for the cable provider in November, according to a Comcast spokesman.
She said she was upset that Comcast had informed the city's office of cable and communications about its minority participation but had not alerted the council to its activities.
"We want to be apprised," Dixon said at the hearing. She said Comcast had met its minority inclusion goals but that "weaknesses exist."
She was joined in her questioning by council members Helen L. Holton and Paula Johnson Branch.
"Companies have been contacting us that they are not getting business anymore," Dixon said.
Michael C. Parker, vice president and general manager for Comcast, presented information that the company awarded more than $4 million in work to nearly 20 firms owned by minorities and women in 2005, meeting its required goals. Utech received about $101,000 worth of work.
Parker said in an interview after the hearing that the company had no knowledge of any relationship between Utech and Sheila Dixon.
"It wouldn't have had any impact on whether to use that company one way or the other," Parker said.
The city's ethics law prohibits public officials from participating in "any matter" that involves a sibling's interest or the interest of a relative's employer. It says public officials must recuse themselves from participating in such matters, if they have knowledge of their relative's position.
In addition, the law forbids officials from using their "prestige of office" for the private gain of another person.
When asked after the hearing whether her sister works for one of the companies that has done business with Comcast, Dixon said yes. She demanded to know who alerted a reporter to the information and refused to identify the company.
"You figure it out," she said, adding, "I'm not trying to hide anything."
Dixon said she had disclosed her sister's employment. But her financial disclosure form filed with the Board of Ethics does not list her sister's Utech job.
The ethics law requires public officials to disclose whether siblings or other relatives work for companies that do business with the city or are regulated by the city.
Utech's certification as a minority-and-women business enterprise is awarded and regulated by the city's Minority and Women's Business Opportunity Office. Obtaining that certification renders such firms eligible to be hired by contractors looking to satisfy city rules on using minority subcontractors.
Dixon's failure to disclose her sister's job could be an ethical lapse if her sister, Janice Dixon, worked for Utech in 2004, the year covered by the most current disclosure form. The form covering 2005 is due April 30.
It is unclear when Janice Dixon began working for Utech. She and Utech's top officer, Mildred E. Boyer, did not return several phone messages seeking comment.
But Chris Williams, a spokesman for Sheila Dixon, confirmed that Janice Dixon works for the company. He did not know when she started with the firm, which installs fiber-optic cable.
Comcast spokesman Jim Gordon said the cable provider signed a contract with Utech in 2003 and that its first subcontracting work was done in 2004 - before the City Council renewed Comcast's Baltimore franchise in December 2004.
Gordon said Utech was removed from Comcast's list of approved contractors at the end of November. He would not say why.
Last month, Sheila Dixon swore in an affidavit filed with the city's ethics board that she is "not now in violation" of conflict of interest rules and that she will comply by those provisions "in all future activities."
Sheila Dixon and her sister have been in ethical troubles before. Three years ago, The Sun revealed that Janice Dixon worked in the council president's office as a paid employee. Sheila Dixon was forced to fire her in November 2003 after the ethics board ruled her employment violated city regulations.
Ethics Board Chairman Robert L. Bogomolny said he could not comment on the current situation regarding Sheila Dixon and Comcast because he does not know all of the facts. But he said the board might have to look into the matter now that questions have been raised.
"If we're aware of something we can't ignore it or put our head in the sand," said Bogomolny, who is also president of the University of Baltimore. "If this continues to be out there we will do what we feel is appropriate."
Bobbie Walton, executive director of Common Cause Maryland, a public watchdog group, said the council president's involvement in the hearing is troubling.
"I would be concerned about what the implications might be" behind Dixon's questions of Comcast, Walton said. "Sounds like someone is having a problem complying with ethics rules."
doug.donovan@baltsun.com
The hearing was held to determine whether Comcast of Baltimore has complied with the minority subcontracting provision of its 12-year city franchise. Utech, one of several firms that Comcast has hired to meet those requirements, is a Baltimore company that employs Dixon's sister.During Thursday's council committee hearing, Dixon - who ran afoul of city ethics regulations 2 1/2 years ago - never mentioned her sister's job with Utech, even as she specifically inquired about the firm and whether Comcast was still using it, and others, to honor its contract.
Dixon also said that she supported calling for the hearing - authorized by a council resolution last month - because several minority firms had alerted her that Comcast was no longer employing them. She mentioned only a handful of companies by name, including Utech, which stopped working for the cable provider in November, according to a Comcast spokesman.
She said she was upset that Comcast had informed the city's office of cable and communications about its minority participation but had not alerted the council to its activities.
"We want to be apprised," Dixon said at the hearing. She said Comcast had met its minority inclusion goals but that "weaknesses exist."
She was joined in her questioning by council members Helen L. Holton and Paula Johnson Branch.
"Companies have been contacting us that they are not getting business anymore," Dixon said.
Michael C. Parker, vice president and general manager for Comcast, presented information that the company awarded more than $4 million in work to nearly 20 firms owned by minorities and women in 2005, meeting its required goals. Utech received about $101,000 worth of work.
Parker said in an interview after the hearing that the company had no knowledge of any relationship between Utech and Sheila Dixon.
"It wouldn't have had any impact on whether to use that company one way or the other," Parker said.
The city's ethics law prohibits public officials from participating in "any matter" that involves a sibling's interest or the interest of a relative's employer. It says public officials must recuse themselves from participating in such matters, if they have knowledge of their relative's position.
In addition, the law forbids officials from using their "prestige of office" for the private gain of another person.
When asked after the hearing whether her sister works for one of the companies that has done business with Comcast, Dixon said yes. She demanded to know who alerted a reporter to the information and refused to identify the company.
"You figure it out," she said, adding, "I'm not trying to hide anything."
Dixon said she had disclosed her sister's employment. But her financial disclosure form filed with the Board of Ethics does not list her sister's Utech job.
The ethics law requires public officials to disclose whether siblings or other relatives work for companies that do business with the city or are regulated by the city.
Utech's certification as a minority-and-women business enterprise is awarded and regulated by the city's Minority and Women's Business Opportunity Office. Obtaining that certification renders such firms eligible to be hired by contractors looking to satisfy city rules on using minority subcontractors.
Dixon's failure to disclose her sister's job could be an ethical lapse if her sister, Janice Dixon, worked for Utech in 2004, the year covered by the most current disclosure form. The form covering 2005 is due April 30.
It is unclear when Janice Dixon began working for Utech. She and Utech's top officer, Mildred E. Boyer, did not return several phone messages seeking comment.
But Chris Williams, a spokesman for Sheila Dixon, confirmed that Janice Dixon works for the company. He did not know when she started with the firm, which installs fiber-optic cable.
Comcast spokesman Jim Gordon said the cable provider signed a contract with Utech in 2003 and that its first subcontracting work was done in 2004 - before the City Council renewed Comcast's Baltimore franchise in December 2004.
Gordon said Utech was removed from Comcast's list of approved contractors at the end of November. He would not say why.
Last month, Sheila Dixon swore in an affidavit filed with the city's ethics board that she is "not now in violation" of conflict of interest rules and that she will comply by those provisions "in all future activities."
Sheila Dixon and her sister have been in ethical troubles before. Three years ago, The Sun revealed that Janice Dixon worked in the council president's office as a paid employee. Sheila Dixon was forced to fire her in November 2003 after the ethics board ruled her employment violated city regulations.
Ethics Board Chairman Robert L. Bogomolny said he could not comment on the current situation regarding Sheila Dixon and Comcast because he does not know all of the facts. But he said the board might have to look into the matter now that questions have been raised.
"If we're aware of something we can't ignore it or put our head in the sand," said Bogomolny, who is also president of the University of Baltimore. "If this continues to be out there we will do what we feel is appropriate."
Bobbie Walton, executive director of Common Cause Maryland, a public watchdog group, said the council president's involvement in the hearing is troubling.
"I would be concerned about what the implications might be" behind Dixon's questions of Comcast, Walton said. "Sounds like someone is having a problem complying with ethics rules."
doug.donovan@baltsun.com
