The Louisville Metro Ethics Commission is expected to release its recommendations in the case against Councilwoman Barbara Shanklin as early as this Thursday.
Shanklin has been accused of using her position on the council to benefit relatives and in some cases signed checks for family members. There are five provisions of the city’s ethics code that Shanklin has been accused of violating.At last year’s ethics hearing the embattled councilwoman twice walked out of the room at the request of her attorney, Aubrey Williams.The Ethics Commission will meet Thursday for the third time since the case was handed off with recommendations from hearing officer Ann Sheadel, who acted as judge in the case. The group has been meeting in private the past month to decide how many of those provisions—if any—Shanklin violated. The commission will based its decisions off the findings of facts from the hearing and additional documents submitted by Willams, Sheadel and prosecuting attorney James Earhart.Ethics Commission chair Jonathan Ricketts says city law determines what penalties correlate to the recommendations the commission makes.“The ordinance sets forth the different possible recommendations that we can make, which span from a reprimand, to a fine, essentially,” he says.Further, Ricketts says the commission could recommend the Metro Council remove Shanklin from office.“Historically, the Metro Council has taken its own actions after we issue findings,” he says.Shanklin can appeal any recommendations made by the council to the circuit court.
