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Michigan lawmaker cites Sheetz hiring of local official, drafting bill to ban practice
An Oakland County Republican state legislator told local leaders Thursday, Aug. 14, she wants to change Michigan law to bar county elected officials from holding outside jobs — citing a powerful elected Democrat who also works for a gas station empire.
State Rep. Donni Steele, R-Orion Township, told the Oakland County Board of Commissioners she wants to change the law, referencing Oakland County Commission Chairman Dave Woodward's side gig working as a consultant for Sheetz, a Pennsylvania-based convenience store chain looking to expand in southeast Michigan.
"I would like to bring up the fact that we do have a conflict of interest with Sheetz gas station. It's written in the paper. Legislatively, we are trying to write a law to stop that process, because it's not fair to our communities to have these conflicts of interest," Steele told commissioners during the meeting's public comment period.
Oakland Co. commission head defends Sheetz side job, denies conflict of interest
(WXYZ) â Heâs one of the most powerful public officials in metro Detroitâso why is he working for a private company thatâs trying to do business in cities across the region?
Families across metro Detroit have been speaking out against Sheetz during public comment at city council and commission meetings for months. The Pennsylvania-based gas station chain wants to add 50 to 60 stores in southeast Michigan, but Sheetz has been feeling the heat with some communities saying no.
And in the audience at some of those public meetings, you can find Oakland County Commission Chair Dave Woodward.
Some local leaders say the mere presence of the commission chair at public meetings about Sheetz development can be intimidating for elected officials and potentially influence their decisions. Woodward denies that his presence is an influence.
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Sheetz, other side gigs, pose ethics issues for Oakland County lawmakers – Stories – Markkula Center for Applied Ethics
The Detroit Free Press reports on ethics issues for Oakland County lawmakers.
"These aren’t just paper conflicts, they’re power conflicts. They come down to trust, access and who’s really being served. I think it’s fair to say you can’t be both advocate and the arbiter when there are contracts that have you possibly split your loyalty," said Davina Hurt, director of the government ethics program at Santa Clara University and former small-town mayor in California.
“Ethics in government isn’t just about the laws. Again, it’s about whether a public official’s judgment can be trusted to serve the people first, and every time," Hurt said.
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