Clark County’s ethics commission is investigating a complaint filed against Vanessa Gaston, who has served as director of the Community Services department since 2007.
The complaint, filed by Lynn Mueller, a senior analyst in that department, claims Gaston violated county policy by failing to disclose a possible conflict of interest in awarding contracts to the Community Foundation for Southwest Washington, a local nonprofit.
Gaston currently serves on the Community Foundation’s board of directors.
Mueller also filed a whistleblower complaint with the county in May. That complaint states Gaston “failed to disclose her conflict of interest to the county council when she ordered the award and execution of a no-bid contract in the amount of $600,000 to the Community Foundation (for) Southwest Washington where she serves as an officer on the Board of Directors.”
Between 2018 and 2024, Community Services awarded five contracts to the Community Foundation, with a total value of $1.1 million, to provide a variety of services.
In 2018, Community Services awarded $160,000 to the foundation to provide housing options to individuals with complex behavioral or physical health issues with integrated services.
In 2022, the foundation was awarded $29,000 for racial equity learning and $150,000 to fund social justice grants for local nonprofit groups. An additional $206,000 was awarded in 2023 for the social justice grant program.
Only one of the contracts was approved by the county council. The rest were awarded as sole-source contracts not subject to the county’s competitive bid process.
According to county policy, all contracts are subject to the competitive bid process, with some exceptions. Sole-source contracts outside of those exceptions are supposed to be approved by the county council.
Allowed exceptions include purchases for special facilities; insurance or bonds; a public works emergency; public defense services; under a federal or state master contract; and intergovernmental agreements.
It is unclear which exceptions the Community Foundation contracts fall under. County Manager Kathleen Otto said questions about the ethics complaint sent to her and Gaston would not be answered until after the ethics commission makes its ruling.
“This would continue to support the integrity of the process as well as all employees involved,” Otto said by email.
The Community Foundation contracts are not the only contracts being questioned. Mueller’s whistleblower complaint also says Gaston directed the execution of a Public Works contract with Lumen Fidelis “even though it was known to the department that the agency was not a registered contractor with the Department of Labor and Industries and, therefore, not licensed to perform work on a Public Works contract.”
Lumen Fidelis, the nonprofit that took over operations of the former Kasper Recovery Housing in Hazel Dell, approached the county council in late 2023 seeking $130,000 to renovate the property. The contract was eventually approved, but was canceled after questions arose about whether the property owner had approved the renovations and whether Lumen Fidelis’ lease met the council’s requirements.
“As of today, no contract has been finalized. The county is still waiting for necessary insurance requirements,” Otto said. “No funds have been spent on this project.”
If and when the contract is approved, Otto said the county would ensure Lumen Fidelis is in compliance with the contract requirements.
The county ethics commission is scheduled to meet at 2 p.m. Friday in the sixth floor meeting room of the Public Service Center, 1300 Franklin St.
