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Ethics complaint against Gulyas dismissed

Berlin Town Councilman Thom Gulyas

By Josh Davis, Associate Editor

(April 4, 2019) The Berlin Ethics Commission dismissed a Feb. 28 complaint against At-Large Town Councilman Thom Gulyas.

According to a copy of the complaint by resident Jason Walter and received by this paper, Walter alleged that Gulyas insulted his character during a phone call with Christina Tucker. Tucker, who apparently is not a Berlin resident, then commented about the incident on Facebook.

“I’m not sure what our ethics regs for conduct of elected officials may state, but I am quite displeased he opted to call and reach out to someone on social media for the sole purpose of character assassination,” Walter said in the complaint. “I feel his behavior is unbecoming of any elected official, [immature], unnecessary and absolutely uncalled for.”

He included the social media post by Tucker in the complaint.

“I am so disgusted by a council member … who messaged after 9 last night and before … this morning wanting to talk about a post with a newspaper article concerning tax rate hikes,” Tucker said. “The conversation started with this person attacking the character of a person commenting on the post (a complete stranger to me). I’m disgusted because this wasn’t the first time this person called me to talk s… about someone. It wasn’t the second or third time either.

“At the end of our conversation, I explained to him that I don’t want to hear their personal opinions about another person, because it only makes me question their character, not the person’s they are speaking so badly about,” she continued. “The response? They said they don’t care what people think about them (apparently, they are only concerned with how I feel about people they don’t like) and then they hung up on me. What a lack [of] leadership. I’m so completely disgusted.”

In a March 4 letter to Walter, Town Administrator Laura Allen wrote that the ethics commission reviewed the matter based on their “Procedures for Processing Ethics Commission Complaints” adopted in 2016.

“The members unanimously determined your complaint did not fall within their jurisdiction, therefore the Town considers this matter closed,” Allen said.

The letter was co-signed by Town Attorney David Gaskill.

Allen, reached for comment last Friday, added, “The Ethics Commission reviewed the complaint and took action consistent with their adopted complaint procedures. The Town’s Ethics Code meets the requirements of the State of Maryland.”

Walter also brought the issue up during a March 25 Town Council meeting.

“When you meet new people because a councilman calls them to trash your character for having a differing view than the town might have on its spending is not really appropriate,” Walter said.

Walter, reached for comment on Sunday, said he initially confronted Gulyas via Facebook messenger:

“Thom, despite your previous outbursts I’ve had no personal axe to grind with you. It does need to be pointed out that your recent behavior isn’t just unbecoming of an elected official, it really just lacks maturity. If you have something to say to me, put your big boy pants on … man up and say it. There is just no need to peddle back channel bulls…”

Walter said he’s lived within a few thousand feet of Gulyas for about 13 years, but has had little or no discussions with him.

“I know him no better than I do a councilman [in] Berlin, Germany,” Walter said.

“An ethics commission should work to keep public officials in check,” he continued. “With the desire to nip Thom’s juvenile behavior and help assure others were protected from unwarranted ad hominem attacks by their elected officials, an ethics complaint seemed appropriate.”

He said the town ethics codes mentions “minimum standards for the conduct of local government business,” but does not feel the matter got much consideration because of the fast turnaround, less than a week.

“Apparently, beyond financial conflict there are no actual standards in place,” Walter said. “Bringing the matter up in public session was a last resort. The intent was not to air laundry, but to help assure comments made by public officials are kept above board and in check.”

Gulyas, who said he only learned the complaint had been filed very recently, emailed a statement on Monday:

“I find it strange that he’s carrying on about something ‘I may have said’ to another person who does not even live in the corporate limits of this wonderful town. The Town of Berlin Ethics committee did its job in returning what ANYONE would have felt was the right decision: The members unanimously determined his complaint did not fall within their jurisdiction and therefore considered this matter closed.

“Trying to bait me into an argument during a council meeting is inappropriate. The best thing anyone in a public service position can do is not risk an entire public comment session of an agenda over a personal attack on one member. It’s just best to ignore someone like this. Not everyone is going to be happy with all of us sitting up there at any given time and that’s OK.

“While Mr. Walter may not be pleased with the decision, it should be noted that the Town of Berlin Maryland follows the same standards as the State of Maryland.”