By Dewey Terrill
JC Post
Kansas Governmental Ethics Commission on Wednesday held a public hearing on complaints that were filed against Junction City Mayor Jeff Underhill and his campaign treasurer Monte Dibben, pertaining to the last city commission election in 2021. The complaint alleged Underhill and Dibben failed to file a Jan. 10, 2022 receipts and expenditures report in violation of state law.
General Counsel for the Commission, Brett Barry, stated after giving notice of the hearing to Underhill and Dibben the Commission took up the matter of the report which had allegedly not been filed. "Based on a proffer of the evidence they concluded that Mr. Underhill and Mr. Dibben had not filed the report as alleged in the complaint. "
Barry said Underhill and Dibben did not attend the hearing at the Governmental Ethics Commission Offices in Topeka. "Based on the fact they did not appear found them in default and ordered that they pay a fine of $5,000. That fine could be reduced to $1,000 if they were able to pay within 30 days and also submit the report which is due and owing within 30 days. " Both Underhill and Dibben were each fined $5,000, but could again, reduce that amount to $1,000 apiece.
Under the Campaign Finance Act all candidates are required to file the campaign finance reports, which detail all the campaign contributions and all the expenditures that are made within a given period.
Jeff Underhill told JC Post it was an oversight on the part of himself and Dibben. "Kind of a comedy of errors because I moved during that time and so I wasn't receiving all of the notifications that they were sending but we're both aware. We've both visited with them and we're working to get it resolved. It was nothing malicious, just an honest oversight."
Underhill said he knew about the hearing Wednesday but didn't think that he had to attend because they requested that he send an email, which he had done. "We should be okay, just from the communications that I've had that, that we are working to get it resolved though."
Underhill noted that the the fines will be paid and the report submitted within the 30 day time period. "Like I said we're moving forward on getting everything resolved." Dibben chose not to comment.