BELLINGHAM, Wash. — A Washington Public Disclosure Commission (PDC) enforcement hearing was scheduled for August 25th to consider PDC staff allegations that Bellingham School Board Director Katie Rose violated Washington state law by failing to file a Personal Financial Affairs Statement (F-1) for 2021 by an April 2022 deadline. She faced a $1,000 fine since this would be her second PDC violation.
According to the enforcement hearing minutes, Rose filed a F-1 report for calendar year 2021 2 days before the August 25th hearing, a day after Whatcom News covered this story and 130 days after the deadline of April 15th.
It was noted in the hearing minutes that Rose had been previously fined $250 after failing to file a F-1 report for calendar year 2020. That fine was sent to collections due to nonpayment. Rose told the commission she was unaware of the fine and planned to pay it as soon as possible.
The Commission voted to fine Rose $500 for the new violation but would suspend it if the previous $250 fine is paid and the missing 2020 report is filed within 30 days (September 25th). She is also to have no further violations for 4 years.
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Click for more informationAccording to the PDC website, no F-1 report for calendar year 2020 had been filed for Rose as of September 29th.
State law requires every elected official and every executive state officer who served for any portion of the preceding year to file a statement of financial affairs for that calendar year or portion of that year before April 15th of the following year.
Rose has served as a director on the Bellingham School Board since December 11, 2019.
Rose did file a 2019 F-1 report in August of 2020.