Center Director Violated Ethics Law - Investigator

The city's ethics investigator has decided that Seattle Center Director Virginia Anderson violated city and state conflict-of-interest laws on three occasions.

She did so, the investigator said, by continuing to involve herself in the administration of a construction contract that had been awarded to a company run by her husband.

The results of Alan Miller's three-month investigation were sent to Anderson and to the city's Board of Ethics, which makes the final determination of whether any violations have occurred. If the charges are upheld, the ethics board could take disciplinary action against Anderson, including fines of up to $500 for each of the violations against her.

Anderson has denied any wrongdoing.

Miller concedes there is no evidence that Anderson or her husband benefited financially in any way from their actions.

Miller concludes that Anderson violated the city's ethics code on three occasions by "attempting to influence the course of the center's business" with the ballet and Sellen Construction Co., a firm in which she and her husband, Rick Redman, hold a financial interest.

On eight occasions, said Miller, Anderson failed to disclose those financial interests to the City Council or mayor. He also decided that Anderson's management of a lease between the Center and the Pacific Northwest Ballet went beyond the mere appearance of a conflict of interest.

Miller also wrote that Anderson's involvement in the administration of a contract involving her husband's company violated several sections of the city's ordinances governing ethics and conflict of interest.

Those violations stemmed from her management of the ballet company's lease and her appeal on several occasions to amend that contract to provide additional money for the renovation project at the Exhibition Hall.

Anderson's husband, Redman, is a member of the board of the Pacific Northwest Ballet and president and part owner of the Sellen Construction Co.

In March 1988, Redman's company was awarded a contract by the ballet company to convert the Exhibition Hall at Seattle Center into a practice and performance facility for the ballet company.

Anderson, a former member of the ballet's board of trustees, was appointed director of Seattle Center three months after the contract was awarded to Sellen.

In that position, one of her responsibilities has been to administer the agreement the ballet company has with Seattle Center to lease the Exhibition Hall. That lease includes the alterations to the building being done by the Sellen Construction Co.

Anderson denies having any direct involvement in the construction contract.

Investigating an allegation by a temporary worker at Seattle Center, Miller decided Anderson had involved herself in the lease and the construction project.

A year ago Anderson did, however, admit in a letter to Mayor Norm Rice that there was the possibility of a conflict of interest.

At that time she expressed concern about the appearance of impropriety and asked to be relieved of any responsibility for the Exhibition Hall lease with the Pacific Northwest Ballet.

In his report, Miller said he has reason to believe that Anderson, on numerous occasions, violated four sections of the city's ethics code. The sections, in general, prohibit any public officer or employee from having any direct or indirect beneficial or financial interest in an area they supervise.

Anderson has three weeks to negotiate a settlement with Miller, or produce evidence to persuade him to dismiss the complaint.