ROBINSON MAY REFER MATTER TO STATE ATTORNEY GENERAL
Platte County Presiding Commissioner Scott Fricker himself has not been perfectly compliant with personal financial document filing, which is the ordinance that Fricker has been pushing be enforced upon seven candidates for county office this year.
That is the finding of a review by Platte County Auditor Kevin Robinson. Robinson reported on his findings at the end of Monday’s county commission session.
Robinson filed a Missouri Sunshine Law request last week for financial filing records for current elected officials in the county between 2021 and 2025, finding that multiple people, including most notably Fricker, had not been compliant with the dual filing requirement. County ordinance requires the financial disclosures be filed with the county clerk, as well as the Missouri Ethics Commission.
Robinson’s review found that for the year 2023 Fricker only filed with the state, not with the county clerk.
“This raises several questions regarding consistency and due process,” Robinson said. “Given the seriousness of enforcing candidate disqualifications, it is critical that the county ensure consistency, lawfulness and procedural sound application of this ordinance.”
Robinson said he plans to submit his findings for review to the Missouri Attorney General’s office.
Robinson said the law indicates that any person who fails to file the required statement “shall not be paid until compliance is achieved,” and “any person who continues to fail to file for 30 days after notice from the Missouri Ethics Commission may be subject to suspension from office.”
A large portion of the several dozen folks in attendance at Monday’s meeting reacted with applause to Robinson’s reading of his findings on Fricker’s status.
Fricker did not comment at the meeting after Robinson read his findings and statement.
Fricker also has not responded to a request from The Landmark for comment on Robinson’s report.
Joe Vanover, second district commissioner, said: “One of the points being made is there is no one that’s looking to make sure current officeholders are compliant with the law. Seems like a valid concern. I would suggest the office that should take on that role would be the county auditor. If we need someone to audit compliance, how about we have the county auditor? The county auditor hasn’t done it until this morning.”
Robinson said his findings also found that Platte County Recorder Chris Wright failed to file his 2023 report with the county clerk’s office.
He said his findings show Dagmar Wood, former first district commissioner, was compliant while in office but had no filing with the county clerk for 2024 (post term year).
The auditor said Allyson Berberich, current first district commissioner, was “substantively compliant,” with only candidate filing date inconsistency.
