John Jessup
HANCOCK COUNTY – The state is not talking about its investigation into a county official’s relationship with a construction company looking to do more business with the county.
John Jessup, the Hancock County commissioner at the center of the investigation, maintains he did nothing wrong. The county attorney upholds that claim. Like the state, other county officials familiar with the probe are unable to speak on it due to a confidentiality agreement.
The investigation stems from this past August, when the county commissioners were considering entering into a public-private agreement with Hancock County Development Partners LLC, a group made up of several firms in the fields of construction, engineering and development. The group’s proposal addressed leading the county through developing infrastructure for a future I-70 interchange at CR 200W, evaluating infrastructure and other needs in Buck Creek Township, and helping facilitate a vocational and adult education facility.
Indianapolis-based BW Construction is one of the companies part of Hancock County Development Partners. In July, Jessup filed a Uniform Conflict of Interest Disclosure Statement with the Indiana State Board of Accounts stating that his wife’s business, Ace’s 1st Cleaning Services, performs contract work for BW Construction but not on any project contracted by Hancock County government. Through that relationship, Jessup worked for BW Construction as a construction superintendent.
After hearing a presentation from Hancock County Development Partners in August, Hancock County Commissioner Bill Spalding moved to table consideration of the group’s proposal until the state board of accounts investigated any potential conflict of interest between Jessup and BW Construction. Both Jessup and County Commissioner Marc Huber voted in favor.
Jennifer Gauger, chief of staff for the state board of accounts, told the Daily Reporter in an email last week that the board has been in contact with Hancock County officials on the matter.
“However, the State Board of Accounts does not provide comment on our investigations and any workpapers are confidential pursuant to state law,” Gauger said.
Jessup said the state board of accounts conducted an interview with him, during which he was asked what the nature of his relationship was with BW Construction. He said he had lost his job with his previous employer after declining an assignment that would have required him to live out of state for an extended period of time while his father was dying. Jessup added he had developed a positive relationship with BW Construction through the company’s work on projects for the county, including the new county jail. BW Construction had lost a couple superintendents, Jessup continued, and needed one on a short-term basis to help finish a couple projects. Jessup said he worked on one project in downtown Indianapolis and another in Muncie.
Jessup said he was left confused by much of what the state board of accounts told him in the interview. He said at one point he was told he should not have disclosed his relationship with BW Construction despite his desire to do so out of an abundance of caution and to be transparent, as there was no involvement in a Hancock County project. Jessup added the state board of accounts ended the meeting by encouraging him in the future to disclose any similar relationships, even if there is no involvement with a county project, out of an abundance of caution.
“As I said all along, I did nothing wrong,” Jessup said. “I would never do anything that lacked integrity with dealing with the county.”
Scott Benkie, Hancock County attorney, said he and other county officials received a letter form the state board of accounts that addressed the matter but that they had to sign a confidentiality agreement barring them from talking about it.
Spalding said he cannot comment on the matter because of the confidentiality agreement.
Benkie said he could speak on the matter in general terms and that he supports Jessup’s comments to the Daily Reporter.
“I have every reason to believe he’s being honest,” Benkie said. “I can’t comment on the letter, but I’d say I have every reason to believe what he told you is accurate.”
Benkie added the investigation was thorough and that the state board of accounts interviewed and corresponded with many people.
“I think that everyone was satisfied with the course of that investigation and the result,” he said.
The call for the investigation in August briefly preceded the discovery that the county commissioners never approved an agreement with BW Construction last year over another project. An impasse followed among the commissioners over whether they intended to approve the agreement despite an incorrect motion. It has deepened rifts between Jessup and Spalding and Hancock County Councilwoman Keely Butrum and led to tense exchanges in public meetings over the past few months.
“I hope we can get on with the business of the county and hopefully I’d like to see people reconcile their differences and move forward,” Benkie said. “Because I think we spend an inordinate amount of time with some strife that maybe could’ve been avoided, and I’d just like to see us focus on us working together.”
