Pennridge official broke state ethics law, panel rules

Terri Yates, a member of the Pennridge School Board for about 12 years, violated the state ethics law by recommending and voting for work performed by her husband's company, the state Ethics Commission announced Tuesday.

Yates, whose term expires this year and who is not seeking reelection, has agreed to pay $500 to the school district for her violations, commission Executive Director John J. Contino said. Her husband, Steven Yates, made $759.51 in profits from two jobs Delval Soil & Environment Consultants worked on for the district, according to the commission's investigation.

As a member of the board's Facilities Committee in 2008, Terri Yates recommended installation of a septic system at Bedminster Elementary School, and as a board member she voted to pay Delval $12,500 for the work. More recently, she voted to pay Delval $7,639 for environmental testing at the V&M Building, which the district bought last year.

The commission keeps complainants' names confidential, Contino said.

Terri Yates and her husband could not be reached for comment. A Delval employee said that Steven Yates no longer works for the consulting firm.