Crook County High School principal paying fine to settle state ethics claim, pays district back for business use of gym
Barney Lerten
PRINEVILLE, Ore. (KTVZ) — Crook County High School Principal Jake Huffman has agreed to pay a $1,000 fine to settle a state ethics investigation over free use of public facilities, including the gym, for his private for-profit wrestling business.
Huffman also recently reimbursed the school district for more than $5,000 in unpaid facilities rental fees, according to the order that goes before the Oregon Government Ethics Commission for a decision on Friday. He said he was unaware he was violating the state ethics law at the time.
The Prineville Review and KTVZ News reported in early May that the ethics commission voted unanimously to open a formal investigation of Huffman’s possible violation of state ethics laws.
Investigators looked into whether Huffman used school resources for the wrestling business, the Central Oregon Wrestling Academy (COWA), without paying the required rental fees.
A stipulated final order on Friday’s ethics commission agenda says COWA used school district facilities without paying any fees from April 2022 to April of this year.
The investigation also found the organization used the high school gym facilities without a contract and without paying a fee until last December, using time and space contracted by a separate non-profit, the Cowboy Mat Club.
The nonprofit told the ethics panel that the two organizations coordinated the use of district facilities to provide instruction for advanced wrestlers, and that the nonprofit contracted with the school district for that use.
From last December through this April, COWA had a facilities use agreemwnt with the district to use the gym without having to pay a fee, “despite being a for-profit business that would have been charged a fee of $20 per hour” under the district’s facilities policy, the order states.
By using school district facilities for COWA practices, it says “Huffman avoided the cost of paying for his private business’s expenses,” — something that “would not have been available,” if not for his official position.
The order says Huffman failed to notify the school board in writing of the “actual confiict of interest each time” COWA used the gym for his wrestling business.
A month ago, Huffman, on behalf of COWA, made two payments to the school district, totaling $5,260, reimbursing the district for the usage fees he should have paid for gym use, the order says.
According to the commission, Crook County School District Superintendent Dr. Joel Hoff has written a letter to the ethics panel, saying Huffman “has taken full responsibility and has paid all retroactive fees to the district.”
Hoff describes Huffman in the letter as “a dedicated and ethical educator who consistently upholds district policies and maintains the public trust (and who is) deeply committed to serving our students, staff and community with integrity.”
Huffman, meanwhile, “contends that there was neither knowing nor intent” to violate state ethics law” and “was unaware that he was committing any violations,” the stipulated order says.
It says he “contends that his involvement with COWA was not a source of material financial gain,” disputing allegations that it had more than $700,000 in revenue. Instead, he said “COWA’s annual gross income is approximately $13,000 and its annual net earnings ranged from an annual loss exceeding $14,200 to a small profit if $1,774.”
The settlement terms include a $1,000 civil penalty, saying Huffman “wishes to conclude this matter … without completing the investigation phase.”
Reached by phone Monday by KTVZ News, Huffman said, “It’s been a really long process, and I’m just looking forward to it being concluded.”
“It hasn’t been an easy thing to deal with, but I’m looking forward to moving on.” he added.