On the heels of a no confidence vote taken by the McCleary City Council on Feb. 26, McCleary Mayor Chris Miller has been ordered by the Washington State Executive Ethics Board to pay a civil penalty of $3,000 for using “state resources for their private benefit or gain.”

Miller told The Daily World via email, “Under the advice of council, I have no comment except that this error will be corrected in my favor.”

The Ethics Board issued this order on March 14 and has given Miller 45 days to pay.

The order comes at the conclusion of an investigation dating back to August 2023 that began after an “agency referral” to the Ethics Board while Miller was a Washington state Department of Labor and Industries (LNI) employee.

According to the Final Order, “The complaint alleged that Christopher Miller violated RCW Chapter 42.52, by using state resources for non work-related activities.”

According to the referral, “Christopher Miller conducted work for their outside employer, city of McCleary, while on LNI scheduled work time.”

Miller allegedly attended a Division of Occupational Safety and Health Wildfire Smoke Stakeholder meeting in Spokane, and McCleary city conferences. It was further alleged that Miller has a “history” of not being available to his direct reports, going “missing” while teleworking, and not being responsive to remote online meetings.

Miller was elected mayor of McCleary in November of 2021. He was hired by LNI’s Department of Occupational Safety and Health in March of 2015 and eventually resigned in July 2023. According to the Final Order, Miller did not participate in LNI’s internal investigation process.

The Ethics Board asked Miller to return his LNI computer and cell phone, which he did not, even after his resignation.

According to the Final Order, Ryan Allen, LNI Standards and Technical Services Manager, attempted to meet with Mayor Miller and collect his electronic devices, however Miller was unable to attend due to “several ongoing medical issues.“

Miller was granted leave under the Family Medical Leave Act from Nov. 22, 2022, through Feb. 15, 2023, yet continued to log in to LNI systems despite being on approved leave. He was informed that he should not continue to do so.

After providing medical documentation, Miller’s leave was extended. However, LNI learned Miller continued to work as mayor of McCleary while on leave. Miller missed scheduled interviews and meetings and failed to return his electronic equipment.

After an internal audit of Miller’s accounts, LNI discovered that Miller had sent hundreds of personal emails, some romantic in nature, between 2016 and 2023. He also sent and received several hundred emails to various military accounts relating to his National Guard service. Miller also used his LNI email account for city of McCleary business.

As a result of the Ethics Board’s findings, Miller has been ordered to pay a civil penalty of $3,000. Miller was given 10 days after the postmark of the Final Order to respond and ask for reconsideration. He was also given 30 days to submit a petition for judicial review.

If Miller does not appeal or pay the $3,000, the Ethics Board can take the matter to superior court and seek to enforce the Final Order if the penalty remains unpaid and no petition for judicial review has been filed on time.