OT: Awkward Situation - Any Advice?

[punkin712]

DH and I are looking into purchasing a commercial building in the town where we live. I want to open up a bakery/cafe and haven't found any decent retail spaces to lease, so we decided to purchase. The building we found is perfect - recently renovated, very charming, etc.

Anyway, we scheduled a meeting with the Planning and Zoning official in our town to make sure there weren't any restrictions on how the property could be used, find out general information about the zoning guidelines for the area, and to see if there was anything that we would need to do to bring the building up to code. The person we spoke to (I'll call him "Mickey") spent almost 2 hours with us last Friday morning and gave us a wealth of information that we wouldn't have been able to get had we not met with him. I was so appreciative of his time that I decided to bake some cookies and take them over to his office this morning.

Well...I just got home and there was a message from "Mickey" on the answering machine. He thanked me for the gesture, but said he couldn't accept things like that. He sounded "breezy" in the voicemail, but also a little uncomfortable. He said that I should call him back and let him know what he should do with the cookies since he's never been in this situation before. I just left him a message and told him to feel free to put the cookies in a common area or break room for the rest of the office to enjoy.

Now, of course, I'm a little freaked out that he's going to think this innocent plate of cookies was intended as a bribe or that it had strings attached. Some people say it with flowers...I say it with cookies! I never dreamed they could be construed as an inappropriate gift to a Township official!

DH says I'm overreacting, but our meeting with "Mickey" went so well that I don't want this to make things weird.

Any advice?

 

[marybet]

You could always call and talk to him, explain how helpful he was and that it was just your way of saying thanks. Unless you are going to ask for a zoning change there shouldn't be a problem.

What would the value of the cookies be? Maybe they can't accept gifts over a certain amount, maybe the guy just over reacted? I wouldn't think a plate of cookies would be considered a bribe.

 

[Daxx]

Isn't it funny that an innocent plate of cookies could be misconstrued as a bribe?!!? Unfortunately, it's true! I think that, in your shoes, I prob. would've done the same thing and not even thought twice about it being considered a bribe!!!

However, I think you handled it well and don't think that this guy will look upon it as a bribe or coming w/strings attached. I am sure he realizes that you are grateful/appreciative of his assistance/information and, like many people, might not have realized how an innocent plate of cookies might look! To *most* people, it'd look like nothing. But, as you stated, he is a public official and even a simple plate of cookies could be so misinterpreted and could cost the guy his job!

I'm sure that this guy realizes that you weren't trying to bribe, but were trying to thank! If you want, call him and say "I"m such an idiot! It never dawned on me how that an innocent plate of cookies could be misconstrued as a bribe!" Make light of your error and things will be fine. Next time you see him, even make a joke of "Don't worry, I didn't bring any cookies!" I'm sure this isn't the first time someone's tried to show this guy their appreciation!

 

[Cindy's Mom]

DH and I are looking into purchasing a commercial building in the town where we live. I want to open up a bakery/cafe and haven't found any decent retail spaces to lease, so we decided to purchase. The building we found is perfect - recently renovated, very charming, etc.

Anyway, we scheduled a meeting with the Planning and Zoning official in our town to make sure there weren't any restrictions on how the property could be used, find out general information about the zoning guidelines for the area, and to see if there was anything that we would need to do to bring the building up to code. The person we spoke to (I'll call him "Mickey") spent almost 2 hours with us last Friday morning and gave us a wealth of information that we wouldn't have been able to get had we not met with him. I was so appreciative of his time that I decided to bake some cookies and take them over to his office this morning.

Well...I just got home and there was a message from "Mickey" on the answering machine. He thanked me for the gesture, but said he couldn't accept things like that. He sounded "breezy" in the voicemail, but also a little uncomfortable. He said that I should call him back and let him know what he should do with the cookies since he's never been in this situation before. I just left him a message and told him to feel free to put the cookies in a common area or break room for the rest of the office to enjoy.

Now, of course, I'm a little freaked out that he's going to think this innocent plate of cookies was intended as a bribe or that it had strings attached. Some people say it with flowers...I say it with cookies! I never dreamed they could be construed as an inappropriate gift to a Township official!

DH says I'm overreacting, but our meeting with "Mickey" went so well that I don't want this to make things weird.

Any advice?

What you should do is write him a thank you note for his time; mention the misunderstanding about the cookies and all will be fine. THere are Ethics Codes, Laws & Rules everywhere. Some people take them more serious than others. He has to report any gift from a business that he regulates. Just writie the note and explain you didn't know.

 

[Disney Doll]

What you should do is write him a thank you note for his time; mention the misunderstanding about the cookies and all will be fine. THere are Ethics Codes, Laws & Rules everywhere. Some people take them more serious than others. He has to report any gift from a business that he regulates. Just writie the note and explain you didn't know.

This is good advice.

My DBIL is a state employee and he literally cannot accept a cup of coffee at an off-site meeting unless he pays for it. If it's in a coffee pot in a contractor's trailer on a job site, he still has to leave money for it so it won't be misconstrued.

Craziness!!!

 

[punkin712]

Thanks to everybody for your responses. I just talked to him and we actually had a good laugh about it. He said he took my advice and put the cookies out for the office staff and he really appreciated that I thought enough to do that for him. Then, we talked for another 20 minutes because he thought of a few more things about the property that he wanted to make sure I knew about. Don't you wish everyone could be as helpful?

Just so you know, before I talked to him and got this cleared up, my mind was racing with ways to fix this situation. We live across the street from the mayor and I had this whole image of myself racing over there to confess that I baked cookies for "Mickey" and beg for his forgiveness. I need to get out more.