Officials' lap dance was very unofficial.

Byline: DAVID STEVES The Register-Guard

An exotic dancer's lap dance at a gathering for building inspectors in Eugene has led to disciplinary action against participants and the termination of a state contract with the group responsible for the event.

The incident took place in March at the Eugene Hilton, where building inspectors from cities and counties were taking part in a training seminar sponsored by the Oregon Building Officials Association.

The association's president, William Clemens, said an inquiry has determined that the exotic dancer was hired with personal funds, rather than public money, and that the lap dance was not condoned by his association.

The dancer performed at a luncheon - not during a training session - and wore attire similar to "a swimsuit," said Clemens, a building official for Crook County and the city of Prineville. The dancer didn't touch the recipient, Clemens said.

Clemens said the dance probably was less sexually explicit than what can be seen on TV, but he added that it was still wrong.

"It should not have happened at our event," said Clemens, adding that he has contacted every offended seminar participant to apologize. The association also has decided not to seek state funding for the event, as it normally would, Clemens said, "to appease the state and put some distance between the state and that incident."

The Oregon Building Codes Division normally pays a portion of the cost for such training through a 1 percent surcharge fee on contractors for all building permits they take out. The division's administrator, Joseph Brewer III, wrote in a letter to the association that he was "appalled with this egregious breakdown in values" and that participants in the professional training seminar "should not have been subjected to such an offensive spectacle."

The division also has terminated its contract with the association to provide educational training.

The executive director of the association, Silverton-based lobbyist Bill Cross, arranged for the dancer's performance, Clemens said.

Cross said he did so at the request of colleagues of the recipient, who was celebrating his birthday. The colleagues have denied this, claiming that they "thought the money was going to something different," Clemens said.

Cross has agreed to pay what would have been the state's portion of the cost for the Eugene training event, Clemens said.

In a letter to the state, Clemens said his association's board had identified those who were involved and "taken appropriate disciplinary and corrective action" with them.

Other than Cross, Clemens declined to identify those who were involved in the event or to specify what sort of action had been taken, calling the matter a personnel issue. He said Cross' contract as the association's executive director expires in June, "and at that point, we're revisiting his contract."

Cross said the association and the state shouldn't be blamed. Cross said he has taken responsibility for his role in the incident and has apologized for what he called "a big judgmental mistake."