[00:00:01]
[CALL TO ORDER]
AM H SOON.ANDREA LOWE, ACTING CHAIR OF THE CITY OF AUSTIN ETHICS REVIEW COMMISSION.
I AM THE VICE CHAIR, BUT ACTING AS CHAIR THIS EVENING.
I CALL THE ETHICS REVIEW COMMISSION MEETING TO ORDER.
IT IS APRIL 23RD, 2025, AND IT IS 6:06 PM WE ARE AT AUSTIN CITY HALL IN THE BOARDS AND COMMISSIONS.
ROOM NUMBER 1, 1 0 1 AT 3 0 1 WEST SECOND STREET, AUSTIN, TEXAS, 7 8 7 0 1.
I NOTE THAT WE HAVE SOME NEW MEMBERS, AND WE HAVE SOME MEMBERS WHO, UM, WE WOULD LIKE TO RECOGNIZE AND STATE OUR GRATITUDE TO.
UM, AND I WILL EXERCISE A PREROGATIVE OF THE CHAIR AT THAT TIME.
BUT FIRST, UH, WE WILL CALL ROLE.
UM, AND, UH, WE DO NEED A QUORUM TO BEGIN.
COMMISSIONER LOUIS FIGUEROA IS, UM, ABSENT.
ARE WE EXPECTING HIM LATER? I DON'T.
COMMISSIONER BRITTANY SHARKEY HERE.
EVERYONE WHO IS PRESENT IS, UM, IN PERSON AND WE HAVE NO, UM, COMMISSIONERS, UH, VIRTUALLY.
SO THE FIRST THING I WOULD LIKE TO DO IS WELCOME THE, UH, NEW MEMBER TO THE COMMISSION.
UM, THAT IS, UH, COMMISSIONER KING.
I UNDERSTAND ALSO, UH, WHEN I WAS NOT HERE LAST TIME, COMMISSIONER KEEL AND COMMISSIONER PRETI JOINED US.
UH, I UNDERSTAND YOU ALL SERVING UNTIL 2029 FEBRUARY.
AND OF COURSE, ALSO AS ATIVE AS A CHAIR, I WOULD LIKE TO EXPRESS MY PERSONAL GRATITUDE TO MARY KALE, WHO HAS, UM, SERVED EIGHT YEARS AS A COMMISSIONER.
UM, IT'S BEEN A REAL PLEASURE AND I'VE MET WONDERFUL PEOPLE AND LEARNED SO MUCH IN THIS ROLE.
AND I WANNA PUBLICLY THANK, UH, FORMER COUNCIL MEMBER ALLISON ALTER, WHO ORIGINALLY APPOINTED ME AND KNEW COUNCIL MEMBER MARK UCHIN, WHO ALLOWED ME TO STAY ON UNTIL HIS REPLA UNTIL HE FOUND THE REPLACEMENT.
SO IT'S BEEN A THRILL TO WORK WITH EVERYBODY I'VE MET ON THIS COMMISSION.
AND HOW MANY YEARS AS CHAIR DID YOU SERVE? OH, MAYBE, I DON'T KNOW, ONE AND A HALF OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT.
AND I WAS VICE CHAIR, I THINK FOR A YEAR.
WELL, THANK YOU ALL OF AUSTIN, I'M SURE.
UM, SO WE DO HAVE A QUORUM, AND THE NEXT THING WE HAVE, UH, ON THE AGENDA IS PUBLIC COMMUNICATION.
DO WE HAVE ANY SPEAKERS WHO HAVE SIGNED UP? OKAY, SO FAR AS I KNOW, WE DO NOT HAVE ANYONE WHO HAS SIGNED UP.
UH, THE NEXT AGENDA, ITEM NUMBER ONE IS FOR APPROVAL OF MINUTES.
HOWEVER, WE ARE HAVING SOME TECHNICAL DIFFICULTIES WITH PRINTING THEM.
SO, UH, WE WILL HOLD THAT OFF FOR THE END OF THE MEETING.
UM, ITEMS TWO AND THREE ARE, UH, FOR DISCUSSION AND ACTION.
UM, AGAIN, EXERCISING PREROGATIVE OF THE CHAIR, I WOULD LIKE TO EXPLAIN THAT WE ARE NOW CONDUCTING THE ANNUAL ELECTION OF OFFICERS CHAIR, VICE CHAIR, AND SECRETARY.
UM, YOU MAY NOT ALL KNOW THAT OUR PREVIOUS CHAIR AND PREVIOUS SECRETARY ENDED THEIR TERMS LAST MONTH AND OR TWO MONTHS AGO.
AND SO THERE IS NO CURRENT CHAIR AND NO CURRENT SECRETARY.
I AM THE CURRENT VICE CHAIR, SO THE ONLY OFFICER LEFT STANDING RIGHT NOW, AND THAT IS WHY I AM CHAIRING TODAY.
HOWEVER, UM, AND THIS DOES RELATE TO THE NEXT AGENDA.
I WOULD VERY MUCH LIKE TO FOCUS MY ATTENTION ON, UM, THE WORKING GROUP THAT I'VE BEEN INVOLVED IN.
SO I AM DECLINING TO ACCEPT ANY NOMINATION, UH, FOR AN OFFICER POSITION.
UM, SO WE WILL GET TO ALL OF THOSE THINGS.
UM, BUT I WILL OPEN THE FLOOR FOR NOMINATIONS FIRST, FOR CHAIR, SECOND FOR VICE CHAIR, AND THIRD FOR SECRETARY.
UM, SO ANY NOMINATIONS PEOPLE CAN JUST, UM, EXPRESS.
[00:05:01]
ANYTHING LIKE THAT.IN THE PAST, WE HAVE HAD A PARLIAMENTARIAN, AND I BELIEVE LAST YEAR, ONE YEAR AGO, WE DECIDED THAT WAS, UH, EXTRANEOUS.
AND SO WE KIND OF DID AWAY WITH THAT.
BUT I AM BRINGING THIS UP AGAIN BECAUSE IF ANYONE WOULD LIKE TO REVIVE THAT OFFICE, UH, WE CAN DO THIS AT THAT TIME.
NO, CHAIR, I'M SORRY TO TO INTERRUPT YOU.
UM, YOUR BYLAWS STATE THAT THERE WILL ONLY BE A CHAIR, A VICE CHAIR, AND A SECRETARY.
SO TO ADD PARLIAMENTARIAN, I BELIEVE WE'D NEED TO AMEND THE BYLAWS.
IS THAT, UM, WAS, WAS THAT AN INFORMAL? I'M NOT SURE.
I, I'M NOT SURE WHAT, WHAT, WHAT THE SITUATION WAS THERE, BUT I WOULD RECOMMEND IF YOU WANT A PARLIAMENTARIAN THAT YOU ADD A, THAT YOU AMEND YOUR BYLAWS TO SAY, SAY SO.
MARY, DID YOU, I MEAN, I'M SORRY, COMMISSIONER KALE.
I WAS JUST GONNA SAY, I, I VAGUELY REMEMBER WHEN WE APPOINTED SOMEBODY AS PARLIAMENTARIAN, AND I THINK IT WAS A SLIGHTLY INFORMAL POSITION.
AND I CAN'T REMEMBER THAT THE PARLIAMENTARIAN EVER REALLY HAD MUCH OF A ROLE.
I JUST WANTED TO MENTION THAT BECAUSE IN THE PAST WE DID HAVE ONE AT LEAST NOMINALLY.
[2. Conduct Annual Election of Officers (Chair, Vice-Chair and Secretary)]
UH, WE ARE ON AGENDA ITEM NUMBER TWO, ELECTION OF OFFICERS.UM, SO THE FIRST OFFICER WE WILL CONSIDER IS, UH, FOR THE OFFICE OF CHAIR.
UM, ARE THERE ANY NOMINATIONS FROM THE FLOOR? COMMISSIONER KALE.
I WOULD LIKE TO NOMINATE COMMISSIONER PUMPHREY AS CHAIR.
ARE THERE ANY OTHER NOMINATIONS? IS IT POSSIBLE TO NOMINATE MYSELF? OF COURSE.
I WOULD LIKE TO THROW MY NAME IN THE RACE.
ARE THERE ANY OTHER NOMINATIONS? UM, OKAY.
MS UH, WEBSTER, IS THERE ANY PROCESS FOR SECRET BALLOT OR OPEN BALLOT, ANYTHING LIKE THAT? UH, THERE IS NO SECRET BALLOT.
UH, SO THE PROCESS IS USUALLY THAT YOU TAKE EACH NOMINEE AND HAVE A VOTE ON THAT INDIVIDUAL, AND YOU KEEP VOTING UNTIL SOMEONE RECEIVES A MAJORITY.
SO IN THIS CASE, WE WOULD, UH, MR. EY WAS COMMISSIONER HUMPHREY, SORRY, WAS, UH, NOMINATED FIRST.
WE COULD HAVE A, YOU ALL WOULD VOTE ON THAT.
AND IF HE WINS A MAJORITY, THAT'S THAT.
IF HE DOESN'T, THEN WE WOULD THEN MOVE ON TO COMMISSIONER TURN AND SEE IF HE WINS A MAJORITY.
AND THAT'S BASICALLY HOW IT WORKS.
THE PERSON WHO ENDS UP, THE FIRST PERSON WHO GETS A MAJORITY OF VOTES WILL TAKE THE POSITION.
AND FOR CLARIFICATION, DO WE NEED A MAJORITY OF THE NUMBER OF COMMISSIONERS OR JUST A MAJORITY OF THOSE PRESENT? YOU NEED A MAJORITY OF THE NUMBER OF COMMISSIONERS.
SO, UM, WE WILL TAKE IT IN THE ORDER, UM, IN WHICH IT CAME TO US.
SO, UH, FOR COMMISSIONER HUMPHREY, UM, I WILL ASK FOR ALL THOSE.
UM, I, I WILL DO A ROLL CALL AND I WILL ASK FOR ALL THOSE WHO SUPPORT.
UM, DOES IT MAKE SENSE TO ALLOW EACH OF THE NOMINEES TO GIVE A SPIEL OH, ABOUT BEING CHAIR? OH, OF COURSE.
LEMME GET OUT MY PREPARED SPEECH.
I, UM, NO, I AM, I AM WILLING TO BE CHAIR.
I'VE BEEN ON THE THIS COMMISSION FOR NEARLY TWO YEARS, I GUESS NOW.
AND, UH, A LONG TIME AGO I KNEW PARLIAMENTARY PROCEDURE.
I CAN RECALL IT PROBABLY SUFFICIENTLY, UH, AND I'D BE WILLING TO BE CHAIR.
I'VE BEEN ON THE COMMISSION FOR ABOUT, UH, 15 MONTHS.
UM, AND, UH, WHILE I AM NOT EXTREMELY, UH, FAMILIAR WITH, UH, ROBERT'S RULES, UH, ALWAYS WILLING TO LEARN AND, UH, HAVE MADE AN EFFORT AND WILL CONTINUE TO MAKE AN EFFORT TO BE HERE ON TIME IN PERSON SO THAT ANYBODY ELSE WHO NEEDS TO CAN BE, UH, REMOTE.
ALTHOUGH I WILL NOTE THAT, UH, COMMISSIONER HUMPHREY HAS BEEN HERE JUST AS MUCH.
IS THERE ANYONE OF THE OTHER COMMISSIONERS WHO WOULD LIKE TO COMMENT ONE WAY OR THE OTHER? OKAY.
UM, SO FOR, FOR THE WAY WE'LL PROCEED, UM, I WILL JUST ASK, UH, WHO WILL VOTE IN SUPPORT OF COMMISSIONER PUMPHREY? AND, UH, WE WILL COUNT.
AND IF IT IS SIX, THEN UM, THAT WILL CARRY.
[00:10:02]
AND, UH, IF NOT, WE WILL PROCEED.UM, VICE CHAIR LOWE? UH, I SUPPORT COMMISSIONER HUMPHREY.
COMMISSIONER CASTA IS NOT PRESENT.
COMMISSIONER FIGUEROA IS NOT PRESENT.
WHAT? COMMISSIONER MCG GIVEN? YES.
SO WE DO HAVE A UNANIMOUS VOTE OF ALL COMMISSIONERS PRESENT, WHICH IS ALSO MORE THAN SIX.
THE MAJORITY OF ALL COMMISSIONERS
COMMISSIONER PUMPHREY, NOW CHAIR PUMPHREY.
UM, AND, UH, I LOOK FORWARD TO TAKING OVER HERE.
UM, CAN YOU TAKE OVER NOW? THAT WOULD BE WONDERFUL.
OR DO YOU, YOU WANT ME TO GO THROUGH VICE CHAIR AND, UM, I DO.
UH, I WILL ENTERTAIN, UM, NOMINATIONS FOR VICE CHAIR.
I WOULD LIKE TO NOMINATE MYSELF.
I'D LIKE TO NOMINATE BRITTANY SHARKEY.
ARE THERE ANY OTHER NOMINATIONS NOW, DO YOU THINK IT'D BE BETTER TO JUST ASK EVERYBODY WHO THEY'RE GONNA VOTE FOR OR TO GO FOR JUST ONE CANDIDATE? I WOULD THINK WE COULD JUST ASK EVERYBODY WHO THEY WANT TO VOTE FOR THE FIRST TIME.
YOU, YOU COULD DO IT THAT WAY.
NO, YOU HAVE TO GO ONE CANDIDATE AT TIME.
I HAVE ONE CANDIDATE AT A TIME.
AND WE CAN ASK WHO WANTS TO MAKE A STATEMENT NOW? UM, WE'D LIKE TO HAVE A STATEMENT FROM EACH OF THE CANDIDATES.
UH, YES, I'D LIKE TO WITHDRAW MY NOMINATION OF MYSELF.
UH, HAVING LOOKED AROUND THE ROOM, I THOUGHT WE DIDN'T HAVE A LOT OF APPETITE FOR IT, BUT, UH, IF WE'VE GOT SOMEONE WHO'D LIKE TO DO THE, THE JOB AND, UH, FRANKLY, IF WE CAN, UH, MAKE THE, UH, PANEL A LITTLE BIT MORE REPRESENTATIVE, I WOULD LIKE TO DO THAT.
SO I WOULD LIKE TO WITHDRAW MY, UH, MY APPOINT OR MY NOMINATION OF MYSELF.
COMMISSIONER SHARKEY, WOULD YOU LIKE TO MAKE A STATEMENT? UH, YES.
I GLADLY ACCEPT THE NOMINATION IN MY DAY-TO-DAY LIFE.
I RUN OPEN MEETINGS, SO I'M VERY FAMILIAR WITH THE TEXAS OPEN MEETINGS ACT AND OTHER PROCEDURAL ISSUES RELATING TO ETHICS.
AND SO I WOULD REALLY LOOK FORWARD TO WORKING WITH CHAIR HUMPHREY AND, UH, GUIDING THIS COMMISSION FORWARD.
ARE THERE ANY FURTHER COMMENTS? UM, COMMISSIONER MAT TURN HAS WITHDRAWN HIS NOMINATION.
SO, UM, LET'S JUST TAKE A VOTE ON COMMISSIONER SHARKEY.
UH, WHY DON'T WE JUST RAISE HANDS AT THIS POINT? HOW MANY IN FAVOR OF COMMISSIONER SHARKEY? UH, ANY OPPOSED? ANY? OKAY.
AND ANY ABSTENTIONS? UH, THANK YOU VERY MUCH AND WELCOME VICE CHAIR.
NOW DO I HAVE A SCRIPT HERE? THIS IS, UH, YES.
WE NEED, EXCUSE ME FOR A SECOND WHILE I REVIEW MY JOB.
UH, DO WE HAVE ANY NOMINATIONS FOR SECRETARY? WELL, I'LL NOMINATE COMMISSIONER MAT TURN.
THAT WAY WHEN I STAY HOME YOU CAN.
ARE THERE ANY OTHER NOMINATIONS BESIDES COMMISSIONER MAT TURN AND WE'LL GO STRAIGHT TO A VOTE.
ALL COMMISSIONERS IN FAVOR OF ELECTING COMMISSIONER UR AS SECRETARY, PLEASE RAISE YOUR HAND.
ALL OPPOSED, ANY ABSTENTIONS COMMISSIONER RETURN? YOU ARE NOW OUR SECRETARY.
[00:15:11]
UH, NOW I HAVE A QUESTION, MS. WEBSTER, THE NEXT ITEM ON THE AGENDA IS AN EXECUTIVE SESSION, BUT I HAVE BEEN, PARDON? NUMBER THREE.[3. Discussion and decision on the continuation and membership of existing working groups, and consideration of any new working groups needed.]
ITEM THREE, DISCUSSION AND DECISION ON THE CONTINUATION AND MEMBERSHIP OF EXISTING WORKING GROUPS AND CONSIDERATION OF ANY NEW WORKING GROUPS NEEDED.DO WE HAVE A LIST OF THE EXISTING WORKING GROUPS? OKAY, GOOD.
UM, I WOULD LIKE TO NOTE IF POSSIBLE, UM, THE FIRST WORKING GROUP ON OUR LIST IS A WORKING GROUP OF ONE COMMISSIONER STANTON ADAMS, WHO IS NO LONGER A MEMBER OF THE COMMISSION.
SO I THINK WE SHOULD PROBABLY ADDRESS THAT.
UM, I WILL COMMENT ON THAT BECAUSE AT ONE POINT I HAD OFFERED TO HELP COMMISSIONER WIM, UH, AND FOR SEVERAL MONTHS SHE WAS, SHE WAS EXTREMELY BUSY, WASN'T ABLE, WAS UNABLE TO DO ANYTHING.
WHAT I DID, UH, LEARN, I THINK FROM YOU AND MS. WEBSTER WAS THAT, UH, STAFF SORT OF FOLLOWS WHAT HAS TO BE DONE.
OR MAYBE MARY SAID, UH, COMMISSIONER KALE SAID THIS TO ME.
STAFF, I MEAN, YOU FOLLOW STAFF FOLLOWS WHAT HAS TO BE DONE, LIKE THE ELECTION OF OFFICERS, BUT OTHER ITEMS ALSO.
AND THEY ARE NORMALLY PUT ON THE AGENDA RELIABLY.
SO THAT INCLUDES THE CANDIDATE FORUMS THAT WE, UM, DO IN CONJUNCTION WITH THE LEAGUE OF WOMEN VOTERS.
AND I NEVER HAD TO, UM, FOLLOW UP ON THAT.
THEY KEPT US ON TRACK WITH THAT.
NOW, THAT'S NOT TO PROBABLY THE WORKING GROUP WAS ESTABLISHED BECAUSE OF SOME PERCEIVED THING THAT WE COULD DO BETTER.
OBVIOUSLY THAT WOULD BE WHY IT WAS ESTABLISHED.
SO I CAN'T COMMENT ON THAT AT THE TIME.
BUT IT, WHEN I WAS, UH, YOU KNOW, CHAIR OR VICE CHAIR, WHATEVER, IT WAS QUITE RELIABLE.
DOES ANYBODY HAVE ANY COMMENTS ON WHY WE SHOULD, WE MIGHT WANT TO CONTINUE THAT WORKING GROUP? UM, I HAVE A QUESTION.
UH, SO I'VE BEEN HERE 15 MONTHS AND I DON'T BELIEVE I'VE HEARD ANY PRODUCT OR PRESENTATION FROM THAT WORKING GROUP.
UH, COULD STAFF OR PERHAPS SOMEBODY WHO'S BEEN ON THE, UM, COMMISSION LONGER, UH, OPINE AS TO WHETHER WE'VE ACT WE'VE HEARD FROM THAT WORKING GROUP, UM, IN RECENT MEMORY? WELL, LIKE I SAID, MY IMPRESSION WHEN THIS CAME UP MORE THAN A YEAR AGO, AND I THINK WYNN WAS ASKING FOR HELP, NOTHING HAD HAPPENED.
I OFFERED TO HELP, SHE CONTINUED TO BE VERY BUSY MM-HMM
UH, AND SO NOTHING WAS EVER PRODUCED.
UM, DO WE HAVE TO MAKE A DECISION ON THIS, UH, TODAY OR IS IT POSSIBLE TO ASK, UH, STAFF OR EVEN MYSELF AS SECRETARY TO GO BACK THROUGH THE MINUTES AND FIGURE OUT WHERE, WHEN WE INSTALLED THAT WORKING GROUP? BECAUSE I DON'T, IF NO ONE KNOWS WHAT IT IS, I, I HESITATE TO SAY WE SHOULD MAKE A DECISION ON WHETHER IT'S STILL VALID OR, OR NEEDED.
I THINK IT WOULD BE FAIR TO REVIEW THE MINUTES.
THERE MAY HAVE BEEN A REASON GIVEN IN THE MINUTES.
UH, AND I CAN TAKE THAT AS A, AS AN ACTION FOR AS SECRETARY.
UH, THE OTHER WORKING GROUP IS TO REVIEW ERC COMPLAINTS PROCESS.
RIGHT NOW IT IS, UH, COMMISSIONER TURN AND MYSELF, UH, FORMERLY EACH OF OUR TWO PREVIOUS CHAIRS HAS BEEN ON THE, UM, WORKING GROUP.
UM, WE HAD A DISCUSSION ABOUT THIS, UH, VARIOUS TIMES IN PUBLIC MEETINGS.
AND WE HAVE DECIDED THAT WE WILL STAY IN TOUCH WITH OUR TWO FORMER CHAIRS AS, UM, RESOURCES FOR THIS WORKING GROUP.
BUT, UH, RIGHT NOW IT'S JUST THE TWO OF US.
WE HAVE DONE SOME MEMOS, WE HAVE DONE SOME RESEARCH, BUT, UM, YOU KNOW, THIS WAS CREATED, UH, MORE THAN TWO YEARS AGO, TWO AND A HALF YEARS AGO.
AND WE HAVE NOT MADE MUCH PROGRESS.
UH, AS I SAID, IT IS MY HIGHEST PRIORITY AT THIS POINT TO WORK ON THIS PROJECT.
IT'S COME UP MANY TIMES IN THE LAST SIX MONTHS, UM, WHEN WE'VE HAD HEARINGS, UM, BOTH ON CAMPAIGN FINANCE RELATED MATTERS, AS WELL AS ON LOBBYING.
SO THERE'S A LOT OF WORK TO BE DONE ON IT.
UM, SO I THINK COMMISSIONER TURN WILL CONTINUE TO DO IT.
AND I THINK WE WOULD LIKE TO ADD ADDITIONAL, UM, MEMBERS
[00:20:01]
IF ANYONE ELSE IS INTERESTED.UM, AND WE CAN CERTAINLY SHARE, UM, YOU KNOW, WHATEVER MEMOS AND EMAILS AND OTHER THINGS WE HAVE, UH, CIRCULATED SO FAR.
COMMISSIONER RETURN? UH, I WOULD JUST LIKE TO SAY FOR OUR NEW MEMBERS, UM, THIS ITEM IS A WORKING GROUP ON EXAMINING WHETHER OR NOT, UH, IF I'M CORRECT, THE ERC CAN, UM, OURSELVES AS A BODY, UM, INITIATE COMPLAINTS.
UM, AND I DO BELIEVE THAT IT'S SOMETHING VALID AND, AND WOULD LIKE TO JUST BRING UP FOR THE PEOPLE WHO ARE NEW THAT, UH, WE HAVEN'T HAD A LOT OF TIME TO WORK ON IT BECAUSE WE'VE BEEN KIND OF INUNDATED WITH, UH, A CITIZEN INITIATED COMPLAINTS.
BUT I THINK IT'S VALID AND SOMETHING THAT IF WE HAVE TO HAVE A VOTE TO KEEP IT IN, THEN I THINK WE SHOULD.
AND IF WE DON'T, THEN I THINK THAT PEOPLE WHO HAVE TIME SHOULD CONSIDER JOINING.
UM, I THINK ALSO, UH, ACTUALLY THE CODE AND OUR ENABLING, UH, LANGUAGE DOES GIVE US THE RIGHT AND THE AUTHORITY TO INITIATE COMPLAINTS.
WE JUST HAVE NEVER HAD ANY PROCESS FOR IT.
AND THAT'S, THAT'S THE HANGUP.
ARE THERE, ARE THERE ANY FURTHER COMMENTS OR WOULD ANYONE ELSE LIKE TO VOLUNTEER TO SERVE ON THAT COMMITTEE OR WORKING GROUP COMMISSIONER? I WOULD BE HAPPY TO HELP OUT WITH THE COMMITTEE AND WITH THE WORKING GROUP AND ASSIST WITH THAT RESEARCH AND THAT SORT OF THING.
I THINK IT'S A VERY IMPORTANT QUESTION THAT THEY'RE TRYING TO ADDRESS.
AND WE, AS COMMISSIONER RETURN SAID, WE JUST SORT OF HAD TO AVOID DEALING WITH IT 'CAUSE WE WERE SO BUSY.
UH, I WILL NOTE THAT I BELIEVE LAST TIME THE PROCESS WAS, UH, IF PEOPLE WERE WILLING THAT WE NEED TO PUT AN ITEM ON THE NEXT AGENDA THAT WE'LL HAVE A VOTE ON ADDING THEM TO THE, THE WORKING GROUP.
SO I SUPPOSE I, I WOULD MAKE A MOTION THAT WE OR SIMPLY ASK STAFF, UH, IF WE CAN ADD THAT ITEM TO THE AGENDA FOR NEXT MONTH.
I BELIEVE WE, THAT WAS THE PROCESS THAT WE IMPLEMENTED LAST TIME.
CHAIR, IF I MAY, UM, THE POSTING LANGUAGE, THE WAY IT'S POSTED IS, UM, DISCUSSION AND DECISION ON THE CONTINUATION AND MEMBERSHIP OF EXISTING WORKING GROUPS AND CONSIDERATION OF ANY NEW WORKING GROUPS NEEDED.
SO I WOULD SAY IF YOU WANTED TO ADD MEMBERSHIP, YOU COULD DO THAT UNDER THE POSTING LANGUAGE IN TODAY'S MEETING IF YOU WANT.
I BELIEVE WE DID IT LIKE IN AN OFF MEETING LAST TIME, SO THAT WAS LIKELY WHY WE DID THAT.
YEAH, I'M NOT SURE THERE'S A REASON TO DELAY THE DECISION.
SOMEONE JUST NEEDS TO MOVE THE COMMISSIONER, FREDDY.
AND YOU'VE ALREADY MADE THAT MOTION THAT YOU'RE GONNA, YOU'D LIKE TO KNOW.
WAS THERE A SECOND TO THAT? SECOND.
ALL IN FAVOR OF HAVING COMMISSIONER FREDDY JOIN THAT WORKING GROUP.
NOW THE, UH, NEXT ITEMS ARE TWO ITEMS TO BE ON THE AGENDA REGARDING AN EXECUTIVE SESSION.
AND LET ME ASK, UM, LET ME ASK WHETHER THEY'RE ONE, AT LEAST ONE OF THEM HAS BEEN PUT OFF.
LET'S JUST LOOK AT THE FIRST ONE.
THE ONE ON FORMER CITY MANAGER JESUS GARZA.
CAROLINE WEBSTER WITH THE LAW DEPARTMENT.
UH, UH, THE ATTORNEY FOR MR. GARZA SUBMITTED A REQUEST FOR A POSTPONEMENT AND VICE CHAIR.
LOWE WAS IN THE POSITION TO MAKE A DECISION ON THAT, AND SHE DID GO AHEAD AND GRANT THE POSTPONEMENT.
SO THAT HEARING WILL BE POSTPONED AT THIS POINT.
WE DON'T HAVE A SPECIFIC DATE SET, UH, TO REHEAR THAT YOU'RE WELCOME TO SET A DATE IF YOU'D LIKE TO, BUT THAT'S NOT SOMETHING YOU HAVE TO DO TODAY.
UH, THE SECOND ITEM ON WHICH WE WERE GOING, GOING TO GO INTO EXECUTIVE SESSION, IT WAS A COMPLAINT FILED BY JACK CRISPIN.
BUT THERE WAS A QUESTION EARLIER THIS AFTERNOON, I KNOW WHETHER OR NOT HE WAS GONNA BE ABLE TO BE HERE.
IS MR. CHRISMAN HERE? HE IS NOT HERE.
UM, DO WE HAVE AN OPTION NOW TO EITHER PUT IT OFF THE NEXT MEETING OR DISMISS IT SINCE HE IS NOT HERE? IF THE, THE, UH, COMPLAINANT IS REQUIRED TO ATTEND THE PRELIMINARY HEARING AND YOU CANNOT PROCEED WITHOUT HIM.
AND SO THE APPROPRIATE ACTION WOULD BE DISMISSAL FOR FAILURE TO APPEAR.
UH, THE CHAIR WILL ENTERTAIN A MOTION TO DISMISS.
ALL IN ANY DISCUSSION? I I DO HAVE ONE QUESTION.
WAS ANY REASON GIVEN WHY HE WAS NOT ABLE TO APPEAR? YEAH, HE DID SUBMIT A REQUEST FOR POSTPONEMENT, BUT HE DID NOT ESTABLISH GOOD
[00:25:01]
CAUSE HE DID NOT STATE GOOD CAUSE SO, OR HE DID NOT STATE CAUSE.SO, UM, I DENIED THE REQUEST FOR POSTPONEMENT.
UM, AND HE STILL HAS THE OPPORTUNITY TO APPEAR, BUT, UM, HE DID NOT INDICATE WHETHER HE WOULD OR NOT.
COMMISSIONER TURN HAD A QUESTION? UH, COMMISSIONER MORE STATEMENT? UH, JUST, UH, FOR EVERYONE WHO'S NEW OR JUST AS A REMINDER, I BELIEVE THAT WHEN WE DISMISS, IT'S A DISMISSAL WITHOUT ANY TYPE OF PREJUDICE.
SO THE COMPLAINANT IS MORE THAN WELCOME TO BRING THEIR, UH, THEIR COMPLAINT AGAIN, UH, IN A TIME WHERE IT'S CONVENIENT FOR THEM TO ATTEND.
SO I DO, I TAKE THAT AS, AS A MOTION TO DISMISS WITHOUT PREJUDICE.
I BELIEVE WE HAVE A, A MOTION AND A SECOND FOR JUST DISMISSAL.
I WAS JUST NOTING TO EVERYBODY AS A DISCUSSION THAT THESE ARE DISMISSALS WITHOUT PREJUDICE.
SO WE WILL ASSUME THAT INTO THE MOTION THAT IS WITHOUT PREJUDICE.
ALL IN FAVOR? RAISE YOUR HAND.
ALL OPPOSED, ABSTENTIONS, THE MOTION PASSES THAT WE DISMISS WITHOUT PREJUDICE.
SO, UH, WE HAVE NO REASON TO GO INTO EXECUTIVE SESSION.
I CAN SKIP ALL THAT PART OF THE SCRIPT.
[1. Approve the minutes of the Ethics Review Commission Regular meeting on March 26, 2025.]
AS I CAN TELL.WHAT THAT LEAVES FOR US NOW IS THE MINUTES
AND WE HAVE ONE SET OF MISSIONS, I BELIEVE FOR THE MARCH THE LAST MEETING, MARCH 26TH.
UM, ARE THERE ANY COMMENTS ON ANYONE ABOUT THOSE MINUTES? THANK YOU.
I'LL GIVE YOU A MINUTE OR TWO TO LOOK OVER.
UM, MY, MY LAST NAME IS MISSPELLED A COUPLE PLACES ON PAGE THREE.
I WILL MOVE FORWARD WHEN EVERYONE IS LOOKING UP.
UM, ARE THERE ANY OTHER COMMENTS OR SUGGESTIONS? UM, I WILL TAKE COMMISSIONER KALE'S COMMENT AS A MOTION TO APPROVE WITH YOUR NAME.
ARE THERE ANY SECONDS? SECOND.
ANY DISCUSSION? ALL IN FAVOR? ALL OPPOSED? ALL ABSTENTIONS.
OKAY, SO IT WAS 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7 TO TWO.
UM, I DON'T SEE ANYTHING ELSE ON THE AGENDA.
UH, I'M HAPPY TO ENTERTAIN A MOTION ITEMS. FUTURE ITEMS.
[FUTURE AGENDA ITEMS]
FUTURE ITEMS. ANY[00:30:01]
MORE SUGGESTIONS FOR FUTURE ITEMS ON THE AGENDA FOR THE NEXT MEETING? COMMISSIONER MCGOVERN.I WAS JUST GONNA NOTE, UM, I WASN'T HERE FOR THE LAST MEETING, BUT IN REVIEWING THE MINUTES JUST NOW, I SEE THAT THERE WAS A DISCUSSION LAST TIME ABOUT REVIEWING THE TRANSITION TIMELINE FOR EXISTING AND INCOMING COMMISSIONERS.
I DON'T KNOW IF THAT'S MOOT NOW, BUT I WAS JUST GONNA POINT THAT OUT IN THE EVENT THAT WHOMEVER URGED IT LAST TIME WANTED TO.
COULD YOU REPEAT THAT WAS WHAT WAS ON.
SO IF YOU LOOK AT THE MINUTES RIGHT ON THE FINAL PAGE ON THE BACK YEAH.
FOR FUTURE AGENDA ITEMS, IT HAS THREE BULLET POINTS.
AND THE THIRD BULLET POINT WAS REVIEW THE TRANSITION TIMELINE FOR EXISTING INCOMING COMMISSIONERS.
AND I WAS JUST SAYING WE, WE DIDN'T TALK ABOUT THAT TONIGHT AND MAYBE THAT'S BECAUSE IT'S MOOT NOW.
I DON'T KNOW IF WE'RE EXPECTING OTHER, ANY OTHER TRANSITIONS.
I WAS JUST POINTING OUT THAT SINCE WE DIDN'T GET TO IT TONIGHT, IT MAY BE WHOMEVER URGED IT THE FIRST TIME WOULD LIKE TO GET TO IT NEXT TIME.
MY UNDERSTANDING IS THAT WE HAVE A NUMBER OF NEW MEMBERS OF THE LAST COUPLE MONTHS AND THERE'S ONE MORE TO BE APPOINTED TOMORROW.
AM I CORRECT? AND THAT WOULD EXPLAIN IT I THINK, RIGHT? IT WOULD, YES.
HOWEVER, UM, I WANT TO SAY THAT I, I AGREE WITH COMMISSIONER MCGIVEN IN THAT, UM, WE DON'T HAVE AN ITEM ON THIS AGENDA AND BY THE TIME WE HAVE ANOTHER AGENDA, WE'LL HAVE SEATED OUR FINAL COMMISSIONER.
AND SO I DO THINK THAT IT MAY BE A MOOT ITEM.
SO I WOULD MAYBE LIKE TO MOTION THAT WE REMOVE REVIEW OF THE TRANSITION TIMELINE FOR EXISTING FOR EXITING AN INCOMING COMMISSIONERS AS A FUTURE AGENDA ITEM.
I JUST THINK THAT IT'S A MOOT ITEM.
THERE'S A MOTION TO DISMISS THIS ITEM FROM ANY FUTURE AGENDA.
ANY DISCUSSION? ALL IN FAVOR OF REMOVING THIS ITEM FROM ANY FUTURE AGENDA? ALL OPPOSED? ABSTENTIONS.
FOR A FUTURE AGENDA ITEM, I WOULD, UH, LIKE TO, UM, CONTINUE OR CARRY OVER THE DISCUSSION ON WORKING GROUPS.
UH, WE DID NOT CONSIDER ANY NEW WORKING GROUPS, BUT I THINK IN THE NEXT COUPLE OF MEETINGS PEOPLE WILL GET TO THE POINT WHERE THEY WILL HAVE IDEAS ABOUT NEW WORKING GROUPS.
WE MAY HAVE A HEAVY SCHEDULE WITH HEARINGS FOR THE NEXT COUPLE OF MEETINGS.
SO IF WE PUT IT ON A FUTURE, FUTURE AGENDA, IT DOESN'T HAVE TO BE NEXT TIME, BUT MAYBE A MEETING WHERE WE DO NOT HAVE, UH, MANY HEARINGS AND WHEN WE WILL, WILL HAVE SOME TIME TO DISCUSS IT.
I APPRECIATE THAT COMMENT BECAUSE I'M REMINDED THAT LAST FALL AT ONE POINT WE TALKED ABOUT HAVING A WORKING GROUP TO REVIEW THE BYLAWS AND THE RULE, WHATEVER SORTS OF DIFFERENT RULES AND REGULATIONS WE WORK UNDER.
'CAUSE I HAD NOTICED AT ONE POINT LAST SUMMER A CONTRADICTION IN OUR, IN OUR, IN OUR RULES.
SO AT THE NEXT MEETING, UH, WE CAN TALK ABOUT FORMING A, UH, A WORKING GROUP ON REVISING OUR RULES AND BYLAWS.
ANY OTHER SUGGESTIONS FOR FUTURE AGENDA ITEMS? JUST DISCUSSION ON THAT.
UM, CAN WE HAVE SOME, UH, EVALUATION OF THE SCHEDULE FOR THE NEXT MEETING? I THINK WE'VE NOW POSTPONED ONE PRELIMINARY HEARING.
WE HAVE A SEV IT FEELS LIKE SEVERAL OTHER COMPLAINTS THAT ARE IN THE PIPELINE.
SO I THINK THAT, UM, AS, UH, COMMISSIONER, UH, HACK AND ANDREA LOWE POINTED OUT, MAYBE THIS IS SOMETHING THAT'S RIGHT FOR A MEETING THAT, UH, WE'RE NOT BACKED UP TO, INTO A CORNER ABOUT FOR OUR SCHEDULE BECAUSE I, I DO BELIEVE THERE ARE REQUIREMENTS FOR WHEN WE HAVE THE HEARINGS.
AND SO THOSE MIGHT BE MORE DIFFICULT TO MOVE THAN A DISCUSSION ABOUT A WORKING GROUP.
SO, UM, COULD WE SAY IF THERE'S ROOM, UH, REASONABLE ROOM ON THE NEXT, UH, MEETING, WE SHOULD ADD IT AND IF NOT, IT SHOULD JUST BE A HANGING, UH, FUTURE ITEM? YEAH, MY MEMORY IS THAT WE HAVE TWO COMPLAINTS FOR WHICH WE NEED TO HAVE A FINAL HEARING.
WE'RE NOT POSTED FOR THAT AS AN AGENDA ITEM.
UM, BUT WHAT I CAN DO IN ORDER TO MAKE SURE YOU HAVE THE INFORMATION IS I CAN SEND AN EMAIL OUT TO EVERYONE TO SORT OF JUST SAY, THIS IS WHERE WE ARE ON ALL OF THESE.
'CAUSE THERE ARE QUITE A FEW MM-HMM
BUT, SO WE CAN'T DISCUSS IT TODAY, BUT I WILL GLADLY SEND AN EMAIL OUT TO GIVE A RUNDOWN OF, OF WHAT, UH, HAS TO BE DONE.
ARE THERE ANY OTHER COMMENTS, SUGGESTIONS, QUESTIONS? COMMISSIONER MCGOVERN? I THINK THIS WOULD NEED TO BE A FUTURE AGENDA ITEM SINCE WE'RE NOT POSTED FOR ANYTHING ELSE.
[00:35:01]
I THINK IT MIGHT BE WISE TO HAVE AN AGENDA ITEM NEXT TIME TO DISCUSS WHETHER OR NOT IT WOULD BE USEFUL IN THE FUTURE FOR OUR MATERIALS TO INCLUDE JUST A BRIEF SYNOPSIS OF THE COMPLAINTS THAT ARE PENDING, WHAT PHASE THEY'RE IN, AND WHAT DEADLINES THEY MAY HAVE.I THINK THAT THAT MIGHT SPEED UP SOME OF OUR CONVERSATIONS AND HOPEFULLY WOULDN'T BE, UM, DIFFICULT.
COULD WE HAVE THAT IN THE NEXT AGENDA PACKET? OKAY.
I'M, I'M SORRY IF I MAY CHAIR.
UH, CAN YOU, WHAT DID YOU WANT? WHAT DID YOU WANT ON THERE? THE, WELL, I MEAN, ULTIMATELY, AND I THINK PROCEDURALLY I HAVE TO PHRASE IT AS A PROPOSAL FOR A FUTURE AGENDA ITEM.
BUT, UM, OH, I SEE WHAT YOU'RE SAYING.
BUT IN, IN THAT DISCUSSION, I THINK WHAT I WOULD PROPOSE IS THAT WHEN WE COME INTO THESE MEETINGS, WE JUST HAVE LIKE ONE PAGE WITH A SYNOPSIS OF ANY COMPLAINTS THAT ARE PENDING BEFORE THE COMMISSION AND LIKE WHAT STAGE THEY'RE IN AND ANY, AND WHICH WOULD DOVETAIL WITH ANY APPLICABLE DEADLINES THAT THEY MAY HAVE.
DO WE NEED AN AGENDA ITEM FOR THAT? OR IS THAT SOMETHING WE CAN JUST ASK STAFF TO INCLUDE IN OUR BRIEFING ITEMS? WELL, WE'RE NOT POSTED FOR THAT DISCUSSION TODAY.
SO I, SORRY, I WAS ASKING MORE OF A PROCEDURAL THING.
IS THAT, IS THAT A AN ITEM FOR DISCUSSION OR SIMPLY IS THE, THE CONTENT OF OUR BINDERS.
COMMISSIONER LOW, IS IT POSSIBLE FOR THE CHAIR TO MAKE A REQUEST TO STAFF TO PROVIDE A, UH, MATTERS IN PROGRESS TIMELINE? IT IS POSSIBLE THE CHAIR WILL REQUEST TO HAVE A SUMMARY OF THE MATTERS THAT ARE PENDING BEFORE US.
ANY OTHER QUESTIONS, SUGGESTIONS, COMPLAINTS? ALL RIGHT.
I'D BE HAPPY TO ENTERTAIN A MOTION.
YEAH, I JUST WANTED TO ADD ONE MORE THING SINCE IT'S MY LAST MEETING.
ALSO THANK YOU TO CITY STAFF, MS. WEBSTER, MS. BONITA, AND ALL THE AV STAFF THAT HAVE HELPED SO MUCH OVER THE YEARS.
I REALLY, REALLY APPRECIATE YOU, ALL OF YOU, SO THANK YOU.
UH, I WILL ENTERTAIN A MISSION TO A, A MOTION TO ADJOURN.
I'M, I'M LOOKING FOR OBJECTIONS.