[CALL TO ORDER ]
[00:00:05]
CHAIR OF THE CITY OF AUSTIN, ETHICS REVIEW COMMISSION.
I CALL THE ETHICS REVIEW COMMISSION MEETING TO ORDER.
IT IS JULY 9TH, 2026, AND IT IS 6:07 PM WE ARE AT AUSTIN CITY HALL IN BOARDS AND COMMISSION.
ROOM 1, 1 0 1 AT 3 0 1 WEST SECOND STREET, AUSTIN, TEXAS, SEVEN EIGHT SEVEN ZERO ONE.
I WILL NOW CALL THE ROLE COMMISSIONER SOLIS.
UM, MS. BENITEZ, ARE ANY, IS ANYBODY SIGNED UP FOR PUBLIC? NO ONE IS SIGNED UP FOR PUBLIC COMMUNICATION.
WE'LL GO AHEAD WITH THE AGENDA.
[APPROVAL OF MINUTES ]
IS APPROVAL OF THE MINUTES OF THE ETHICS REVIEW COMMISSION SPECIAL CALL MEETING THAT WAS HELD ON JUNE 11TH, 2026.I'LL GIVE EVERYONE, UM, A MINUTE OR TWO TO LOOK AT THE MINUTES.
THE SECRETARY, COMMISSIONER CAMPBELL WAS NOT ABLE TO MAKE THIS MEETING SO HE'S NOT ABLE TO GUIDE THIS DISCUSSION.
SO IF YOU'D LOOK IT OVER AND SEE IF YOU HAVE ANY MODIFICATIONS YOU WISH TO SUGGEST.
UH, ON AGENDA ITEM FOUR, IT SHOWS, UH, THAT COMMISSIONER MCGIVER, UH, WAS BOTH VOTING IN FAVOR AND ABSENT ON THAT AGENDA ITEM, I BELIEVE HE DID VOTE IN FAVOR AND WAS NOT ABSENT FOR THAT PARTICULAR MOTION.
NOW IT STATES THAT HE MADE THE MOTION TO APPROVE IT.
AND THEN IT SAYS AT THE CONCLUSION, THE PRELIMINARY HEARING, HE LEFT.
BUT WHERE AM I? IT'S IN THE SENTENCE BEFORE I DO SEE THE ERROR MCGOVERN AND SO ABSENT.
I MISUNDERSTOOD WHAT YOU WERE SAYING.
SO WE WILL STRIKE MCGOVERN FROM THAT LAST LINE OF THAT FIRST BOLD PARAGRAPH AND THE OTHER MODIFICATIONS.
I WASN'T THERE, BUT I'M JUST READ, JUST READING THESE.
BUT I THINK MY NAME WAS PUT IN INSTEAD OF KEELS NAME ON ITEM NUMBER.
AND WHERE'S THIS, UH, ITEM NUMBER SIX.
THE, THE SECOND LINE FROM THE END OF THAT FIRST PARAGRAPH.
COMMISSIONER CAMPBELL FIGUEROA, IT SHOULD BE KEEL INSTEAD OF KING VOTED IN FAVOR OF IT.
'CAUSE I'M LISTED AS BEING ABSENT 'CAUSE I WAS SO WE'LL STRIKE YOUR NAME FROM THE FIRST BOLD PARAGRAPH IN NUMBER SIX.
AND THEN THE SAME THING FOR THE FIRST LINE.
IT'S STILL, UH, IT'S STILL, IT'S STILL ITEM SIX, BUT IT'S THE, THE SECOND PARAGRAPH.
AGAIN, IT SHOULD BE KEEL THERE INSTEAD OF KING.
SO FROM EACH OF THE RIGHT, EVERYTHING IN, IN SECTION SIX, IT SAYS STRIKING IN NAME IT SAYS KING VOTING IN FAVOR OF IT SHOULD BE KEEL.
OKAY, BECAUSE I WAS ABSENT, WHICH IS ALSO NOTED THERE.
ARE THERE ANY OTHER SUGGESTED MODIFICATIONS? ALRIGHT.
WAS THERE THREE TIMES THAT THE KING TO KEEL WAS FIXED IN THE, IN PARAGRAPH SIX BY THREE? YES.
IN PARAGRAPH THREE YOU SAID? MM-HMM
AND YOU'RE QUESTIONING THE, UM, WHICH PART OF THE FINAL? THAT BOLD PARAGRAPH.
LET JUST POINT OUT THAT THERE ARE THREE INSTANCES OF KEEL AND KING THAT NEED TO BE FIXED ALL IN THAT SAME SECTION.
TE KEEL, EXCEPT THE WHERE IT SAYS KING ABSENT.
ANY OTHER MODIFICATIONS? I'LL ENTERTAIN A MOTION TO APPROVE THE MINUTES.
COMMISSIONER FIGUEROA SECONDED.
ANY DISCUSSION? ALL IN FAVOR? RAISE YOUR RIGHT HAND.
ALL OPPOSED, RAISE YOUR RIGHT HAND.
[00:05:01]
UNANIMOUSLY.WELL, I THINK, DO I HAVE TO ABSTAIN BECAUSE I WASN'T AT THE MEETING.
I, MY MY OPINION IS IF YOU WATCH THE VIDEO, YOU CAN COMMENT ON MAKING OBSERVATIONS.
BUT YOU WERE JUST SAYING YOU WEREN'T HERE, CORRECT? I WAS NOT HERE.
UH, DO WE HAVE ANY ADVICE FROM THE CITY ATTORNEY'S OFFICE? UM, YOU CAN ABSOLUTELY VOTE ON IT IF YOU WERE NOT PRESENT.
UM, IT REALLY IS MORE THE, THE NAMES, THE OKAY.
IN THAT CASE, PUNCTUATION, THINGS LIKE THAT.
SO WE HAVE UNANIMOUS APPROVAL.
[2. Update from the Working Group to Review ERC Complaints Process (Commissioners Figueroa, Lawson, Low, McGiverin and Soliz).]
UPDATE ON THE WORKING GROUP TO REVIEW ERC COMPLAINTS PROCESS.LET ME GO BROADLY OVER WHAT THE, UM, STRUCTURE IS RIGHT NOW.
SO COMMISSIONER SOLIS AND I ARE WORKING ON COMMISSION INITIATED COMPLAINTS AND, UH, COMMISSIONERS FIGUEROA MCGIVEN AND, UH, LAWSON ARE WORKING ON, UH, STREAMLINING THE PROCESS.
SO, UM, THEY ARE QUITE SEPARATE AND WE CAN DO ONE WITHOUT THE OTHER.
SO RIGHT NOW, UM, WE'RE JUST GONNA TALK ABOUT THE COMMISSION INITIATED PART.
UM, SO WE HAVE BEEN LOOKING AT, UH, RULES AND PROCEDURES FOR COMPLAINTS AND HEARINGS UNDER CITY CODE CHAPTER TWO DASH SEVEN.
AND, UH, THE FIRST PART, ROMAN NUMERAL ONE IS PRE-HEARING PROCEDURES, A COMPLAINT.
AND THEN THERE ARE TWO PARAGRAPHS, ONE AND TWO.
UM, SO IT'S PARAGRAPH TWO THAT I THINK REQUIRES DISCUSSION AMONG THE, UH, COMMISSION.
UM, AND WITH THE CITY, WHAT, I'M SORRY.
NO, IT, IT REQUIRES US TO DISCUSS IT BECAUSE THERE MAY BE ACTION WE WOULD WANT THE CITY COUNCIL TO TAKE.
UH, YOU KNOW, WE MAY NEED TO TALK TO OTHER DEPARTMENTS.
WE MAY NEED TO TALK TO THE CLERK AND THE LAW DEPARTMENT AND MANY OTHER PEOPLE WHO WOULD BE INVOLVED.
SO, UM, AS WE HAVE AMENDED THE LANGUAGE, OUR PROPOSED AMENDMENT IS THE ERC MAY CONSIDER A POSSIBLE VIOLATION OF A PROVISION.
THIS IS NEW WITHIN THE JURISDICTION OF THE COMMISSION ON ITS OWN INITIATIVE IN ACCORDANCE WITH CITY CODE SECTION TWO DASH SEVEN DASH 41.
SO IT'S VERY CLEAR WE HAVE EXPRESS AUTHORITY TO INITIATE COMPLAINTS, BUT THIS PARAGRAPH IS, YOU KNOW, IT DOESN'T EXPLAIN ANYTHING ABOUT HOW WE INITIATE COMPLAINTS OR, UM, HOW WE EXERCISE THIS AUTHORITY.
SO WE HAVE ADDED AFTER DECISION TO CONSIDER A POSSIBLE VIOLATION.
THE RC SHALL DRAFT A WRITTEN COMPLAINT, WHICH NEED NOT BE SWORN.
SO THIS IS SOMETHING WE HAVE BEEN DISCUSSING FOR ABOUT THREE YEARS.
UM, OUR FORMER CHAIR, LOUIS BERRAN, AND THEN THE CHAIR AFTER HIM, UM, MICHAEL LOVENS.
SO THE THREE OF US HAVE DISCUSSED THIS FOR, HAD DISCUSSED THIS FOR A LONG TIME.
UM, WE WERE COMPARING TO THE FEDERAL AND THE STATE LEVEL AGENCIES.
SO THE FEDERAL, UH, ELECTION COMMISSION AND THE TEXAS ETHICS COMMISSION HAVE STAFF
UH, SO WHEN WE'RE TALKING ABOUT DRAFTING A COMPLAINT, RIGHT, DRAFTING A WRITTEN COMPLAINT, UM, WE WOULD NEED AN ATTORNEY TO DO THAT.
BUT IF WE LOOK AT THE FEDERAL AND STATE AGENCIES, THEY HAVE NOT ONLY ATTORNEYS, THEY HAVE PARALEGALS, DATA ANALYSTS, INVESTIGATORS, AND SO FORTH, WHICH WE DO NOT HAVE.
UM, AND, UH, YOU KNOW, I GUESS OUR THOUGHT IS THAT IF WE ARE NOT GOING TO BE ABLE TO DO ANYTHING PRACTICALLY, UH, WHAT IS THE POINT OF REWRITING ALL THE RULES TO ALLOW US TO DO SOMETHING WE ARE EXPRESSLY AUTHORIZED TO DO? I MEAN, THAT'S KIND OF THE BIG QUESTION, RIGHT? UM, SO I, I THINK MOST OF MY COLLEAGUES HERE KNOW THAT I DID WORK FOR THE FEDERAL ELECTION COMMISSION AT ONE POINT, AND I ALSO WORKED FOR THE TEXAS ETHICS COMMISSION.
AND, YOU KNOW, IT'S A, IT'S QUITE A PROCESS TO INITIATE A COMPLAINT.
UM, I, I THINK WE'RE ALL EXPERIENCING ENOUGH TO KNOW THAT SOME COMPLAINANTS WHEN THEY COME, HAVE VERY DETAILED, VERY COMPREHENSIVE DATA WHEN THEY SUBMIT A COMPLAINT, YOU KNOW, OTHERS DO NOT.
UM, BUT, AND THERE'S SORT OF NO END TO THE AMOUNT OF, UM, DATA WE
[00:10:01]
CAN USE OR WOULD WANT TO USE.UM, AND THOSE ARE JUST STANDARDS WE HAVE TO SET FOR OURSELVES.
UM, SO A ANYWAY, CHAIR EY, WHAT I WANTED TO DO IS JUST KIND OF OPEN UP TO THE GROUP AS TO WHETHER THERE'S ANY APPETITE TO REQUEST RESOURCES FROM THE POWERS OF BEING, YOU KNOW, THE COUNCIL OR, OR WHATEVER ELSE WE COULD DO.
UM, I DON'T KNOW WHAT THE SITUATION WOULD BE AS YOU'RE HIRING OUTSIDE COUNSEL OR ANYONE OUTSIDE OF THE LAW DEPARTMENT.
I DON'T KNOW WHETHER THAT WOULD BE SOMETHING WE'D WANT TO PURSUE AS WELL.
UM, BUT YOU KNOW, THE QUESTION IS RECOGNIZING THAT WE DO NOT HAVE THE RESOURCES THAT MANY OTHER ENFORCEMENT AGENCIES HAVE.
UM, YOU KNOW, WHAT, WHAT DO WE FEEL COMPELLED TO DO? UH, YOU RAISED, UH, THE PERFECT QUESTION.
UH, I HAVE, UH, SOME COMMENTS, BUT I'LL HESITATE TO GO FORWARD.
AND IF SOMEONE ELSE HAS ANYTHING ELSE THEY WANT TO SAY.
I, UM, I THINK I WOULD ADD THAT THERE ARE QUITE A FEW CANDIDATES AND COUNCIL MEMBERS WHO RUN ON THE IDEA OF TRANSPARENCY AND, UM, ACCOUNTABILITY.
AND, UM, I THINK THAT, I MEAN, PERSONALLY, I FEEL LIKE IF THE COMMISSION HAD AN APPOINTED LAW, NO, ABSOLUTELY NO OFFENSE, UM, BUT LIKE OUR OWN, UM, PERSON IN THE, UH, CITY ATTORNEY'S OFFICE, UH, OR, OR, YOU KNOW, THE CITY OF AUSTIN LEGAL DEPARTMENT.
UM, AND IN THAT WAY WE WERE ABLE TO BRING COMPLAINTS, UM, AND USE THAT AS A RESOURCE.
I ALSO THINK THAT IF WE ARE ABLE TO, IF WE SEE SOMETHING, UM, THAT IS RAMPANT AND OBVIOUS AND, UM, CLERICAL OR, YOU KNOW, UM, WE, WE, WE HAVE THE, I THE, UM, SOMETIMES WE GET LIKE THE, THE FORM IS NOT IN DUPLICATE OR THE WORD FOUR IS MISSING, OR, UM, THE NUMBER SIGN ON THE PRECINCT NUMBER IS MISSING.
LIKE, THERE ARE SOME VERY, VERY SMALL TECHNICAL, UM, NITPICKY
AND, UH, IF, IF WE COULD, AS THE COUNCIL, LIKE, KIND OF LIKE GIVE A, LIKE A PRECURSOR WARNING, LIKE, HEY, LIKE I'VE SEEN THREE SIGNS THAT, UM, DID NOT USE THE WORD FOR CORRECTLY, OR DID NOT HAVE THE, UM, OR REELECT OR, YOU KNOW, WHAT, SO, OR KEEP, IT WAS ONE OF THE OTHERS, ONE OF THOSE OTHER PIC KEY WORDS.
UM, IF WE, IT'S NOT ONLY ABOUT HAVING FULL INVESTIGATIONS COME FORTH, BUT I THINK IT ALSO KIND OF BLEEDS INTO THE STREAMLINING PROCEDURAL PART WE HAD SPOKEN ABOUT AS A LARGER GROUP OF THE LARGER WORKING GROUP ABOUT BEING ABLE TO SAY LIKE, HEY, THESE THREE THINGS WE SEE COMING UP, GUYS HEADS UP, UM, FIX YOUR STUFF NOW.
UM, BEFORE, YOU KNOW, WE START GETTING INTO THESE COMPLAINTS.
SO IT'S NOT ONLY ABOUT BRINGING TRANSPARENCY AND BRINGING, UM, ACCOUNTABILITY AS SOME OF THE CITY COUNCIL PEOPLE HAVE RUN ON, BUT ALSO ABOUT PROTECTING SOME OF THE CITY RESOURCES, UM, BY BEING ABLE TO OURSELVES BRING THESE KIND OF LIKE, LARGER COMPLAINTS IN, AND PROCEDURALLY WITH THE OTHER SIDE OF OUR, OF OUR WORKING GROUP HERE, BE ABLE TO SAY, HEY, WE'VE SEEN THESE THREE THINGS, OR REMINDER THAT THE FORMS HAVE TO BE IN DUPLICATE.
UM, AND, UM, OR I'VE, I'VE ACTUALLY HEARD THREE DIFFERENT THINGS ON WHAT THE CAP IS THIS ELECTION STYLE CYCLE.
SO, YOU KNOW, IF, IF THERE'S SOMETHING THAT WE COULD DO AS FAR AS LIKE A HEY, LIKE, REMINDER THIS, REMINDER THAT, AND AS WE THINK, SEE THINGS COMING UP, I THINK IT ALL, IT COULD ALSO HELP ON BOTH SIDES.
LIKE STREAMLINE THE PROCESS AND, YOU KNOW, LET PEOPLE KNOW THAT WE ARE AWARE THAT THIS STUFF IS HAPPENING.
THAT'S THE ONLY COMMENTS I WANT TO ADD.
ANYBODY ELSE HAVE ANY COMMENTS? I DO.
SO, SO THIS IS, IS THIS STEMMING FROM, UH, THE CONCERN THAT WE TALKED ABOUT EARLIER, THE OF, UM, SOME SAY A COUPLE OF CANDIDATES HAVE COMPLAINTS FILED AGAINST THEM, AND THEN SOMEHOW PEOPLE KNOW THAT OTHER CANDIDATES HAVE DONE THE SAME THING, BUT NO ONE FILED A COMPLAINT AGAINST THEM.
SO, UM, UM, I LOVE THE IDEA OF, OF THE CITY SENDING OUT, YOU KNOW, REMINDERS, HERE'S WHAT YOU NEED TO DO, THAT KIND OF STUFF.
UM, BUT IF ONE OF, IF, I MEAN, I
[00:15:01]
DON'T KNOW.NO ONE'S CALLED ME TO, TO SAY, DID YOU KNOW THAT THIS WAS GOING ON? UM, AND IF SOMEONE DID, I WOULD SAY, WELL, YOU KNOW, WHY DON'T YOU FILE A COMPLAINT? IF YOU WANNA DO THAT, THEN NOTHING THAT COMPELS SOMEONE NOT TO FILE A COMPLAINT.
AND SECONDLY, IF SOMEONE COMES AND GIVES A COMPLAINT TO YOU, CHAIRMAN, COULD, COULD YOU JUST FILE A COMPLAINT AS AN INDIVIDUAL AND RECUSE YOURSELF FROM THAT, FROM THAT, UM, UH, DISCUSSION OR, OR, OR OF THAT VOTE? UM, THAT'S A PROCEDURAL QUESTION THAT YOU MAY HAVE LOOKED AT.
I DON'T KNOW, I ABOUT INDIVIDUAL COMMISSIONERS, UM, I MEAN, I, I THINK THE CODE IS VERY SPECIFIC ABOUT, UM, WHEN SPECIFIC COMMISSIONERS, INDIVIDUAL COMMISSIONERS HAVE TO ACCUSE AND WHAT THEY CAN AND CANNOT DO.
UM, I THINK GENERALLY, UM, WE'RE NOT SUPPOSED TO DO ANYTHING FOR WHICH WE CANNOT MAKE AN IMPARTIAL DECISION.
I I DO NOT BELIEVE THAT THERE'S ANYTHING WE'RE LIKE SPECIFICALLY PRECLUDING A ONE COMMISSIONER FROM OH, YEAH.
BUT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT COMPLAINTS THAT BE, THAT CAN BE COMMISSION ORIENTED, LIKE COMMISSION, UH, GENERATED, LIKE INITIATED.
UM, AND YES, SO LIKE, THERE'S, THERE'S KINDA LIKE THREE PROBLEMS THAT WE'RE TRYING TO SOLVE, RIGHT? ONE OF THEM IS THE SELECTIVE COMPLAINING.
UM, THE OTHER ONE IS THE FLOOD THAT COMES, UM, YOU KNOW, IN MEDI MEETINGS LIKE THIS WHERE, UM, WE DO NOT HAVE A LOT OF, UH, COMPLAINTS OR WE DON'T HAVE ANY COMPLAINTS, SOMETIMES WE CAN GET OUTTA HERE IN 15 MINUTES.
UM, AND OTHER TIMES I'VE HEARD THAT YOU GUYS HAVE BEEN HERE PAST THE NIGHT, AND, UM, THAT DOES NOT CREATE TRANSPARENCY OR ACCOUNTABILITY BECAUSE, AND NONE OF US HERE ARE ENTERTAINING ENOUGH TO WATCH UNTIL MIDNIGHT
UM, SO I WOULD HOPE THAT WE COULD STREAMLINE A PROCESS TO BE ABLE, MAYBE YOU ARE COMMISSIONER KING, I'M SORRY?
BUT THE, THE, UM, THE POINT IS THAT I CERTAINLY WOULD NOT BE, AND SO I, I WONDER WHAT WE CAN DO TO CREATE A BETTER LEVEL OF ACCOUNTABILITY AND TRANSPARENCY WHERE WE ARE NOT, UM, RUNNING INTO ONE O'CLOCK AND TWO O'CLOCK IN THE MORNING ON SOME OF THESE.
AND, UM, THE THIRD PROBLEM IS FOR SOMEBODY TO BE ABLE TO MELLOW, CONTEND, CONTEND IT, YOU KNOW, LIKE, OKAY, MY BAD, I DIDN'T KNOW THAT THAT FORM WAS SUPPOSED TO BE IN DUPLICATE.
UM, I, I, I WON'T DO IT AGAIN.
WE'RE NOT GONNA GO THROUGH THE FORMAL PROCESS.
SO, AND THAT, THAT'S ALSO PART OF THE STREAMLINING PROCESS, RIGHT? MM-HMM
UM, SO THOSE ARE KINDA LIKE THE, SOME OF THE THREE PROBLEMS THAT WE WERE LOOKING AT AS A WORKING GROUP, BUT THAT HASN'T JUST BEEN US.
I MEAN, THIS HAS BEEN GOING ON FOR YEARS AND YEARS AND YEARS.
UM, AND THEN OF COURSE, THE OTHER THING IS ABOUT THE, UM, I DON'T MEAN TO BELITTLE WHAT WE DO HERE, BUT I DON'T THINK A LOT OF PEOPLE KNOW
AND THE, SOME OF THE RULES ARE, ARE VERY, VERY OBSOLETE.
AND THERE ARE, UM, REAL CITIZENS THAT HAVE REAL CONCERNS ABOUT THINGS THAT DON'T KNOW THAT THIS PROCESS EXISTS.
AND SO IF WE HAD DEDICATED STAFF, SOMEBODY COULD ANSWER QUESTIONS, EVEN MAYBE IT DOESN'T HAVE TO BE THE LAWYER, BUT MAYBE COULD BE AN OB.
UM, SO THAT WE COULD, YOU KNOW, SOMEBODY COULD GUIDE PEOPLE IN DOING COMPLAINTS, UM, OR, UH, WORK WITH US TO CREATE A COMMISSION, UM, INITIATE A COMPLAINT, UM, OR LIKE A OR LIKE A HEY YOU LETTER, YOU KNOW? UM, SO IT COULD EVEN BE A WARNING.
IT DOESN'T HAVE TO BE LIKE A FULL COMPLAINT, BUT I THINK THAT IF, UM, COUNCIL MEMBERS ARE GOING TO RUN OUR TRANSPARENCY AND, UM, ACCOUNTABILITY, THEN THAT IS CERTAINLY A VERY TANGIBLE WAY TO CREATE A LEVEL OF TRANSPARENCY AND ACCOUNTABILITY.
COMMISSIONER LOWE? YEAH, I, I THINK THESE ARE SORT OF THE EASY CASES.
I THINK THE BIG ONE IS THAT SOMEONE WILL SEE SOMETHING IN THE MEDIA, OR, YOU KNOW, IT IS SO OBVIOUS, AND YET WE DO NOTHING.
AND THAT IS THE SITUATION IN WHICH PEOPLE EXPECT US TO FILE A COMPLAINT AS WELL AS A SITUATION IN WHICH I, I FEEL, I THINK, YOU KNOW, WE FEEL MOTIVATED TO DO SO.
WE JUST DON'T HAVE A PROCESS IN WHICH TO DO THAT, AND WE DON'T HAVE SUPPORT TO DO THAT.
UM, AND THAT'S, THOSE ARE THE THINGS THAT KEEP US HERE TILL MIDNIGHT.
I MEAN, IT, IT'S THOSE TYPES OF CASES, RIGHT? IT'S NOT,
[00:20:02]
NOT, UH, THE TRIVIAL VIOLATIONS MM-HMMUM, BUT THAT'S WHAT WE SHOULD BE USING THE RESOURCES FOR.
SO, I MEAN, THAT'S, THIS IS WHY I'M SAYING IF WE HAVE A PROCESS AND WE DEVELOP A PROCESS, BUT WE NEVER USE IT OR NEVER ABLE TO USE IT, UM, THAT MAKES US LOOK EVEN WORSE.
I MEAN, IT DELEGITIMIZES THE PROCESS EVEN FURTHER.
THAT'S, WELL, GOING BACK TO WHAT I THINK WAS YOUR, UM, UH, TO SUMMARIZE WHAT YOU WERE SAYING WHEN YOU FIRST OFFERED AS YOUR COMMENTS, YOU WOULD LIKE TO INQUIRE OF THE CITY COUNCIL AS TO HOW DO THEY PROPOSE THAT WE PICK UP THE MANTLE OF ISSUING COMPLAINTS WHEN WE HAVE NO CLEAR SOURCE OF ASSISTANCE? BECAUSE CITY ATTORNEY'S OFFICE CAN HELP WITH CERTAIN THINGS, BUT IF WE RAISE THE BAR AS TO WHAT WE NEED, IT MAY PRESENT PROBLEMS WHAT YOU'RE SAYING, RIGHT? SO, OR YOU WANT TO COME UP WITH A SPECIFIC PROPOSAL OR SPECIFIC INQUIRY WE MAKE TO THE CITY COUNCIL.
CAN YOU GET A LITTLE CLOSER TO THE MIC? PARDON? I WAS JUST ASKING IF YOU COULD GET A LITTLE CLOSER TO THE MIC.
YOU KNOW, I, I BRING THIS BOOK TO TRY TO GET ME CLOSER, AND IT STILL DOESN'T DO ENOUGH.
DO YOU WANT ME TO REPEAT ANY OF THAT? NO, I THINK WE'RE FINE.
DO YOU WANNA MAKE A SPECIFIC WELL, I PROPOSE THAT WE MAKE A SPECIFIC INQUIRY TO THE CITY COUNCIL.
I MEAN, I WANT TO THROW THAT TO THE OTHER COMMISSIONERS.
I MEAN, WE'VE BEEN TALKING ABOUT IT FOR A LONG TIME, BUT I, I DON'T KNOW WHAT IS THE PLEASURE OF THE COMMISSION AND, UM, YOU KNOW, WHETHER PEOPLE THINK IT'S A WORTHWHILE ENDEAVOR OR WHETHER WE SHOULD GO A DIFFERENT DIRECTION.
COMMISSIONER FIGUEROA, I JUST WANTED TO SAY THAT, UM, COMMISSIONER, OH, WE HAD SKIPPED OVER, UM, COMMISSIONER LAWSON, COMMISSIONER LAWSON, I'M SORRY.
UH, NO, THE, THE, I WAS GONNA ASK A VERY RUDIMENTARY QUESTION, SEEING HOW, AS I'M SUPER, SUPER NEW, AND I DON'T WANT TO TAKE THIS CONVERSATION BACK TO THE STONE AGE, BUT THE CONVERSATION HAS HELPED ME GAIN A LITTLE BIT BETTER UNDERSTANDING.
SO I THINK WHAT I'M HEARING IS LIKE, WE DON'T HAVE ENOUGH TEETH, AND THAT'S WHAT WE REALLY WANT.
BUT I ALSO WANT TO UNDERSTAND WHAT IS THE PROBLEM WE'RE TRYING TO SOLVE.
AND IT SOUNDS LIKE IT, IT'S A LITTLE BIT OF A BOIL THE OCEAN TYPE OF THING RIGHT NOW.
AND I WOULD LIKE TO KNOW IF, IS THERE A SINGLE THING THAT WE SHOULD FOCUS ON YEAH.
AND TACKLE THAT, BUT THAT'S ABOUT IT.
I'D LIKE TO ANSWER THAT IF I, IF I MAY.
UM, COMMISSIONERS AND, AND THANK YOU COMMISSIONER LAWSON FOR BRINGING THAT UP.
I, I, TO ME, THE ISSUE WE'RE TRYING TO ADDRESS IS THE EQUITY AROUND SELECTIVE ENFORCEMENT, UM, WHERE WE HAVE, UM, COMPLAINTS BROUGHT THAT, UM, YOU KNOW, EVERY SINGLE PERSON WHO COMES IN, THE RESPONSE IS ALWAYS, THAT WAS POLITICALLY MOTIVATED.
THIS PERSON WORKS FOR MY OPPONENTS.
AND SO, UH, THERE'S ALWAYS THAT, UH, ACCUSATION OF BIAS.
UM, FURTHERMORE, WE ALSO HAVE RECEIVED COMPLAINTS WHERE, UM, IT'S A, A ROUTINE VIOLATION WHERE IT WAS JUST A MISREPRESENTATION OR AN ACCIDENTAL, UH, REPORTING ISSUE.
AND IT'S AGAINST, UH, SOMEONE WHO'S A FIRST TIME CANDIDATE, MANY TIMES A CANDIDATE OF COLOR, MANY TIMES A, A, A CANDIDATE, A FEMALE CANDIDATE WHO IS, YOU KNOW, RUNNING FOR THE VERY FIRST TIME AND IS NOT FAMILIAR WITH THE PROCESS.
MEANWHILE, A CANDIDATE WHO HAS BEEN IN OFFICE FOR MANY YEARS HAS COMMITTED THE SAME VIOLATION, AND NO ONE'S BRINGING ANY TYPE OF COMPLAINT.
SO IT SEEMS TO BE AN EQUITY ISSUE AS WELL WITH IT.
SO TO ME, THAT WAS THE GOAL OF SEE IF THERE WAS A PROCESS WE COULD COME UP WITH TO ADDRESS THE SELECTIVE ENFORCEMENT AND ADDRESS SOME OF THE EQUITY ISSUES TO, UM, COMMISSIONER LOWE'S QUESTION ABOUT PROCESS.
AND I, I WOULD THINK, IF I ENVISION THIS, THERE'S ALMOST LIKE A THREE PART PROCESS, RIGHT? THERE'S A VOTE TO INITIATE A COMPLAINTS, AND THEN THERE'S A VOTE FOR A PRELIMINARY HEARING, AND THEN THERE'S A VOTE FOR A FINAL HEARING.
AND THEN DOES THE VOTE FOR THE INITIATION OF THE COMPLAINT ALMOST KIND OF BIAS, A PRELIMINARY HEARING ONE? AND I GUESS, I GUESS MY QUESTION WAS, IS THERE A WAY THAT THAT INITIAL VOTE TO INITIATE A COMPLAINT COULD BE SENT TO ANOTHER DEPARTMENT AT THE, UM, AUSTIN, YOU KNOW, AT THE, UH, AUSTIN, UM, LEGAL DEPARTMENT OR ANOTHER DEPARTMENT, AUSTIN, THAT COULD INDEPENDENTLY DO SOME TYPE OF VERIFICATION AND SEND US A REPORT SO IT DOESN'T FEEL LIKE WE ARE THE ONES WHO HAVE TO DO THAT, YOU KNOW, THAT INITIATING, INITIATE THE INVESTIGATION OURSELVES, WHICH I DON'T THINK WE ARE EQUIPPED TO.
AND I, AND THAT'S A QUESTION THAT I, I DON'T KNOW IF WE HAVE THE ANSWER TO YET.
AND THAT OF COURSE, TO ME, IT GOES BACK TO ISSUES OF RESOURCES AND STAFFING.
AND IT JUST REALLY DOES BOIL DOWN TO,
[00:25:01]
UM, THE APPETITE OF THE COMMISSION TO ASK FOR THE RESOURCES TO BE ABLE TO FULLY IMPLEMENT, UM, WHAT IT IS THAT WE'RE SUPPOSED TO BE.BECAUSE I MEAN, AS WRITTEN, IT'S, UH, WE ARE SUPPOSED TO BE BRINGING COMPLAINTS.
AND SO I UNDERSTAND THAT THERE NEEDS TO BE SOME PROCEDURAL CLARITY ONE, UH, TO ADDRESS SOME OF THE ISSUES THAT WE HAVE SEEN AS A COMMISSION AND HAVE SEEN FOR YEARS.
YOU KNOW, TWO, BUT YOU'RE RIGHT THERE, THERE IS NO WAY THAT WE ARE BOTH GOING TO BE PROSECUTOR AND JUDGE
UM, YOU KNOW, ANYBODY WHO'S EVEN WATCHED LAW AND ORDER UNDERSTANDS THAT THAT IS NOT GOING TO GOING TO GIVE US THE BEST OUTCOME.
UM, UH, SO THEN AGAIN, WE GO BACK TO, WELL, IF WE BELIEVE THAT THERE IS AN, UH, SOMETHING THAT NEEDS TO BE INVESTIGATED AND LOOKED AT FROM AN ETHICS PERSPECTIVE, TO WHOM DO WE GIVE THAT TO, AND HOW, HOW ARE THEY GOING TO LOOK AT THAT AND, UM, HOW ARE THEY GOING TO INVESTIGATE IT, AND HOW ARE THEY GOING TO GIVE US AN UP AND DOWN VOTE ON TO PROCEED? AND THEN WHO'S GOING TO BRING THAT FORTH TO US? BECAUSE WE HAVE TO HAVE A COMPLAINANT, RIGHT? ARE WE GOING TO BE THE SAME COMPLAINANTS? NO.
SO, UM, THEN WE'RE GONNA BE LIKE PROSECUTOR, JUDGE, AND VICTIM, LIKE WILD.
SO WE HAVE TO, WE HAVE TO YES, ASK FOR EITHER AN ASSIGNED ATTORNEY, STAFF MEMBER, UM, SOMEBODY LIKE THAT, UM, TO, TO LIKE, HEY, AS, AS THE WORKING GROUP, OR EVEN AS THE COMMISSION, WE HAVE VOTED TO HAVE YOU LOOK AT X, CAN YOU LOOK AT X, PLEASE? OKAY, YES, I DID LOOK AT X AND I REALIZED THAT X IS SOMETHING THAT WE SHOULD BRING UP FOR PRELIMINARY HEARING.
SO THEN AGAIN, THE QUESTION GOES BACK, DO, DOES THE COMMISSION HAVE THE APPETITE TO ASK FOR THAT? UM, AND LIKE COMMISSIONER LOWE HAS BEEN SAYING, WE TALK ABOUT THIS A LOT.
SO WE HAVE THE APPETITE
COMMISSIONER KING, HOW, HOW DIFFICULT IS IT IF SOMEONE GETS UPSET IN, IN ELECTION, UH, AND THEY WANNA FILE A COMPLAINT? I MEAN, THESE ARE FORMS THAT WE SEE THAT THEY SAY, WHO DO THEY CALL NOW TO SAY, I WANNA FILE AGAINST THIS CANDIDATE FOR, UH, VIOLATING THE, THE CAP ON, OR WHAT, WHATEVER IT IS.
THAT ALL GOES THROUGH THE CITY CLERK'S OFFICE.
THEY, THEY CREATE THE FORMS THERE.
EVEN IN CODE, THEY ARE MEANT TO HELP ANYBODY WHO WANTS TO BRING FORWARD A COMPLAINT.
SO THAT'S WHAT THE CLERK'S OFFICE, SO THE, THERE ISN'T, THERE IS A MECHANISM NOW FOR SOMEONE WHO FEELS THAT THERE HAS BEEN A VIOLATION TO CALL THE CITY AND SAY, I DON'T LIKE WHAT JOE BLOW DID.
UM, HOW DO I FILE A COMPLAINT? AND THEY'LL SAY, COME DOWN, THEY HAVE THESE FORMS, AND THEY DO THAT.
UM, NOW IF THE PERSON CHOSE NOT TO COME IN AND DO THE FORM, THEN THE CITY CLERKS ARE KIND OF JUST LEFT WITH SOMEONE CALLED SOMEONE CALLED.
BUT, BUT THE, NOT JUST WITH THE CITY, BUT WITH THE POLICE AND ALL KINDS OF THINGS.
MAY I ASK, UH, MS. HASLIN ANOTHER QUESTION.
THERE IS A, UM, HOTLINE, RIGHT? AS AS FOR ETHICS.
SO IS THIS THE KIND OF THING THAT WOULD COME UP THERE AS WELL? THE ETHICS COMPLAINT HOTLINE, OR THE ETHICS HOTLINE IS REALLY FOR QUESTIONS OF, I THINK I, I GUESS IT COULD BE FOR A QUESTION OF, YOU KNOW, I THINK THAT X CANDIDATE OR X CITY EMPLOYEE IS DOING X, Y, AND Z, RIGHT? AND WOULD THAT AMOUNT TO AN ETHICS VIOLATION? RIGHT? AND SO THE ETHICS HOTLINE IS NOT, THERE'S NO MECHANISM THERE TO, THERE'S NO POWER TO INVESTIGATE OR BRING FORTH ANY COMPLAINTS.
IF, IF SOMEBODY TYPICALLY HAS A COMPLAINT, YOU KNOW, THIS SPECIFICALLY HAPPENED, WE WOULD ROUTE THAT TO THE AUDITOR'S OFFICE BECAUSE AGAIN, THEY HAVE INVESTIGATORY POWERS.
THEY HAVE, UM, THE, THE STAFF AND THE PEOPLE AND THE RESOURCES TO DO THAT.
SO THE ETHICS HOTLINE IS MORE, WOULD, YOU KNOW, NOT DOING THIS BE A VIOLATION.
AND SO THEN WE COULD, THE, THE HOTLINE PEOPLE ATTORNEYS WOULD EXPLAIN, YOU KNOW, OKAY, WELL THIS IS WHAT WOULD BE A VIOLATION.
OR MAYBE IT WOULD BE, BUT THERE IS NO FURTHER THE, THE PERSON WHO WOULD CALL IN OR EMAIL IN WOULD HAVE TO TAKE THAT
[00:30:01]
ACTION.THEN THE CITY ATTORNEY'S OFFICE DOES NOT DO THAT.
SEE, THAT'S WHAT I WAS THINKING, BECAUSE THERE ARE, THERE ARE A NUMBER OF RESOURCES THAT THE CITY OFFERS THE CLERK, AND, YOU KNOW, THERE ARE PUBLICATIONS AND SO FORTH, BUT, UM, THE GAP IS STILL THERE, UM, FOR, YOU KNOW, FOR THESE VIOLATIONS THAT ARE PLAIN AND OBVIOUS TO EVERYBODY, UM, THAT WOULD THEN BE OUR RESPONSIBILITY TO INITIATE, RIGHT? JUST, YOU KNOW, EVEN THOUGH THERE ARE THESE OTHER RESOURCES FOR OTHER PEOPLE WHO WANT TO FILE COMPLAINTS, UM, IT'S, IT'S STILL REALLY IMPORTANT THAT WE, YOU KNOW, ADDRESS THAT PIECE.
UM, WHICH UNDER CITY CODE WE HAVE THE AUTHORITY TO DO, AND WE SHOULD BE DOING.
I, I WOULD, I, I WOULD ARGUE THAT IT'S MORE THAN THE AUTHORITY.
I, I WOULD ARGUE THAT IT'S THE OBLIGATION TO, I I WOULD ARGUE THAT, UM, AS A COMMISSION, WE DO NOT HAVE, I MEAN, YES, THE CITY CODE SAYS THAT, YOU KNOW, WE CAN, BUT I DON'T THINK AS ETHICS COMMISSIONERS, WE CAN ACTUALLY KNOW OF AND SEE AN, A FLAGRANT ETHICS VIOLATION AND DO NOTHING.
BUT THERE IS NO PROCEDURE FOR THAT.
SO DO I SEND THIS RELEASE, UM, CITIZEN GO THEN AND WRITE A COMPLAINT WITHOUT ANY KIND OF, UM, YOU KNOW, INVESTIGATIVE POWER OR, UM, ACCESS STAFF, UM, PROCEDURE EVEN? UH, I MEAN, I, I'M HAPPY TO, AND I'LL SEND THE CITY AN INVOICE, BUT, UM, I, I DON'T THINK THAT'S EXACTLY THE PROCESS THEY HAD IN MIND.
I WAS JUST GOING TO MENTION THAT IT SEEMS LIKE THE CITY AUDITOR'S OFFICE SEEMS THE MOST EQUIPPED TO DO INVESTIGATIVE TYPE WORK.
UM, IF THERE, AND I WOULD SUPPORT, UM, THE TASK FORCE IN DEVELOPING A PROCESS FOR A REFERRAL TO THE CITY AUDITOR'S OFFICE, UM, AND WORKING WITH THAT OFFICE TO SEE WHAT THAT COULD POSSIBLY LOOK LIKE.
WHETHER IT WOULD BE A, A REFERRAL OR A, YOU KNOW, SOME TYPE OF PROCESS THAT WE COULD ASK THEM TO DO, UH, A REPORT ON AN INVESTIGATIVE LEVEL.
UM, I THINK THEY SEEM MOST EQUIPPED, IN MY OPINION, VICE CHAIR SHARKEY A AGREED, I THINK WE NEED TO START LOOKING AT THE FEASIBILITY.
I DON'T NECESSARILY KNOW THAT IT'S THE AUDITOR'S OFFICE, ESPECIALLY IF IT'S FOR A CITY, CITY COUNCIL, UM, MEMBER.
BUT I DO THINK WE SHOULD AT LEAST ENCOURAGE THE WORKING GROUP TO START ENGAGING WITH AND JUST LOOKING AT THE INITIAL FEASIBILITY OF ENGAGING WITH CITY STAFF ON A BROADER LEVEL TO HELP BRING THESE COMPLAINTS FORWARD.
BECAUSE UNTIL, IF, IF THEY DON'T HAVE THE BANDWIDTH, IF THEY DON'T HAVE THE RESOURCES, IF WE CAN'T HAVE THAT, THEN I MEAN, THAT CONVERSATION STOPS.
BUT I THINK IT'S AT LEAST WORTH IT TO DO OUR DUE DILIGENCE TO ANSWER THOSE QUESTIONS.
I THINK IT'S A LITTLE TRICKY BECAUSE WE'RE ONLY TECHNICALLY PUBLISHED FOR AN UPDATE.
SO I DON'T KNOW THAT WE CAN LIKE, MAKE A MOTION OR TAKE A VOTE OF ANY KIND TONIGHT.
BUT, BUT WE ARE WORKING GROUPS.
WE DON'T, WE DON'T NEED A MOTION OR NO, BUT IT'S, IT'S JUST A WORKING GROUP UPDATE THAT IS ON THE AGENDA.
SO THERE'S NO ACTION ITEM THAT CAN OCCUR TODAY, UM, BASED AROUND THIS.
SOMEBODY WOULD NEED TO PUT IT ON THE, A FUTURE AGENDA, UM, TO TAKE ACTION TO DO X, Y, OR Z.
YOU GUYS CAN DO THAT REGARDLESS IF YOUR WORKING GROUP JUST DECIDES TO, BUT, RIGHT.
YEAH, BUT AS THE COMMISSION, WE CANNOT TAKE LIKE A, LIKE, OH, THE COMMISSION'S NOW GOING TO UNDERGO THIS PROCESS.
BUT THE, THE WORKING GROUP, I, WE HAVE, I MEAN, WE HAVE BEEN COLLECTING, UM, RESEARCH AND INFORMATION AND, UM, LOOKING AT THE LAWS AND THE PROCEDURES THAT ARE CURRENTLY ON THE BOOKS AND STUFF.
SO, UM, BUT IT'S THE, I IT'S MY UNDERSTANDING, CORRECT ME IF I'M WRONG, BUT THE WORKING GROUP DOES NOT NEED PERMISSION OR A MOTION TO KEEP DOING MORE RESEARCH.
BUT SEE, THIS IS SOMETHING THAT WE LEARNED TODAY, BUT I LEARNED TODAY, I WILL NOT SPEAK, UM, FOR ANYBODY ELSE ABOUT THE, UM, AUDITOR'S OFFICE HAVING THE ABILITY TO INVESTIGATE AND YET NOT THE, UM, PROCEDURE TO PROSECUTE.
SO, SO I WILL SAY THAT THEY DO INVESTIGATE CERTAIN THINGS MM-HMM
AND SO AS OF RIGHT NOW, I COULD NOT TELL YOU SPECIFICALLY WHAT THE AUDITOR'S OFFICE IN CODE IS REQUIRED TO DO, OR THEY'RE ALLOWED TO DO.
THEY ALSO HAVE JURISDICTION OVER ONLY CERTAIN THINGS.
SO IT COULD POSSIBLY BE THAT THEY WOULDN'T HAVE ANY JURISDICTION OVER THIS.
I COULD, I COULD NOT TELL YOU THAT RIGHT NOW.
WE WOULD NEED TO LOOK INTO THAT, AND I CAN, BUT YES, I MEAN, THAT'S DEFINITELY SOMETHING THAT WOULD NEED TO BE LOOKED INTO.
COULD, COULD WE HAVE ON THE NEXT AGENDA ITEM, SOMEBODY FROM THE CITY AUDITOR'S OFFICE COME AND DISCUSS WITH US? OR, UM, DO YOU HAVE A NAME THAT WE CAN GO LIKE, YOU KNOW, OTHERWISE LIKE
[00:35:01]
THAT, THAT YOU COULD SHARE WITH US WHERE, OR CONTACT WITHIN THE CITY AUDITOR'S OFFICE THAT AS THE WORKING GROUP COULD GET AHOLD OF? SO I WOULD SUGGEST YES.UM, YOU CAN REACH OUT TO LIZETTE AND MYSELF ABOUT A FUTURE AGENDA ITEM.
AND THEN WE CAN WORK TO SEE IF SOMEBODY CAN COME AND GIVE A PRESENTATION OR WHATEVER NEEDS TO HAPPEN.
BUT, SO YES, YOU WOULD JUST EMAIL LIZETTE AND I OKAY.
THAT, THAT, THAT HAS BEEN A HELPFUL DISCUSSION.
UM, AS FAR AS OTHER, UM, RESOURCES, SO IT'S LIKE THE PROCEDURAL SIDE, RIGHT? AND OF COURSE, LIKE, UM, I DO NOT PRETEND THAT THERE ARE CITY EMPLOYEES SITTING AROUND DOING NOTHING.
AND SO I, UM, I WONDER AGAIN ABOUT THE COMMISSIONER'S APPETITE, THE COMMISSION'S APPETITE FOR GOING BEFORE EITHER CITY COUNCIL OR THE CITY MANAGER OR SOMEONE ELSE, AND ASKING LIKE, IS, CAN WE GET AN ALLOCATION OF A PERSON, UM, RESOURCES, LIKE HALF A PERSON, I KNOW LIKE, THIS IS WEIRD, BUT IN GOVERNMENT, LIKE, YOU KNOW, YOU CAN GET HALF A PERSON OR A THIRD OF PERSON, UM, YOU KNOW, THAT KIND OF THING.
SO, UM, WHAT DO, WHAT DOES THE COMMISSION AT LARGE KIND OF FEEL ABOUT THAT VICE CHAIR SHARKY? I MEAN, I THINK BEFORE WE GO IN FRONT OF ANY, ANYBODY, I THINK WE NEED, I THINK IT WOULD BEHOOVE THE WORKING GROUP TO MAYBE JUST START MEETING WITH SOME OF THESE DIVISIONS AND JUST SEE WHAT, WHAT THE FEASIBILITY AND THE APPETITE IS.
BECAUSE IT MAY NOT NECESSARILY EVEN BE A DEDICATED EMPLOYEE.
IT MAY NOT EVEN BE A DEDICATED DIVISION, BUT, YOU KNOW, DOES, DOES THE AUDITOR'S OFFICE, FOR INSTANCE, HAVE THE CAPACITY AND THE ORDINANCE AUTHORITY TO LOOK INTO THESE MATTERS? UM, SO I THINK THERE'S SOME, AND THEN I, ONCE WE HAVE THE ANSWERS, STRUCTURAL, STRUCTURAL QUESTIONS, AND I THINK ONCE WE HAVE THAT, IF YOU ALL COULD BRING THAT BACK TO US AS AN AGENDA ITEM, THEN WE CAN HAVE A LITTLE BIT BETTER DISCUSSION.
BUT I THINK FROM WHAT I'M HEARING, THIS IS SOMETHING THAT DEFINITELY BEARS MORE, MORE INVESTIGATION AND I WOULD SUPPORT THE WORKING GROUP IN TAKING THOSE NEXT STEPS.
COMMISSIONER LOWE, DO YOU FEEL THE DISCUSSION HAS GIVEN YOU SOME IDEAS FOR NEXT STEPS? YES, I THINK SO, BECAUSE BEYOND THAT, YOU KNOW, WE TALKED, WE'VE THOUGHT A LOT ABOUT THE PRELIMINARY HEARING AND, YOU KNOW, ALL THOSE KINDS OF PROCEDURES, BECAUSE THEY WOULD HAVE TO BE A LITTLE DIFFERENT FROM THE HEARINGS WE HAVE, UM, WHEN WE HAVE OUTSIDE COMPLAINANTS.
BUT MAY MAYBE IF WE CAN SEE WHAT OTHER CITY DEPARTMENTS DO, UM, AND HOW THEY CAN ASSIST, MAYBE WE CAN GET TO THE SECOND STEP.
ARE THERE ANY OTHER COMMENTS? AND WE'LL CLOSE THAT AGENDA ITEM, UM, FUTURE AGENDA ITEMS? UM, UM, MR. CHAIR, I THINK THERE WAS THE OTHER HALF OF OUR COMMITTEE.
I MEAN, THE OTHER HALF OF THE WORKING GROUP, I THINK MAYBE THEY WANTED TO UPDATE AS WELL.
SO COMMISSIONER, UM, FIGUERA LAWSON, COMMISSIONER FIGUERA, JUST GIVE A BRIEF UPDATE.
UM, SO COMMISSIONER LAWSON AND I MCGOVERN, UH, NEED TO MEET.
WE, UH, THIS IS THE PART OF THE PROCESS WHERE WE'RE TALKING ABOUT, UM, THE EFFORTS TO, UH, STREAMLINE THE PROCESS.
UM, AND, UH, AND IN OTHER WORDS, WHEN THERE'S, UH, I THINK ONE OF THE THINGS WE'RE LOOKING AT IS WHEN THERE IS A, UM, AS WE MENTIONED, A MINOR OR TECHNICAL VIOLATION, UM, IS THERE A WAY TO KIND OF DO, UH, NOLO, CENDRA FOR THOSE OF YOU THAT ARE ATTORNEYS, WHICH IS KIND OF JUST SAY, YOU KNOW, MY MISTAKE, I APOLOGIZE.
CAN WE FIX THIS WITHOUT HAVING TO GO THROUGH A WHOLE, UM, PRELIMINARY AND FINAL HEARING AND INVESTIGATION OR ANYTHING LIKE THAT WHERE THEY CAN JUST SAY, UH, THIS IS MY MISTAKE, UH, I INTEND TO FIX IT.
UM, AND, UM, AND WHAT THAT PROCESS COULD LOOK LIKE.
UM, SO, UH, WE, UH, IT'S ON, IT'S ON ME TO, UH, SET UP A MEETING WITH THE SMALL GROUP WITH, UH, LAWSON AND COMMISSIONER LAWSON, COMMISSIONER MCGOVERN.
AND, UH, WE'LL, WE'LL GET THAT GOING.
DO YOU HAVE ANY OTHER COMMENTS, COMMISSIONER LAWSON? I DO NOT.
UM, I JUST WANTED TO ELABORATE.
UH, VICTORIA DID AN EXCELLENT JOB EXPLAINING THE ETHICS HOTLINE.
I JUST WANTED TO ELABORATE A LITTLE BIT MORE ON WHAT THE PURPOSE IS.
IT SERVES AS AN EDUCATIONAL PURPOSE FOR CITY STAFF, UH, MEMBERS OF COMMISSIONS AND BOARDS TO REACH OUT.
IT'S MORE FOR GUIDANCE ON THE CITY CODE, AS VICTORIA EXPLAINED, UM, ON WHETHER SOMETHING IS A VIOLATION OF
[00:40:01]
CITY CODE OR NOT.FOR EXAMPLE, MISUSE OR USE OF CITY RESOURCES, UM, CONFLICTS OF INTEREST, THINGS OF THAT NATURE.
SO THIS IS AN INTERNAL, UM, RESOURCE FOR PEOPLE WHO HAVE QUESTIONS ABOUT THEIR OWN ETHICAL DEALINGS.
THANK YOU FOR THE CLARIFICATION.
AND WE WILL CLOSE THAT AGENDA ITEM NOW, UH, FOR FUTURE
[FUTURE AGENDA ITEMS ]
AGENDA ITEMS, UH, SHALL WE ANTICIPATE THAT, UH, WE'LL GET A REPORT AFTER SOME FURTHER RESEARCH REPORT FROM YOUR WORKING GROUP AT THE NEXT MEETING? WE'RE NOT MEETING TILL OCTO, UH, TILL AUGUST, WHAT, 23RD? SOMETHING LIKE THAT.I THINK, I THINK THAT YOU'VE GIVEN US SOME GOOD IDEAS OF RESEARCHING WHAT THE OTHER CITIES DO.
UM, RESEARCHING SOME OF THE INTERNAL STRUCTURES, THE, THE OWN OF OUR OWN CITY OF AUSTIN DEPARTMENT, UM, YOU KNOW, RESEARCHING HOW THE AUDITING DEPARTMENT WORKS, AND THEN, UH, HAVING THEM COME IN AND TALK TO US ABOUT KIND OF THAT PROCESS, UH, MAYBE EVEN RESEARCHING SOME OF THEIR CITY CODE STUFF.
ANYTHING ELSE FOR THE FUTURE AGENDA? COMMISSIONER KING? SORRY.
SO THAT DATE SHOULD BE THE REGULAR 26TH.
IT SHOULD BE THE FOURTH WEDNESDAY OF THE MONTH.
ANY, UH, SUGGESTIONS, ADDITIONAL SUGGESTIONS FOR THE NEXT AGENDA? THE AUGUST AGENDA? UH, IF NOT, UH, I'LL ENTERTAIN A MOTION TO ADJOURN.
IT HAS BEEN MOVED AND SECONDED.
ALL IN ANY DISCUSSION? ALL IN FAVOR.
CAN I CONFIRM WHO MO WHO MOTIONED AND WHO SECONDED? UH, COMMISSIONER.
SO COMMISSIONER SOLIS MADE THE MOTION.