* This transcript was created by voice-to-text technology. The transcript has not been edited for errors or omissions, it is for reference only and is not the official minutes of the meeting. [00:07:50] UH, [00:07:51] THE TIME IS THREE OH EIGHT. [CALL TO ORDER] UH, CALL TO ORDER. COMMISSIONER WEISS [ROLL CALL] PRESENT. COMMISSIONER SHOTWELL PRESENT. COMMISSIONER MORALES PRESENT. COMMISSIONER DE BENEDICTUS. HERE. COMMISSIONER NOVE. HERE. VICE CHAIR COLEMAN. PRESENT, CHAIR P*****K. HERE WE HAVE CORUM. FIRST, AGENDA ITEM RECOMMENDATION [1. 25-55203 Recommendation to approve the minutes for the Ethics Commission meeting of Wednesday, April 9, 2025.       Suggested Action: Approve recommendation. ] TO APPROVE THE MINUTES FOR THE ETHICS COMMISSION MEETING OF WEDNESDAY, APRIL 9TH, 2025. AND DO I HAVE, I HAVE A MOTION FROM COMMISSIONER COLEMAN, SECONDED BY COMMISSIONER AVE. IS THERE ANY DISCUSSION CHAIR? YES. UM, JUST A SUGGESTION. I DON'T KNOW HOW THE COMMISSION FEELS ABOUT IT, BUT, UM, THE MINUTES UNDER ITEM NUMBER TWO, TOWARDS THE END WHERE THERE'S AN UNIDENTIFIED PERSON WHO SPOKE, I BELIEVE IT WAS MR. CHARLIE WHO SPOKE. I DON'T KNOW IF WE WERE, UH, I, IF, IF WE KNOW THE NAME OF THE SPEAKER, WE WERE GOING TO IDENTIFY THEM. I BELIEVE A COLLEAGUE SAID THAT WE SHOULD DO THAT MOVING FORWARD. SO I CAN SPEAK TO THAT. UM, THAT IS A STYLE, UH, OF OUR TYPICAL THING. UNLESS THE, UH, SPEAKER YEAH. UM, INDICATES THEIR NAME, WE WILL DEFAULT TO, EVEN THOUGH WE MIGHT KNOW THE PERSON, WE JUST USE UNIDENTIFIED PERSON. OKAY. YEAH. BUT IF IT POINTED, IF IT IS THE DESIRE OF THE COMMISSION, WE CAN, WE CAN CHANGE THAT. YEAH. I DON'T KNOW HOW THE COMMISSION FEELS. I, I BELIEVE A CO, LIKE I SAID, I BELIEVE A COLLEAGUE OF MINE, UM, I DON'T KNOW, NINE MONTHS A YEAR AGO, MENTIONED THE IMPORTANCE OF IDENTIFYING THE SPEAKERS FOR THEIR TIME, UH, FOR BEING HERE. SO I THOUGHT I'D POINT THAT OUT. [00:10:09] UM, I THINK LAST TIME, 'CAUSE I KNOW I, I WOULD'VE PREFERRED MORE IDENTIFICATION. UM, BUT I THINK LAST TIME IT WAS UP TO THE INDIVIDUAL TO IDENTIFY THEMSELVES, AND IF THEY DIDN'T, WE RESPECT THEIR POSSIBLE PREFERENCE. OKAY. TO NOT BE IDENTIFIED. MM-HMM . UNDERSTOOD. THANK YOU. ANY OTHER DISCUSSION FROM THE COMMISSION? IS THERE ANY PUBLIC COMMENT ON THIS ITEM? CAN WE MOVE TO A VOTE? OOPS. GET OUTTA HERE. THANKS. MOTION CARRIES. AGENDA ITEM NUMBER TWO. RECOMMENDATION TO RECEIVE AND FILE THE ANNUAL PRESENTATION ON THE CITY AUDITOR'S FRAUD HOTLINE. DO I HAVE A MOTION? [2. 25-55204 Recommendation to receive and file the annual presentation on the City Auditor’s Fraud Hotline.       Suggested Action: Approve recommendation. ] OH, THANK YOU. I, I HAVE A MOTION FROM COMMISSIONER SHOTWELL, SECONDED BY COMMISSIONER DE BENEDICTUS AND WHO WILL BE DELIVERING THE REPORT TODAY. UM, HI, UH, CHAIR. UM, I'LL BE INTRODUCING IT. AND THEN MY ASSISTANT CITY AUDITOR, ALVIN CHU, WILL BE DOING THE PRESENTATION, BUT IF I CAN JUST MAKE SOME OPENING REMARKS. MM-HMM . THANK YOU. WELCOME. UM, AND THANK YOU FOR HAVING US EACH YEAR PRESENT OUR ANNUAL, UH, FRAUD HOTLINE REPORT. AND BEFORE WE GET GO INTO THE PRESENTATION, UM, I JUST WANTED TO ACKNOWLEDGE COMMISSIONER WEISS AND COMMISSIONER SHOTWELL, AND FOR, I KNOW AS THEY'RE WRAPPING UP THEIR, UH, TERM AS SERVING AS COMMISSIONERS, INAUGURAL COMMISSIONERS, UM, I WANTED TO THANK THEM FOR THEIR DEDICATED SERVICE AND THEIR TIME AND ENERGY AND REALLY, YOU KNOW, FOR THEIR VISION IN ESTABLISHING THE GROUNDWORK FOR THIS COMMISSION. YOU KNOW, WHEN I LOOK BACK, UH, IN 2018 WHEN THIS COMMISSION WAS ESTABLISHED, UH, HAD A, A EARLY CONVERSATION WITH COMMISSIONER WEISS. AND, UM, WE WERE TALKING ABOUT THE BUDGET AND HOW WE CAN, UM, YOU KNOW, HOW, HOW WE CAN MAKE A RE HOW YOU CAN MAKE A REQUEST FOR, FOR STAFF TO SUPPORT YOU. AND NOW, FAST FORWARD, YOU KNOW, SIX YEARS OR SO, IT'S REALLY WONDERFUL TO SEE HOW IT HAS ALL COME TOGETHER. AND YOU MADE AN EXCELLENT SELECTION IN HEATHER, AND SHE'S BEEN A GREAT PARTNER TO OUR OFFICE AND VERY HARD WORKER, AND REPRESENTS THE COMMISSION VERY WELL, UM, AS WELL AS THE CITY, OTHERS IN THE CITY MANAGER'S OFFICE, AND IN THE CITY ATTORNEY'S OFFICE. AND I'M TRULY GRATEFUL TO SEE THE SUPPORT FROM THE CITY. UM, I ALSO WANT TO ACKNOWLEDGE, AGAIN, THE DEDICATED WORK THAT YOU HAVE ALL PUT TOGETHER IN, UM, THE ETHICS CODE OF CONDUCT FOR EMPLOYEES, FOR MANDATORY TRAINING, FOR THE, UH, ETHICS CODE OF CONDUCT FOR VENDORS, UH, FOR YOUR WORK WITH THE CITY'S LOBBYING ORDINANCE FOR YOUR FIVE YEAR STRATEGIC PLAN. I KNOW I, I'VE SEEN THIS BIG HUGE SPREADSHEET THAT YOU'VE ALL PUT TOGETHER, AND I CAN'T IMAGINE HOW MANY HOURS THAT HAS TAKEN. AND I KNOW BEHIND THE SCENES, YOU ALL PUT IN AN INCREDIBLE AMOUNT OF TIME AND ENERGY INTO THIS COMMISSION. UM, AND IT, IT SHOWS, AND I'M GRATEFUL FOR YOUR VISION, UH, THAT THIS COMMISSION WILL BE SUCCESSFUL BY THE WORK THAT YOU'VE DONE TO LAY THE GROUNDWORK. AND I JUST WANTED TO ACKNOWLEDGE YOUR WORK THAT WE'RE GRATEFUL AND WANNA THANK YOU FOR YOUR, YOUR WORK, UH, FOR THE PAST SIX YEARS. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. THANK YOU. MM-HMM . SO, UH, OUR CITY AUDITORS FRAUD HOTLINE ANNUAL UPDATE, UM, OUR WANTED TO LET YOU KNOW OUR MISSION FOR THE CITY AUDITOR'S OFFICE IS TO MAKE LONG BEACH BETTER THROUGH INDEPENDENT AUDITS AND FRAUD INVESTIGATIONS. AND WE DO THIS BY, UH, PROVIDING ASSURANCE THAT CITY FUNDS ARE SPENT AS INTENDED. UH, WE PROMOTE TRANSPARENCY AND ACCOUNTABILITY, AND WE PREVENT FRAUD, WASTE, AND ABUSE OF CITY RESOURCES. THE CITY AUDITOR'S FRAUD HOTLINE IS, UH, CONSIDERED A SPEAKUP LINE. UM, THE FRAUD HOTLINE TEAM FROM MY OFFICE THAT WORK ON THIS FRAUD HOTLINE ARE MYSELF, ALVIN, UH, CHU, MY [00:15:01] ASSISTANT CITY AUDITOR, AND THREE STAFF MEMBERS. UM, ONE OF MY STAFF MEMBERS, UH, IS A CERTIFIED FRAUD EXAMINER, AS WELL AS ALVIN CHU AND MYSELF. SO THERE'S THREE CERTIFIED FRAUD EXAMINERS THAT WORK, UH, ON THIS HOTLINE THAT WE, WE'VE TAKEN AN EXAM AND PASSED AN EXAM, AND WE'RE HELD TO CERTAIN AMOUNT OF HOURS AND TRAINING EACH YEAR TO KEEP UP WITH, UM, OUR CERTIFICATIONS AND THE NEWEST INFORMATION. THERE ARE FIVE WAYS THAT, UH, SOMEBODY CAN, UM, MAKE, UH, A, A COMPLAINT AND PROVIDE A TIP. AND THOSE FIVE WAYS ARE LISTED HERE AND IN OUR WEBSITE, OUR PHONE NUMBER, FAX MAIL, AND WE ALSO HAVE AN AUDITOR, UH, MY AUDITOR APP THAT'S FREE. SO WE WANNA ENCOURAGE THOSE WHO, YOU KNOW, SEE SOMETHING THAT DOESN'T LOOK RIGHT, FEEL RIGHT, SMELL RIGHT TO, TO CALL AND TO REPORT. UM, THIS IS A COMPLETELY ANONYMOUS, UM, WE HAVE HIRED A THIRD PARTY OPERATOR TO TAKE IN THOSE CALLS. SO WE WANT TO REASSURE EMPLOYEES, VENDORS, THE PUBLIC THAT YOUR HOTLINE CALL WILL BE CONFIDENTIAL AND IF YOU CAN CHOOSE TO BE ANONYMOUS OR NOT, BUT YOU WILL BE PROTECTED. UH, THIS OPERATOR ALSO HANDLES ALL LANGUAGES, MOST LANGUAGES, MOST COMMON LANGUAGES, AND IT CAN BE DONE THROUGH A TEXT OR A VOICE. I'M GONNA TURN THE REST OF THE PRESENTATION OVER TO MY ASSISTANT CITY AUDITOR, ALVIN CHU, AND WILL BE, UM, WE CAN STAND READY TO ANSWER QUESTIONS AT THE END OF THE PRESENTATION. THANK YOU, LAURA. UM, GOOD AFTERNOON, COMMISSIONERS. SO I'LL GET INTO A LITTLE BIT MORE DETAIL ABOUT THE CASES THAT WE, UH, REVIEWED THIS PAST YEAR. UH, ON AVERAGE, WE CLOSE ABOUT 47 CASES ANNUALLY, AND ALMOST HALF OF THOSE CASES ARE EITHER INVESTIGATED BY OUR OFFICE OR BY CITY DEPARTMENT FOR 2024, WE RECEIVED 40, UH, 45 CASES, AND WE HAD CLOSED 46 CASES. NOT ALL CASES THAT WERE RECEIVED ARE CLOSED, AND SOME OF THE CASES MAY BE FROM PRIOR YEARS. SO THAT NUMBER WILL NOT ALWAYS BE MATCHING IN TERMS OF PROMOTING OUR FRAUD HOTLINE. UH, WE UNDERSTAND THAT TIPS FROM CITY EMPLOYEES ARE THE, THE GREATEST, UH, SOURCE OF TIPS FOR ANY TYPE OF INVESTIGATION. SO, UM, WE DO A COUPLE THINGS ON THE CITY AUDITOR'S WEBSITE. WE HAVE THIS REPORT AVAILABLE ALONG WITH A COPY OF THE, UM, COLORED REPORT ON A SEPARATE SHEET THAT LOOKS JUST LIKE THIS. UM, WE ALSO MAKE SURE THAT WE HAVE TOUCHPOINTS WITH CITY EMPLOYEES THROUGH EMAILS FROM OUR OFFICE ABOUT THE FRAUD HOTLINE REPORT WHEN IT'S RELEASED. UM, WE ALSO LIKE TO POST THINGS EITHER ONLINE OR ON BULLETIN BOARDS AND AT EVERY NEW EMPLOYEE ORIENTATION, WHICH YOU MAY HAVE HAD TO ATTEND. I'M NOT SURE IF COMMISSIONERS DO. UM, WE HAVE A REPRESENTATIVE FROM OUR OFFICE THAT TALKS ABOUT THE AUDITS THAT WE'VE DONE, ALONG WITH HOW CITY EMPLOYEES CAN HELP BY REPORTING TO THE FRAUD, WASTE AND ABUSE HOTLINE. UM, SOME OF THESE SLIDES MAY SEEM FAMILIAR FROM PRIOR YEARS, BUT I UNDERSTAND THAT THERE'S NEW COMMISSIONERS. SO I, I DO WANT TO JUST MAKE SURE EVERYONE'S ON THE SAME BASE LEVEL. UM, THIS QUESTION OF WHAT IS CITY FRAUD MAY SEEM RATHER, UM, RATHER ORDINARY, BUT IT, IT IS SOMETHING THAT A LOT OF TIMES THE COMPLAINANTS THAT CONTACT THE HOTLINE MAY NOT BE AWARE. UM, BUT CITY FRAUD CAN INVOLVE THEFT OR CASH OF CITY PROPERTY, VIOLATIONS OF POLICY, UH, KICKBACKS OR BRIBERY, CONFLICTS OF INTEREST. UM, PAYROLL FRAUD IS SOMETHING THAT DOES COME UP AND CITY CONTRACTOR FRAUD OR VENDOR FRAUD, ALONG WITH FALSIFICATION OF CITY RECORDS. SO THIS IS WHAT WE CONSIDER CITY FRAUD FOR WASTE AND ABUSE. IT'S EITHER THE MU MISUSE OR ABUSE OF CITY RESOURCES. UH, A LOT OF TIMES DUKE COMPLAINTS ABOUT, UH, A WASTE OF CITY TIME OR THE MISUSE OF CITY FACILITIES, UM, OR CITY EQUIPMENT AND SUPPLIES MAY BE USED FOR PERSONAL USE ALONG WITH, UH, FLEET VEHICLES. THOSE ARE THE MOST COMMON TYPES OF WASTE AND ABUSE THAT WE SEE. NON-CITY FRAUD IS SOMETHING THAT WE DO SOMETIMES GET THROUGH OUR HOTLINE. UH, AND SO IT'S, WE, WE TRY TO EDUCATE THE, UH, THE PUBLIC AND EMPLOYEES ON WHAT'S CONSIDERED NOT CITY FRAUD. SO IF AN EMPLOYEE GRIEVANCE, THOSE TYPES OF MATTERS SHOULD BE ADDRESSED BY HUMAN RESOURCES AND NOT THROUGH THE FRAUD WASTE ABUSE HOTLINE. SOMETIMES THE PUBLIC MAY CALL ABOUT CREDIT CARD FRAUD, UH, OR ABOUT FRAUD RELATING TO PROGRAMS OUTSIDE OF THE CITY IN SITUATIONS WHERE IF IT, IT, IT IS ALLEGATIONS OF FRAUD AGAINST A NON-CITY [00:20:01] PROGRAM, WE DO OUR BEST TO EITHER PROVIDE THE COMPLAINANT THE INFORMATION ON WHERE TO REPORT IT PROPERLY, OR WE MAY REACH OUT TO THAT PROGRAM OR JURISDICTION TO, TO FACILITATE THAT REPORTING. IN TERMS OF OUR CASE HANDLING PROCESS, EACH AND EVERY TIP AND COMPLAINT THAT WE RECEIVE, UH, GETS REVIEWED AND WE REVIEW EVERY SINGLE ONE OF THEM. THE FIRST THING THAT WE DO IS TO REALLY SEE WHETHER OR NOT IT'S WITHIN THE PURVIEW OF THE FRAUD HOTLINE, AND ALSO TO CHECK TO SEE IF IT'S FACTUALLY ACCURATE. SOMETIMES PEOPLE MIGHT MAKE ALLEGATIONS OR COMPLAINTS ABOUT EMPLOYEES THAT THEY BELIEVE ARE CITY EMPLOYEES, BUT WHEN WE TRY AND SEARCH THE CITY EMPLOYEE DATABASE, IT TURNS OUT THEY'RE NOT CITY EMPLOYEES AND MAYBE THEY'RE REFERRING TO SOMEONE FROM THE COUNTY. UM, ONCE WE'VE DETERMINED SOME OF THE FACTUALLY ACCURATE INFORMATION IN THE COMPLAINT, WE WILL CONDUCT A PRELIMINARY REVIEW, AND THAT'S TO REVIEW ANY PRESENTED FACTS TO VERIFY THE TRUTH, UM, IDENTIFY EVIDENCE AND SEE IF WE CAN CORROBORATE THAT INFORMATION THROUGH AN INDEPENDENT THIRD PARTY. IF IT IS SOMETHING THAT ISN'T RELATED TO FRAUD, WASTE, OR ABUSE, UH, INVOLVING THE CITY, THEN WE WILL GO AHEAD AND FORWARD THAT TO THE APPROPRIATE AGENCY OR PROVIDE THAT INFORMATION TO THE COMPLAINANT ON WHERE TO GO. IF THE ALLEGATION HAS ANY MERIT, WE WILL PROCEED TO A FULL INVESTIGATION. AND IN THE EVENT THAT INVESTIGATION IDENTIFIES THAT THE ALLEGATIONS ARE FOUNDED, THEN WE'LL CONTACT THE APPROPRIATE, UH, RESOURCE TO TAKE NEXT STEPS, WHETHER THAT'S CITY ADMINISTRATION, A LAW ENFORCEMENT AGENCY, OR PROSECUTORIAL AGENCY. WE ALSO DO REQUEST THAT THOSE AGENCIES REPORT BACK WITH US OR REPORT BACK TO US WITH THE FINAL DISPOSITION SO THAT WE, UH, CAN CLOSE THE CASE. IF THE ALLEGATION IS WITHIN THE PURVIEW OF THE CITY AUDITOR'S FRAUD HOTLINE, UM, SOMETIMES WE MAY REQUEST THE DEPARTMENT TO ASSIST IN EITHER THE INVESTIGATION OR IN VERIFYING THE RESULTS OF OUR INVESTIGATION, AND THEN INFORMING US OF THEIR CORRECTIVE ACTIONS TAKEN. AND THAT, UH, AND, AND, AND THOSE SITUATIONS. WE DO REQUEST THE RESPONSE FROM THE DEPARTMENT. UM, AND WHEN WE SUBMIT THE, UH, THE COMPLAINT TO THEM FOR THEIR REVIEW, WE WILL, UH, ONLY NOTIFY THE APPROPRIATE DEPARTMENT PERSONNEL. TYPICALLY, IT'S THEIR ADMINISTRATIVE OFFICER. UM, WE DO ASK THAT DEPARTMENTS PROVIDE BACK A COMPLETED ALLEGATION RESPONSE FORM, WHICH HAS OUR QUESTIONS THAT WE'D LIKE THEM TO ANSWER TO ENSURE THAT THEY CONDUCT A THOROUGH REVIEW. UM, AND BEFORE WE CLOSE THE CASE, WE DO REVIEW AND APPROVE THEIR RESPONSES. UM, WE DON'T JUST TAKE EVERYTHING AT FACE VALUE. IF THERE'S ANY ADDITIONAL OPEN QUESTIONS, WE'LL REACH OUT TO THEM AND, AND MAKE SURE THAT WE HAVE ALL THE INFORMATION THAT WE NEED THAT WE DEEM SUFFICIENT SATISFACTORY TO CLOSE THE CASE. IF IT'S NOT IN OUR PURVIEW, WE SAY, THIS INFORMATION IS FOR YOUR INFORMATION AND WE ARE REFERRING TO YOU, BUT WE DO NOT REQUEST A RESPONSE. UM, SOMETIMES THESE MIGHT BE HUMAN RESOURCE PERSONNEL RELATED COMPLAINTS THAT WOULD NOT BE WITHIN OUR PURVIEW, AND WE, YOU KNOW, WE ARE NOT ASKING FOR A RESPONSE ON THAT BECAUSE THAT'S SOMETHING THAT'S WITHIN THE PURVIEW OF HUMAN RESOURCES IN OTHER SITUATIONS, I HAVE ALSO REACHED OUT TO HEATHER TO LET HER KNOW ABOUT ANY ETHICS RELATED COMPLAINTS THAT DO COME THROUGH OUR FRAUD WASTED ABUSE HOTLINE. UM, AND I BELIEVE THAT THAT'S IMPORTANT TO, UH, HAVE THE ETHICS, UH, COMMISSION AND THE ETHICS OFFICE UNDERSTAND ANY, UH, ALLEGATIONS RELATING TO LOBBYING, UM, RELATING TO CAMPAIGN FINANCE. UH, THOSE ARE MATTERS THAT WE BELIEVE THE ETHICS COMMISSION IS BEST EQUIPPED TO HANDLE. SO FOR CALENDAR YEAR 2024, WE CATEGORIZE THE TIP TYPES, UM, THAT WE RECEIVED FOR THE CASES THAT WERE CLOSED. AND THE NUMBER ONE THING THAT WE DO SEE IS, UH, VIOLATIONS OR ABUSE OF CITY POLICY, FOLLOWED BY MISUSE OF CITY PROPERTY OR INFORMATION. UM, WE FOUNDED SEVEN OF THOSE CASES AND FOUNDED CASES, UH, MAY MEAN THAT THERE ARE ELEMENTS OF FRAUD, WASTE, OR ABUSE. IT MAY NOT BE THE ALLEGATION ITSELF WAS 100% FOUNDED, BUT THERE MAY BE ELEMENTS TO IT. UM, SOMETIMES WE MAY NOT FOUND THE ALLEGATION, HOWEVER, WE IDENTIFY INTERNAL CONTROL WEAKNESSES THAT WE THEN REQUEST THE DEPARTMENT TO REMEDY. UM, SO THE CORRECTIVE ACTIONS THAT WE TOOK RELATING TO THOSE, UH, FOUNDED CASES, UM, THIS IS WHERE WE, WE TALK ABOUT THE IMPACT THAT THE FRAUD WASTE AND ABUSE HOTLINE HAS ON THE CITY. SO AT THE CITY DEPARTMENT LEVEL, UM, ONE OF THE DEPARTMENTS, UM, [00:25:01] ONE OF THE CORRECT CORRECTIVE ACTIONS TAKEN WAS TO INSTITUTE A MATERIAL INVENTORY TRACKING SYSTEM SO THAT THEY CAN TRACK ALL THE MATERIALS THAT THEY PURCHASE AND USE. UH, ANOTHER WAS TO, UH, MONITOR WORK ORDER COMPLETIONS, AND ALSO, UH, INCREASE THE SECURITY OF A CITY OWNED FACILITY, UM, WITH RESPECT TO CERTAIN EMPLOYEES. SOME OF THE CORRECTIVE ACTIONS TOWARDS THEM INCLUDED SUSPENSION OF AN EMPLOYEE AND COUNSELING RELATING TO COMPLIANCE OF POLICY FOR THE USE OF CITY RESOURCES AND TECHNOLOGICAL EQUIPMENT. WE PUBLISHED THIS SUMMARY OF CASES CLOSE TO OUR WEBSITE, UM, AND THAT'S, UH, ONE OF THE LINKS THAT WE HAD REFERRED TO EARLIER. IT'S THE CITY AUDITOR LAURA DOW.COM, UH, UNDER THE FRAUD HOTLINE ACTIVITY WEBPAGE. SO OVER THE YEARS, UM, CERTAIN TIPS THAT COME THROUGH THE HOTLINE ALSO RESULT IN AUDITS THAT OUR OFFICE PERFORMS. SO, UH, IF YOU THINK BACK TO WHAT WE DISCUSSED, UH, HOW WE GO ABOUT MAKING THIS CITY OF LONG BEACH BETTER, UH, OUR OFFICE'S MISSION IS TO DO THAT THROUGH AUDITS AND INVESTIGATIONS. UM, SO, UH, MOST RECENTLY WE'VE HAD A COUPLE OF AUDITS. UH, ONE WAS THE PARKING METER CORN COIN COLLECTION. SO THESE ARE THE PARKING METERS THAT YOU SEE OUT ON THE STREETS. THERE'S AN ALLEGATION THAT THERE WAS POOR CONTROLS AND SECURITY OVER THE ACTUAL COINS THAT WERE BEING DEPOSITED AND THE COLLECTION AND COUNTING OF IT. AND SO WE DID AN AUDIT AS A RESULT OF THAT ALLEGATION. AND WE FOUND THAT, UH, THERE WERE POOR CASH HANDLING CONTROLS WHEN THEY'RE COLLECTING OVER $1 MILLION PER YEAR IN COINS. AND THAT THERE WAS NO SEGREGATION OF DUTIES AND NO CASH HANDLING TRAINING THAT WAS BEING PROVIDED TO THE EMPLOYEES. WE ALSO RECEIVED A RECENT TIP, OR MAY NOT BE RECENT ANYMORE, BUT RELATING TO THE QUEEN MARY, THE OPERATOR, UH, THE QUEEN MARY. AND WE FOUND THAT THE 20 MILLION, 23 MILLION IN CITY FUNDS THAT WAS, UH, GIVEN TO THE OPERATOR FOR QUEEN MARY OPERATIONS, THEY WEREN'T SPENT AS INTENDED. AND WE FOUND EXAMPLES OF A 40% SUBCONTRACTOR MARKUP. AND THEN GOING FURTHER BACK IN TIME, WE HAD ALSO, UH, COMPLETED A COUPLE AUDITS RELATING TO PARK TREE MAINTENANCE ALONG WITH EMERGENCY DISPATCH OVER TIME. SO THAT'S OUR PRESENTATION FOR THIS PAST YEAR. UM, WE'RE HERE AND READY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS THAT YOU MAY HAVE. THANK YOU. UM, ANY COMMENTS FROM THE COMMISSION, UH, COMMISSIONER? YEAH, SURE. DE BENEDICTUS. SORRY. NO, NO, THANK YOU. UH, FIRST OF ALL, THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR YOUR, UH, PRESENTATION. UH, WE DO LOOK FORWARD TO IT. UM, UH, APPRECIATE ALSO THE, UM, SHARING OF NUMBERS WHEN YOU SPEAK ABOUT THINGS THAT ARE NOT IN PURVIEW. UM, AND THIS IS NOT TO A CRITICISM, I SEE SEVEN PER, UH, SEVEN OUT OF 46. IT'S A VERY, IT'S KIND OF A LOW PERCENTILE OF SUBSTANTIATED COMPARED TO INDUSTRY STANDARD, I'LL SAY. BUT I ALSO KNOW THAT IT'S, UM, YOU, YOU HAVE TO RELY ON HOW GOOD THE INFORMATION THAT COMES IN, YOU KNOW, IF THEY LACK, UH, DETAIL, SUFFICIENT DETAIL, IT'S HARD TO INVESTIGATE. BUT IS THERE, UM, MY SENSE IS THAT THOSE SEVEN ARE YOUR SUBSTANTIATED MATTERS, OR DOES THAT INCLUDE THE OTHER INVESTIGATING ORGANIZATIONS FEEDING BACK TO YOU? 'CAUSE I DO KNOW THAT THERE'S SOME OVERSIGHT THERE. THOSE ARE TYPICALLY OUR SUBSTANTIATED. HOWEVER, THOSE NUMBERS DO INCLUDE, UM, CASES THAT WE WORK IN CONJUNCTION WITH THE DEPARTMENT. SO IS THERE, UM, A WAY THAT, UM, SO YOU, YOU HAVE SOME INSIGHT TO HOW THEY CLOSE AND WHAT'S THE REMEDY OR THE OUTCOME. UH, BUT IS THERE A WAY, BECAUSE, UH, THANK GOODNESS IF, IF IT WASN'T FOR THE HOT HOTLINE, YOU WOULD NOT EVER HEAR ABOUT THESE CONCERNS. BUT IS THERE A WAY TO ALSO ROLL UP THEIR RESULTS, UM, AS KIND OF, AS PART OF YOUR, YOUR GOOD WORK? UM, CAN THAT BE ROLLED UP OR IS THERE A WAY THAT QUARTERLY OR SEMI-ANNUALLY, I DON'T KNOW HOW OFTEN YOU MEET WITH THE OTHER INVESTIGATING ORGANIZATIONS THAT THERE IS A SHARING OR AN EXCHANGE OF EITHER THE DETAILS, THE, THE METRICS I'LL SAY, OR EVEN, UM, INTERNAL CONTROLS, YOU KNOW, HOW TO, UM, BE SELF-CORRECTING. SO ALL, ALL OF THIS INFORMATION FEEDS INTO OUR, UM, WE, WE, WE TRACK EVERYTHING IN, IN DATABASES, AND SO WE CAN USE HISTORICAL CASES INTERNALLY [00:30:01] TO IDENTIFY ADDITIONAL RISK FACTORS WITHIN THE CITY. UM, AND THAT THEN FEEDS INTO OUR ANNUAL PLANNING. WHEN WE THINK ABOUT WHAT AUDITS WE WANT TO COMPLETE DURING THE YEAR, IN TERMS OF WORKING WITH OTHER JURISDICTIONS, WE TYPICALLY DON'T DO THAT BECAUSE IF THERE IS A ALLEGATION THAT PERTAINS TO SAY THE COUNTY, UM, WE REFER THAT TO THE COUNTY AND WE DON'T ASK FOR ANY INFORMATION BACK. 'CAUSE THAT IS A COUNTY MATTER AT THAT TIME AND NOT A CITY MATTER. UM, BUT WITH RESPECT TO WORKING WITH OUR PARTNERS IN CITY DEPARTMENTS, UH, THAT IS SOMETHING THAT WE DO LEAN ON THEM HERE AND THERE TO HELP US COMPLETE THE INVESTIGATION FROM TIME TO TIME. AND IT IS SOMETHING WHERE IF WE DO SEE SOMETHING THAT IS A RECURRING ISSUE, IT MAY THEN CAUSE US TO INITIATE AN AUDIT OR INITIATE A, A, A POTENTIAL AUDIT REVIEW WHERE WE THEN GO LOOK AT IT AT A, AT, AT THAT PROCESS IN A GRANDER SCHEME, MORE THAN JUST WHATEVER THE SPECIFIC ALLEGATION WAS. ALRIGHT, THANK YOU. UM, I, THAT'S GOOD BECAUSE I THINK OBVIOUSLY AUDIT PLANS HAVE TO BE BUILT ON, UM, ON WHERE, WHERE YOU'VE COME FROM, UH, AND HAVING THE LATITUDE BECAUSE NEW THINGS KEEP COMING IN. UH, BUT IN TERMS OF LIKE AN EXCHANGE OF OUTCOMES, ET CETERA, I KIND OF LOOK AT 'EM AS THE SISTER COMPLIANCE FUNCTIONS. IF ALL OF YOU ARE, UM, MEETING OR THERE'S A DIALOGUE BETWEEN, UH, THE CITY ORGANIZATIONS, THAT'S WHAT I'M INTERESTED IN HEARING. UH, IS THERE, IS IT FORMAL SO THAT THERE IS KIND OF A TRACKING OF WHAT IS LEARNED IN IN THE PAST? YOU KNOW, I'M, I CAN BRING THAT UP WITH THE CITY MANAGER BECAUSE WE DON'T KNOW WHAT WE DON'T KNOW. AND THE EMPLOYEES ACTUALLY HAVE THE OPTION TO REPORT THEIR SUSPECTED ALLEGATION EITHER TO THEIR SUPERVISOR, THEIR MANAGER, THE CITY MANAGER AT THE POLICE DEPARTMENT, HUMAN RESOURCES. SO WE'RE NOT REALLY SURE, YOU KNOW, WE, WE CAN CONTROL EVERYTHING THAT'S REPORTED TO US, BUT, UH, WE'RE HAPPY TO REACH OUT TO THE CITY MANAGER AND, YOU KNOW, SHARE THOSE IDEAS IN EXCHANGES OF THE CALLS THAT THEY'RE RECEIVING AND THE DISPOSITION OF THE CALLS THAT THEY'RE RECEIVING AND WHAT THE OUTCOMES ARE ON THAT. THANK YOU. I WOULD EXPECT THE SAME FROM THEM. I MEAN, I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT 'CAUSE UH, YOU USUALLY FIND HOTBEDS OF EITHER, UH, WORK GROUPS THAT ARE TROUBLED OR, UH, YOU KNOW, MANAGEMENT ISSUES, ET CETERA. UM, YES. THEN I HAVE, SO THANK YOU FOR THAT. THE OTHER QUESTION I HAVE IS ON THE CREDIT CARDS, CREDIT CARD FRAUD, DOES IT GO BACK TO THE CREDIT CARD COMPANY OR, OR IS THAT, UM, ANOTHER ORGANIZATION THAT LOOKS AT PROCUREMENT? I DON'T KNOW IF YOU, WE USE PROCUREMENT CARDS, ET CETERA, TRAVEL CARDS. HOW, HOW IS THAT HANDLED? SO THE CITY DOES UTILIZE, UH, P CARDS PURCHASE CARDS, UM, AND THOSE ARE ASSIGNED TO CERTAIN EMPLOYEES WITHIN EACH DEPARTMENT. UM, WHEN I WAS REFERRING TO CREDIT CARD, THAT WAS REFERRING TO NON-CITY FRAUD. SO IT'S SOMEBODY WHO SAYS, I SEE A FRAUDULENT, UM, FRAUDULENT CHARGE ON MY OWN PERSONAL CREDIT CARD, AND THIS COMPANY LOOKS LIKE IT MIGHT BE, UH, IN LONG BEACH OR HAS A 5 6 2 AREA CODE. UM, IN THAT REGARD, WE DO INFORM THE COMPLAINANT TO CONTACT EITHER LONG BEACH POLICE DEPARTMENT, THEIR NON-EMERGENCY PHONE NUMBER, UH, TO REPORT THAT, OR TO REPORT IT TO THEIR OWN CREDIT CARD COMPANY, BECAUSE THAT WOULD BE OUTSIDE THE PURVIEW OF THE CITY AUTOS FRAUD, WASTE ABUSE HOTLINE. BUT IF THERE'S A CONCERN ABOUT MISUSE WITHIN IT, IT FALLS BACK INTO YOU. CORRECT. AND ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE ARE, UM, HAPPY TO REPORT IS THAT WE HAVE A, A STRONGER RELATIONSHIP WITH THE FINANCIAL MANAGEMENT DEPARTMENT WITHIN THE CITY WHO SHARES THE SAME, UH, GOALS AS US IN TERMS OF UNDERSTANDING THAT PURCHASE CARDS IS A, UH, PURCHASE CARDS ARE A AREA OF RISK WITHIN THE CITY, AND THEY HAVE THEIR OWN INTERNAL CONTROLS TO REVIEW AND APPROVE THOSE PURCHASES. AND THAT DOESN'T MEAN THAT, YOU KNOW, THOSE CONTROLS ARE 100% GOING TO CATCH EVERYTHING. UM, BUT I, I HAVE, UM, I HAVE SPOKEN WITH THEIR, UH, PURCHASE CARD SUPERVISOR AND, AND I HAVE A, UH, UNDERSTANDING OF WHAT THEY DO AND IT'S IN LINE WITH WHAT WE WOULD DO. OKAY. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. I APPRECIATE IT. COMMISSIONER SHOTWELL, UH, THANK YOU. UH, I AGREE WITH COMMISSIONER DAVE BENEDICT IS A VERY HELPFUL PRESENTATION, AND THANK YOU FOR COMING YEAR AFTER YEAR. UH, I HAVE A FEW QUESTIONS ON THE THIRD PARTY HELPLINE, AND I KNOW I PROBABLY HAVE ASKED THIS, BUT, UM, JUST REMIND ME, IS IT THE SAME VENDOR YOU USE THAT WE USE FOR THE ETHICS, UH, HOTLINE? HELPLINE? THAT'S CORRECT. THAT'S WHAT I THOUGHT. DO YOU, UM, FOR THOSE WHO, WELL, ONE QUESTION IS, YOU HAD [00:35:01] 47 CLOSED IN 2024. CORRECT. WHAT WAS THE CALL VOLUME IN 2024? OR IS IT ABOUT THE SAME? UH, FOR AN ENTITY LIKE THIS, I MIGHT BE EXPECTING THE CALL VOLUME TO BE MAYBE IN THE SEVERAL HUNDREDS, BUT WHAT WAS THE CALL VOLUME? UM, I THINK WE HAD IT ON OUR CONTACT VOLUME OF VARIETY OF CHANNELS. YEAH. FOR 2024 IT WAS 45. 45. SO IT, THAT'S THE, OKAY. AND IT MAY BE THAT IT'S THE RE IT'S AT, IT'S BEING, WHEN I SAID A FEW HUNDRED, I WAS THINKING MORE BROADLY OF ALL DIFFERENT TYPES, ETHICS VIOLATIONS, POLICY VIOLATIONS, AS OPPOSED TO FRAUD, ANTI-FRAUD, WHICH THEN I COULD SEE WHY IT MIGHT BE A LOWER NUMBER, UH, FOR THE MATTERS THAT ARE RAISED. DO YOU PROVIDE ANY RESPONSE BACK TO THE PERSON MAKING THE ALLEGATION AFTER IT HAS BEEN CLOSED? I REALIZE YOU MAY NOT BE ABLE TO PROVIDE DETAILS, BUT DO YOU PROVIDE ANY RESPONSE BACK? YEAH, SO, UM, THERE'S SEVERAL AVENUES. UH, OUR POLICY IS THAT WE ACKNOWLEDGE EVERY COMPLAINT THAT'S RECEIVED SO THAT THEY DON'T, THE COMPLAINANT DOESN'T THINK THAT IT JUST GOT LOST IN, IN, IN A BLACK HOLE. UH, SO FIRST WE'LL ACKNOWLEDGE AND WE THANK THEM FOR PROVIDING INFORMATION. WE ALSO INFORM THEM AT THE TIME THAT WE MAY COME BACK AND, UH, HAVE ADDITIONAL FOLLOW UP QUESTIONS. AND THEN AT THE CONCLUSION OF EVERY CASE, ONCE WE ARE CLOSING THE CASE, WE DON'T CONSIDER IT CLOSED UNTIL WE'VE NOTIFIED FIRST THE DEPARTMENT THAT IT'S CLOSED. IF IT WAS SOMETHING THAT WE HAD, UH, LIAISON WITH THEM, BUT EVERY SINGLE CASE THAT IS CLOSED, WE DO GO BACK TO THE COMPLAINANT THROUGH THE ORIGINAL COMMUNICATION CHANNEL. IF IT WAS THROUGH THE THIRD PARTY OPERATOR, THERE IS A MESSAGE POSTING SYSTEM AND WE HAVE A STANDARD MESSAGE THAT WE SAYS WE, WE, WE THANK THEM AGAIN, AND THEN WE INFORM THEM THAT THIS MATTER HAS BEEN CLOSED. IF THEY REACHED OUT TO US VIA EMAIL, WE WILL SEND THEM AN EMAIL. IN THE RARE INSTANCES WHERE THEY HAVE CALLED OUR OFFICE DIRECTLY, WE WILL CALL THEM BACK DIRECTLY. SO, UH, WE TRY TO MAKE SURE THAT EVERY SINGLE COMPLAINANT WHEN THEIR CASE IS CLOSED, RECEIVES NOTIFICATION AS SUCH. THANK YOU. UM, I APPRECIATE THAT I, AND I AGREE WITH COMMISSIONER DAVE BENEDICTIS IN TERMS OF KIND OF WORKING WITH THE OTHER ENTITIES WITHIN THE CITY THAT HAVE, YOU KNOW, HELPLINES HOTLINES, FOR EXAMPLE, ETHICS, I WOULD SAY HR IS INCLUDED IN THAT. OKAY. UM, I BELIEVE, AND I THINK I PICKED THIS UP ON YOUR ORAL COMMENTS, THAT IN TERMS OF ETHICS, UH, IT'S PROBABLY A NARROWER DEFINITION OF ETHICS AND THAN WHAT I TYPICALLY THINK OF OR HAVE IN MIND. I THINK YOUR DEFINITION IS MORE RELATED TO LOBBYING CAMPAIGN FINANCE AND, AND ELECTIONS, CORRECT? THAT IS CORRECT. OKAY. I WOULD TYPICALLY INCLUDE POLICY, CONFLICTS OF INTEREST, BRIBERY, THOSE TYPES OF THINGS WOULD ALL BE ETHICS AS OPPOSED TO FRAUD. BUT I CAN UNDERSTAND THE DISTINCTIONS. UH, AND I THINK THE IMPORTANT THING IS THAT THEY'RE BEING COVERED. UM, LASTLY, AND YOU MAY NOT WANT TO ANSWER THIS, AND I TOTALLY APPRECIATE, IF YOU DON'T WANT TO ANSWER OR DON'T BELIEVE IT'S APPROPRIATE TO ANSWER ON THE QUEEN MARRIED, UH, THAT WAS VERY, VERY EXTENSIVE AMOUNT OF, I THINK YOU WOULD DEFINE AS FRAUD, $23 MILLION, IF I REMEMBER CORRECTLY, IN OVERCHARGE OR 40% OVERCHARGES. WAS THERE ANYTHING RELATED TO THAT THAT WAS POTENTIALLY CRIMINAL, UH, THAT WOULD THEN BE REFERRED TO A DISTRICT ATTORNEY'S OFFICE? AND AGAIN, I GIVE YOU A LEAVE TO IF YOU DON'T THINK IT'S APPROPRIATE TO ANSWER, DON'T, UM, THEY WERE REFERRED TO, UH, IT, THEY WERE REFERRED ON A FEDERAL OFFENSE FOR THE PPP, UH, UM, LOAN THAT THEY, UH, FRAUDULENTLY ABUSED AND HAVE BEEN INDICTED FOR THAT. UH, SO, UH, REGARDING THE CITY, UM, THESE WERE JUST BIG RED FLAGS THAT WE BROUGHT OUT THAT THIS MONEY THAT WAS SUPPOSED TO BE SPENT FOR PROJECTS ON THE QUEEN MARY, UH, WERE NOT SPENT, UH, ON, ON THE QUEEN. MEAN, PART OF IT WAS, BUT PART OF IT WAS NOT. AND, UH, FRANKLY, DON'T REALLY KNOW EXACTLY WHERE, SO WE DIDN'T OUTRIGHT FIND FRAUD. OKAY. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. MM-HMM . UH, COMMISSIONER MORALES AUDITOR DOUBT. I'D LIKE TO GO BACK TO YOUR [00:40:01] RESPONSE TO COMMISSIONER DE BENEDICTUS. YOU HAD SAID THAT YOU ONLY KNOW WHAT GETS REPORTED TO YOU, THAT EMPLOYEES HAVE THE OPTION OF GOING TO THEIR MANAGER OR SUPERVISOR AND TELLING THEM IF THEY BELIEVE THEY HAVE SEEN SOMETHING THAT MAY BE AN ISSUE OF FRAUD. IS THERE NO MANDATE IN THE CITY THEN THAT THOSE MANAGERS OR SUPERVISORS TURN AROUND AND FILE A FRAUD ALLEGATION WITH YOUR OFFICE? OR ARE THEY FREE TO GO OFF AND KIND OF DO THEIR OWN, WHAT I WOULD CONSIDER ROGUE ASSESSMENT? YES, AND I, UH, I JUST KNOW THAT THERE ARE COMPLAINTS THAT ARE REPORTED TO HUMAN RESOURCES, LET'S SAY, FOR PERSONNEL ISSUES. UM, AND SO I DON'T REALLY KNOW HOW MANY COMPLAINTS, AND I, I'M, I, I WROTE MYSELF A NOTE TO DISCUSS THIS WITH THE CITY MANAGER SO THAT WE CAN SHARE INFORMATION ON THE NUMBER OF CALLS HIS DEPARTMENTS ARE RECEIVING AND COMPARE THEM WITH OURS. BECAUSE YOU'RE RIGHT, FOR A CITY THE SIZE OF LONG BEACH, 45 CALLS A YEAR, UM, APPEARS TO BE ON THE LOW END. AND WE, YOU KNOW, WE, WE MARKET PRETTY WELL FOR THIS. WE SEND OUT OUR, UM, OUR, OUR FRAUD HOTLINE REPORTS, UM, TO ALL EMPLOYEES IN THEIR, YOU KNOW, THEIR, THEIR PAYCHECK, UH, WITH THEIR PAYCHECK STUBS. SO WE CAN PUT OUT THE INFORMATION ON HOW YOU REPORT FRAUD. AND, AND ALVIN SAID, IN THE, IN NEW EMPLOYEE ORIENTATION, WE TALK ABOUT HOW YOU CAN DO THIS. AND WE HAVE POSTERS AND POSTINGS THROUGHOUT THE CITY. SO WE'RE DOING OUR BEST TO GET THE INFORMATION OUT TO LET PEOPLE KNOW HOW THEY CAN REPORT FRAUD. UM, SO IT'S JUST A MATTER OF THE PARTICULAR EMPLOYEE, UM, REPORTING IT. AND THEN WHEN IT, WHEN IT'S UNDER THE CITY MANAGER'S, UM, OFFICE, I'M NOT SURE. WELL, I KNOW THE GOVERNMENT AGENCY THAT I WORKED FOR, IF AN EMPLOYEE THOUGHT THAT THEY SAW SOMETHING AND THEY, EVEN IF THEY KNEW HOW TO GO TO THE FRAUD HOTLINE, THEY MIGHT GO TO THEIR MANAGER OR SUPERVISOR. AND THERE WAS SPECIFIC ORGANIZATIONAL POLICY THAT SAID IF SOMETHING CAME TO THE ATTENTION OF A MANAGER OR SUPERVISOR, THEY WERE MANDATED TO FILE THAT, THAT ALLEGATION WITH THE FRAUD HOTLINE. AND AS A MANAGER, WHENEVER ONE OF MY EMPLOYEES, 'CAUSE SOMETIMES THEY FELT MORE COMFORTABLE COMING TO ME, THEN THEY WOULD EVEN PUTTING IT INTO THE FRAUD HOTLINE SYSTEM. BUT AS SOON AS THEY, THEY TOLD ME WHAT HAD HAPPENED, I WOULD ALSO LET THEM KNOW THAT I WOULD BE FILING THE ALLEGATIONS OF FRAUD FOR INVESTIGATION THROUGH THE AUDITOR'S OFFICE, AND THAT I WOULD BE GIVING THEIR NAME AS PERSON TO CONTACT FOR ADDITIONAL INFORMATION. BUT I WOULD ALWAYS KEEP THAT RECEIPT THAT IT HAD BEEN FILED, BECAUSE IF SOMETHING HAPPENED TWO YEARS DOWN THE ROAD AND SOMEBODY ACCUSED ME, YOU KNOW, SOMEBODY SAID, WELL, MARGOT KNEW ABOUT IT, I COULD BE DISCIPLINED FOR FAILING TO REPORT IT. SO I THINK THE CITY SHOULD LOOK AT HAVING A SIMILAR MANDATORY REQUIREMENT THAT SUPERVISORS AND MANAGERS ARE MANDATED TO FILE THOSE SO THAT, YOU KNOW, IT, WE, YOU, WE WOULD HAVE SOMETIMES SUPERVISORS THAT DIDN'T WANT TO FILE AND WOULD GO OFF AND DO THEIR OWN LITTLE QUASI INVESTIGATION AND SAY NOTHING TO SEE HERE. RIGHT. AND THAT'S WHAT YOU WANT TO AVOID, IS HAVING THE NOTHING TO SEE HERE COVERING THINGS UP SO THAT YOU DON'T SEE THAT THERE ARE THINGS THAT ARE NOT ACCORDING TO HOYLE. YES, EXACTLY. AND, UH, AS YOU WERE SPEAKING, SOMETHING TRIGGERED MY THOUGHT ABOUT THE CITY'S POLICY, THE CITY'S FRAUD POLICY AND THE CITY'S FRAUD POLICY IS THAT, UH, EMPLOYEES CAN REPORT FRAUD TO THE CITY MANAGER'S OFFICE OR THE CITY AUDITOR'S OFFICE. SO THAT WORD OR IS SIGNIFICANT IN THE CITY'S POLICY. YEAH, I I THINK YOU MIGHT WANNA TIGHTEN IT UP SO THAT IT'S DIRECTLY TO YOU AND IT'S NOT GETTING HIDDEN SOMEPLACE. JUST A SUGGESTION. MM-HMM . THANK YOU, COMMISSIONER DE BENEDICT. THANK YOU. UM, I MAY NEED, UH, COMMISSIONER SHOT WILL'S HELP ON THIS ONE, BUT I, UM, I BELIEVE THAT THE DRAFT ORDINANCE DOES CONTEMPLATE THIS, THAT, UH, AND THANK YOU, UH, ALVIN FOR YOUR, YOUR, UH, YOUR WORK AND YOUR FEEDBACK ALONG THE WAY. UH, BUT THIS WAS, WE'LL HAVE TO DOUBLE CHECK THE LANGUAGE, BUT I BELIEVE THE DRAFT LANGUAGE DOES SAY, THEN, REGARDLESS OF WHERE IT GOES IN FRAUD, WASTE AND ABUSE MUST BE, UM, TRANSMITTED OVER. THANK YOU, VICE CHAIR COLEMAN. THANK YOU, UH, SO MUCH FOR BEING HERE TODAY. I JUST WANTED TO FOLLOW UP ON, UH, RESPONSE THAT YOU GAVE, UH, COMMISSIONER MORALES. UM, YOU SAID THAT THE, THE NOTICE OF THE HOTLINE IS ON THE PAGE STUBS [00:45:01] WHEN A NEW EMPLOYEE COMES IN. UM, I KNOW PERSONALLY, WHEN I GET MY PAYCHECK, I'M VERY EXCITED ABOUT THE PAYCHECK PART, AND I LIKELY DON'T READ, UH, MOST OF THE OTHER VERBIAGE ON IT AS I SHOULD. UM, AND THEN WHEN DURING NEW, UH, ORIENTATION, THERE'S, YOU'RE DRINKING FROM A, A FIRE HOSE, AND SO THAT CAN BE OVERWHELMING. UH, MY QUESTION THEN IS, UH, I KNOW OTHER DEPARTMENTS, INCLUDING ETHICS SCHOOL ON ROADSHOWS, CONTINUING TO REMIND FOLKS OF, UH, OF, OF DIFFERENT, UH, RESOURCES THE CITY HAS. SO I GET MY, UM, QUESTION IS, DO YOU, YOU KNOW, FOLLOW UP THROUGHOUT THE YEAR WITH EMPLOYEES PERHAPS WHO HAVE BEEN HERE FOR A WHILE AND MAYBE AREN'T READING THAT LANGUAGE AS CLOSE AS THEY SHOULD ON THEIR PAGE? SO, , YES. UH, A COUPLE OTHER THINGS THAT WE DO IS ON THE CITY'S INTRANET, WE HAVE INFORMATION ON THE CITY'S INTERNET, AND WE ALSO SET UP TABLINGS, UM, AT PUBLIC EVENTS IN THE CIVIC CENTER. WHENEVER THERE'S, UH, A, A CITY EVENT, WE'LL SET UP OUR TABLE AND HAVE ALL THE INFORMATION THERE FOR PEOPLE AND EMPLOYEES TO LEARN ABOUT THAT. UM, AND WE ALSO SET UP A TABLE, UM, WHEN EMPLOYEES COME TO WORK EVERY, YOU KNOW, THAT DAY THEY'LL COME RIGHT WALK, WALK RIGHT BY OUR, OUR TABLE, AND WE CAN GIVE THEM HANDOUTS AND INFORMATION PERIODICALLY. AND WE DO THAT AT THE PORT. WE'VE DONE IT AT THE PORT AND HERE A FEW TIMES AS WELL. AND DO YOU WORK WITH ANY LIAISONS IN INDIVIDUAL DEPARTMENTS AS WELL, PERHAPS TO, YOU KNOW, CONTINUE TO GET YOUR MESSAGE OUT? UM, WE TYPICALLY WORK WITH THE INDIVIDUAL DEPARTMENTS. UM, WHEN IT COMES TO THE INVESTIGATION SIDE, UM, I DON'T KNOW IF WE'VE IDENTIFIED ANY LIAISONS FOR PROMOTION PURPOSES. YEAH. YOU KNOW, JUST AS I THINK ABOUT IT, AND IT'S NOT A CRITIQUE, IT'S JUST A, YOU KNOW, PERHAPS A RECOMMENDATION OF JUST CONTINUING TO SAY, HEY, WE HAVE THIS HOTLINE. I THINK ALL THE MEASURES THAT YOU'RE TAKING ARE, ARE GREAT. UM, BUT JUST CONTINUING TO LET FOLKS KNOW THAT THIS HOTLINE EXISTS, THAT WHILE THEY'RE, THEY MAY HAVE A GREATER RAPPORT WITH THEIR MANAGER, UM, THE AUDIT OFFICE IS THERE TO SUPPORT THESE MEASURES. UM, AND SO PERHAPS EITHER WORKING WITH A LIAISON OR, UM, ROAD SHOWS THROUGHOUT THE YEAR, JUST AS A REFRESHER, I THINK COULD BE HELPFUL BEING IN FRONT OF THEIR FACE. MM-HMM . YEAH, JUST HEARING IT REPEATEDLY. YEP. GOOD SUGGESTION. THANK YOU. COMMISSIONER SHOTWELL. I'M SORRY, I JUST HAD A QUICK FOLLOW UP. UH, OF THE 47, HOW MANY OF THOSE, WHAT OF THE AMOUNT THAT YOU GET ON AN ANNUAL BASIS, WHAT'S THE ROUGH PERCENTAGE THAT ARE FROM CITY EMPLOYEES VERSUS THE PUBLIC? THAT WAS, IF, IF YOU KNOW IT? UM, SO IN THE, UH, HOTLINE INTAKE SYSTEM, ONE OF THE QUESTIONS IS, UH, ARE YOU A CITY EMPLOYEE OR NOT? UM, UNFORTUNATELY THAT'S A UNRELIABLE FIELD BECAUSE IT'S SELF-REPORTED. UM, AND SO WE TRY AND DO OUR BEST TO FIGURE OUT BASED ON THE COMPLAINT, UH, WHETHER IT'S A EMPLOYEE OR NOT AN EMPLOYEE. UH, BUT YOU KNOW, THEN THAT IS RELYING UPON OUR JUDGMENT. SO, AND NEITHER METHOD IS GOING TO BE PRECISE. UM, WE HAVE PERIODICALLY COMPILED THAT STATISTIC, BUT WE DON'T REPORT ON THAT STATISTIC DUE TO ITS UN RELIABILITY. UM, BUT IF I WERE TO GUESS OFF THE TOP OF MY HEAD, I WOULD SAY ABOUT 60% ARE EMPLOYEES AND 40% ARE NON-EMPLOYEES. SO A LITTLE BIT MORE THAN HALF WOULD BE FROM THE, WITHIN THE CITY. THANK YOU. AND THEN UNRELATED TO THAT, UH, AND THIS IS NOT NECESSARILY A QUESTION, BUT SOMETHING TO CONSIDER IT IF YOU HAVEN'T ALREADY DISCUSSED IT OR CONSIDERED IT. AND THAT IS, YOU KNOW, THE VALUE OF DOING SOME FORM OF AN ANONYMIZED, UH, ANNUAL REPORT TO ALL EMPLOYEES, UH, JUST SHOWING WHAT YOU HAVE, WHAT'S BEEN REPORTED, AND, UH, WHAT YOU HAVE FOUND THAT WILL GET PEOPLE ONE, THINKING ABOUT REPORTING MORE, AND THEN TWO ALSO GIVES THOSE, UH, GIVES PEOPLE AN IDEA THAT, HEY, SOMEBODY'S WATCHING. SO IT HELPS THE BEHAVIOR. WE PROVIDE THIS ANNUAL REPORT. YEAH, WE, WE, WE DO HAVE A, UH, AN ANNUAL REPORT. THANK YOU, COMMISSIONER WISE. THANK YOU. THIS IS, UM, THIS IS VERY HELPFUL AND I THINK, UM, IT IS USEFUL FOR PEOPLE TO KNOW MORE ABOUT THIS. AND ONE THING THAT OCCURS TO ME, MAYBE, 'CAUSE I'M LOOKING AT HEATHER AT THE SAME TIME WHEN I LOOK AT YOU , THAT, THAT THE ETHICAL ELEPHANT, THE PUBLICATION THAT SHE'S DOING MONTHLY TO EMPLOYEES, COULD HAVE A LITTLE BLURB ABOUT, ABOUT THESE RESULTS JUST AS A REMINDER FOR WHERE PEOPLE CAN GO. UM, USUALLY THOSE ISSUES HAVE KIND OF A THEME OR SOMETHING. SO I'M NOT SURE EXACTLY WHEN IT WOULD, IT WOULD BEST [00:50:01] FIT IN, BUT THAT WOULD, THAT WOULD BE ANOTHER, ANOTHER WAY AND AN EXISTING TOOL. UM, AND IT MAKES SENSE THAT THE ETHICS OFFICE AND, AND THE CITY AUDITOR WOULD, YOU KNOW, COORDINATE SOME OF THESE EFFORTS. UM, ONE OTHER, AND I'LL JUST SAY, I, I CONCUR VERY MUCH WITH THE, THE NOTION THAT, UM, IT IS IMPORTANT FOR THE CITY TO TRY TO CONSOLIDATE SOME OF THIS INFORMATION. UM, AND THE IDEA OF HAVING MANAGERS WHO RECEIVED THE REPORTS, LET, LET YOU KNOW THAT THIS IS HAPPENING, OR LET HR, YOU KNOW, SOMEHOW IF THE INFORMATION IS, IS COLLECTIVELY KNOWN, BECAUSE THAT MEANS HR CAN DO A BETTER JOB. I MEAN, IF YOU LET THEM KNOW WHAT YOU'RE SEEING AND THEY LET YOU KNOW THAT, THAT'LL JUST, IT SEEMS TO ME THAT EVENTUALLY THAT WOULD, THAT'LL PROBABLY WORK TO THE ADVANTAGE OF THE WHOLE CITY. UM, AND KIND OF ON THAT REGARD, UM, ON THESE, THESE ITEMS THAT COME TO YOU THAT ARE NOT IN YOUR, IN YOUR PURVIEW, AND ASSUMING THAT IT'S NOT, YOU KNOW, SOMETHING LIKE, YOU KNOW, SOMEBODY'S PERSONAL CREDIT CARD HAS SOMETHING ON IT AND THEY WANNA TELL YOU ABOUT IT, AND YOU KNOW, THEY NEED TO TALK TO VISA OR WHOEVER THEIR CARD PEOPLE ARE, ASSUMING THAT YOU'RE REFERRING TO A CITY DEPARTMENT, UM, I KNOW YOU SAID YOU, YOU ASK FOR THEM TO PROVIDE YOU THE OUTCOME. I I DO THEY TYPICALLY, DOES THAT TYPICALLY HAPPEN? BECAUSE I'M SEEING IN THE CHART THAT FOLLOWS YOUR REPORT, UM, THERE'S, THERE'S A LOT OF OPEN SPACES FOR, FOR RESULTS. AND IS THAT BECAUSE YOU DON'T KNOW AND IT, OR HOW DOES THAT, UM, HOW DOES THAT WORK? SO IF IT'S SOMETHING THAT WE BELIEVE IS WITHIN THE PURVIEW OF THE FRAUD WASTE ABUSE HOTLINE, SO SOMETHING THAT DOES PERTAIN TO FRAUD, WASTE, OR ABUSE, WE ALWAYS WILL ASK FOR A RESPONSE BACK FROM THE DEPARTMENT. AND, UM, I'D LIKE TO THANK THE CITY MANAGER'S OFFICE AND OTHER DEPARTMENTS WITHIN THE CITY FOR BEING VERY HELPFUL IN PROVIDING THOSE RESPONSES. I DON'T THINK WE'VE EVER HAD A SITUATION WHERE A DEPARTMENT REFUSED TO RESPOND TO US. UM, THERE HAVE BEEN SITUATIONS WHERE THEY'VE HAD MULTIPLE REQUESTS FOR EXTENSION AS THEY REVIEW THE MATTER, BUT IF WE ASK FOR A RESPONSE, THEY DO PROVIDE THAT RESPONSE TO US. UM, BUT THERE ARE SITUATIONS THAT DO COME UP WHERE WE DON'T ASK FOR RESPONSE, LIKE, FOR EXAMPLE, THOSE HR ISSUES. OR IF IT'S SOMETHING LIKE, UM, THERE'S A, UH, SOMEONE LEFT A SOFA OUTSIDE ON MY SIDEWALK, UM, YOU KNOW, THEN WE WILL TAKE THAT ADDRESS AND WE'LL GIVE IT TO PUBLIC WORKS AND WE'LL SAY AT THIS ADDRESS, UH, THERE'S A COMPLAINT THAT SOMEBODY LEFT A SOFA, WILL YOU PLEASE HANDLE IT? YOU KNOW, WE DON'T NEED TO HEAR BACK ON THAT. UM, AND WE CAN, WE WILL ALSO DO, AS PART OF OUR CUSTOMER SERVICE TO THE COMPLAINANT IS SAY, THANK YOU FOR LETTING US KNOW, BUT ALSO IN THE FUTURE, HERE'S THE HELP LINE FOR PUBLIC COURTS FOR THESE TYPES OF MATTERS, AND YOU CAN CONTACT THEM DIRECTLY IN THE FUTURE. MM-HMM . OKAY. THANK YOU. I HAVE A COUPLE OF FOLLOW UP QUESTIONS. FIRST, THANK YOU VERY MUCH. I APPRECIATE THE PRESENTATION. UH, ALWAYS, UH, LEARN A LOT. UM, ONE THING WE TALKING ABOUT, UH, THE COMMUNICATION AMONG DEPARTMENTS THAT ARE CONDUCTING INVESTIGATIONS. I KNOW THAT THE CITY AUDITOR'S OFFICE MARKED UP AN INVESTIGATIVE PROTOCOL THAT THE COMMISSION HAD WORKED ON LAST YEAR, AND I JUST WANNA LET YOU KNOW, WE HAVEN'T ABANDONED THAT. WE, WE'VE JUST DELAYED IT AND IT'LL BE DELAYED A LITTLE BIT FURTHER BECAUSE WE NOW HAVE A NEW HEAD OF HR AND WE WANTED TO COORDINATE WITH HIM AS WELL. BUT WE DO EXPECT FOR THAT TO COME BACK TO THE COMMISSION WITHIN THE NEXT FEW MONTHS. UM, AND THAT WOULD HAVE REQUIRED A CENTRAL DATABASE WITH ACCESS CONTROLS AS APPROPRIATE, BUT, UH, WITHOUT OUTCOMES AND, UH, DISCIPLINARY ACTIONS TAKEN REGARDLESS OF WHAT DEPARTMENT HANDLED AN INVESTIGATION. UM, I, I AGREE WITH MY COLLEAGUES THAT, THAT THAT SORT OF, UH, FOLLOW THROUGH IS REALLY IMPORTANT. UM, SECOND, UH, WHICH IS A FOLLOW UP ON, UH, COMMISSIONER DE BENEDICTUS, UM, WHEN, UH, FOR EXAMPLE, THERE ARE SOME THINGS ON, UH, THIS CHART. I'M LOOKING SPECIFICALLY AT NUMBER 17. IT SAYS, REFERRED TO CITY DEPARTMENT, UH, AS NRR, I THINK IT WENT TO HR, BUT IT SAYS THAT THE ALLEGATION'S UNFOUNDED, SO THAT MEANS THEY REPORTED BACK TO YOU. OKAY. UM, BUT SEPARATELY, THERE'S ONE THAT WAS REFERRED TO THE POLICE OVERSIGHT COMMISSION AND THERE IS NO [00:55:01] REPORT BACK. UM, AND I HAD KIND OF TWO QUESTIONS ON THAT. IT'S A NEW POLICE OVERSIGHT COMMISSION, AND I, I, I KNOW THAT THE PRIOR ONE HAD SUBPOENA AUTHORITY AND ALL SORTS OF THINGS. I THOUGHT THE CURRENT POLICE, DO THEY HAVE AUTHORITY TO INVESTIGATE THE CURRENT POLICE OVERSIGHT? THEY DO. I THINK THAT WAS, UM, A, A BALLOT MEASURE THAT WAS RECENTLY PASSED THAT REESTABLISHED THE OVERSIGHT COMMISSION. AND SO THEY HAVE, UM, I BELIEVE THEY HAVE AUDITORS OR INVESTIGATORS ON STAFF AT THIS TIME. UH, AND THEY'RE ACTUALLY LOOKING TO BUILD THAT, UH, THAT DIVISION INTO ADDITIONAL, UH, INVESTIGATIVE CAPACITY. AND DO THEY ISSUE PUBLIC REPORTS ON THEIR NUMBERS? I BELIEVE THEY DO. AND THEY RECENTLY, I WANNA SAY WITHIN THE PAST SIX MONTHS, HAVE REPORTED FOR THE VERY FIRST TIME, UM, I RECALL SEEING A NEWS HEADLINE ABOUT THAT. GREAT. WELL, RESEARCH TOPIC. UM, AND THEN LASTLY, DO YOU HAVE, UM, A GOAL IN TERMS OF HOW MANY DAYS YOU HOPE TO COMPLETE INVESTIGATIONS? UM, YOU KNOW, THAT IS A DEBATED TOPIC WITHIN THE INDUSTRY, IN MY OPINION. UM, AND IT'S, THERE'S BENEFITS AND THERE'S CONS TO THAT. UM, THE, THE BENEFIT IS THAT IT'S A PERFORMANCE INDICATOR THAT ALLOWS YOU TO MEASURE YOURSELF AGAINST WHAT MIGHT BE THE INDUSTRY NORM. HOWEVER, UM, YOU KNOW, IF A CASE IS COMPLEX OR THE CASE REQUIRES ASSISTANCE FROM THE DEPARTMENT, AND THE DEPARTMENT IS REQUESTING MULTIPLE EXTENSIONS DUE TO OTHER HIGH PRIORITY MATTERS THAT THEY'RE DEALING WITH ON THEIR DAY-TO-DAY BASIS, UM, THOSE DATES CAN GET STRETCHED OUT THE, THE TIME TAKE TO, TO CLOSE THE CASE. SO, UH, WE, WE EMPHASIZE TIMELINESS, THAT'S OUR GOAL, BUT WE ARE NOT MEASURING AGAINST A SPECIFIC NUMBER IN THE FEAR THAT THAT MAY POSSIBLY LEAD TO, UM, A RUSHED NATURE TRYING TO CLOSE A CASE BECAUSE OF TRYING TO MEET A SELF-IMPOSED DEADLINE. BUT I DO WANT TO REASSURE YOU THAT WE ARE VERY COGNIZANT OF OUR OPEN CASES AND THAT WE ARE CONTINUING TO PUSH AND MOVE FORWARD AS QUICKLY AS WE CAN. UM, YOU KNOW, I'M, WE'RE VERY CAREFUL AND COGNIZANT OF THAT. I APPRECIATE THAT. MM-HMM . THANK YOU. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. YEAH, I DID JUST WANNA MAKE ONE OTHER COMMENT IF I COULD. UHHUH , UM, YOU KNOW, AS WHEN THE ETHICS COMMISSION WAS ESTABLISHED IN NOVEMBER OF 2018, IT WAS MEASURE CCC. AND ON THAT SAME BALLOT WAS MEASURE A, A, A AND WHAT MEASURE? A A A ESTABLISHED THE AUDITOR'S OFFICE. TWO THINGS. ONE, TO ALLOW THE CITY AUDITOR'S OFFICE TO DO PERFORMANCE AUDITS BECAUSE PERFORMANCE AUDITS WAS NOT EXPLICITLY STATED IN THE CITY CHARTER. AND THEN THE SECOND THING WAS TO AMEND THE CHARTER TO ALLOW THE CITY AUDITOR'S OFFICE ACCESS TO ALL DOCUMENTS. PRIOR TO THAT, THE CHARTER STATED THAT IT NEEDED TO HAVE A FINANCIAL NEXUS. SO AT TIMES THERE WAS RESISTANCE WHEN WE WOULD REQUEST INFORMATION BACK IN THE DAY. UH, BUT THAT CAUSED ME TO CHAMPION, MEASURE A, A, A AND GO PUBLIC ON THE BALLOT TO REQUEST THE, THE PUBLIC TO VOTE FOR THE AMENDMENT, TO ALLOW OUR OFFICE ACCESS TO ALL RECORDS. SO I FEEL VERY CONFIDENT NOW THAT WHEN WE ARE DOING OUR AUDITS AND OUR INVESTIGATIONS, OUR FRAUD INVESTIGATIONS, THAT WE, UH, WE ARE REQUESTING ALL DOCUMENTS, WE HAVE ACCESS TO ALL DOCUMENTS TO HELP US ENSURE AN, AN ACCURATE, COMPLETE AND TIMELY INVESTIGATION. SO I'M GRATEFUL THAT THE PUBLIC, UH, YOU KNOW, S SAW THAT UNDERSTOOD IT AND, AND VOTED IN FAVOR OF THAT. THANK YOU. UM, DO WE HAVE ANY PUBLIC COMMENT ON THIS ITEM? OH, I'M SORRY. UH, COMMISSIONER NORV, I'M SORRY. THANK YOU. UM, THANK YOU FOR YOUR PRESENTATION. I APPRECIATE YOU ANSWERING ALL OUR QUESTIONS. UM, I PROMISE I WON'T BE LONG. UM, I APPRECIATE THE, THE DETAILED BREAKDOWN OF THE 46, UH, CLOSED CASES. UM, I APPRECIATE THE MULTIPLE INTAKE CHANNELS THAT YOUR DEPARTMENT USES. UM, I APPRECIATE THE CORRECTIVE ACTIONS, UM, THAT ARE SPELLED OUT AND, UM, ALSO THE HOTLINES INDEPENDENCE FROM OTHER DEPARTMENTS. UM, WITH THAT SAID, I JUST HAVE TWO QUESTIONS. UM, I NOTICED THERE WAS, UM, KIND OF A HIGH SHARE OF CASES [01:00:01] THAT WERE MARKED NOT IMP PURVIEW, 16 TO 18, I BELIEVE. UM, DO YOU THINK THAT THAT'S DUE TO UNCLEAR PUBLIC EXPECTATIONS OR INSUFFICIENT PUBLIC, UH, EDUCATION ABOUT WHAT QUALIFIES AS FRAUD, WASTE, OR ABUSE? I WOULD SAY IT'S A COMBINATION OF BOTH. UM, BUT I THINK ALSO, UH, YOU KNOW, I I, I'VE WORKED FOR THE CITY OF LOS ANGELES AND MANAGED THEIR FRAUD, WASTE AND ABUSE HOTLINE TOO. UM, AND I, I'M IN CONSTANT CONTACT WITH OTHER HOTLINE MANAGERS FOR LOCAL JURISDICTIONS THROUGHOUT THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA, EVEN BEYOND, UM, THIS IS A FACT OF ALL HOTLINES. WHEN PEOPLE ARE LOOKING FOR HELP. I DON'T KNOW WHAT SEARCH TERMS THEY'RE ENTERING INTO GOOGLE, BUT THEY WILL CLICK THROUGH. AND I, I'M, I'M HAPPY WE DO HAVE THE INTERNET AND INTERNET SEARCH ENGINES, BUT IT IS DIFFICULT TO CONTROL, UM, WHAT PEOPLE DO ONLINE. AND THAT INCLUDES SOMETIMES PEOPLE WHO MAY NOT BE AS INFORMED. UM, AND I'LL, I'LL GIVE YOU A COUPLE EXAMPLES. WE'VE HAD COMPLAINTS RELATING TO LONG BEACH, NEW YORK, AND THERE'S APPARENTLY A LONG BEACH IN FLORIDA. SO, UM, PEOPLE GO ONLINE AND THEY SEARCH LONG BEACH FRAUD, AND THEY FIND US, AND THEY COME TO US, AND IT TAKES A WHILE FOR US TO GET THROUGH IT, BUT WE REALIZE THIS IS JUST NOT IN OUR PURVIEW. SO, UM, I, I, I THINK YES, GREATER PUBLIC EDUCATION, UH, AND GREATER EDUCATION FOR EMPLOYEES TOO. IT, IT'S, IT'S IMPORTANT AND, AND WE DO OUR BEST TO ADVERTISE IT ON OUR WEBSITE. AND ALSO, AS LAURA MENTIONED, WE GO OUT TO THESE PUBLIC FACING EVENTS AND WE SHARE ALL THIS INFORMATION, AND WHEN WE TRY AND DO FUN GAMES AND GIVE AWAY CANDY TOO, TO TRY AND GET PEOPLE TO LEARN ABOUT WHAT WE DO, BUT THERE WILL ALWAYS BE, UM, PEOPLE WHO COME ACROSS OUR FRAUD HOTLINE ACCIDENTALLY AND MISREPORT. UH, THANK YOU. MY SECOND QUESTION IS, UM, IN RESPECT TO SYSTEMIC ALLEGATIONS, FOR EXAMPLE, UM, 12 THEFT ALLEGATIONS, I'M JUST MAKING THAT UP. UM, DO YOU REACH OUT TO THOSE SPECIFIC DEPARTMENTS OR DO YOU DO EXTRA TRAINING OR EDUCATION ON THEFT? IT DEPENDS IF THOSE ALLEGATIONS WERE SUBSTANTIATED OR NOT. OKAY. UM, BUT EVEN IF THEY AREN'T SUBSTANTIATED, UH, THAT'S SOMETHING THAT WE KEEP A NOTE OF. AND, AND, AND AS I SAID, THAT RAISES THAT RISK PROFILE FOR THAT SPECIFIC FUNCTION, WHICH THEN GETS DISCUSSED AND CONSIDERED AND ANALYZED AS PART OF OUR ANNUAL AUDIT PLAN PLANNING. SO THAT'S SOMETHING THAT THEN COULD RESULT IN A MORE DETAILED AUDIT, AT WHICH POINT THEN WE WOULD ISSUE FORMAL RECOMMENDATIONS. UM, BUT IN, FOR EXAMPLE, ONE OF THE CASES THAT WAS FOUNDED, WE, WE IDENTIFIED A CONTROL WEAKNESS IN TERMS OF TRACKING INVENTORY OF MATERIALS. SO THAT IS SOMETHING THAT OUR FRAUD HOTLINE CAN ISSUE A RECOMMENDATION AT THE CLOSE OF THE INVESTIGATION, AND WE REQUEST MANAGEMENT TO PROVIDE A RESPONSE, WHAT ACTIONS ARE YOU GOING TO TAKE? AND THAT'S WHERE THEY WILL SAY, WE WILL INSTITUTE A NEW INVENTORY TRACKING SYSTEM. SO, UM, WE CAN ISSUE RECOMMENDATIONS SPECIFIC TO A FRAUD HOTLINE COMPLAINT. OKAY. THANK YOU. ANY OTHER INPUT FROM THE COMMISSIONERS? AND DO WE HAVE ANY PUBLIC COMMENT ON THIS ITEM? GOOD AFTERNOON, HONORABLE COMMISSIONERS, STAFF, LADIES AND GENTLEMEN OF THE PUBLIC. MY NAME IS DAN BERG. UH, MY INFORMATION IS ON FILE. WHEN WE LOOK AT THE CITY AUDITOR, WE SHOULD BE SAYING INNOVATION, WE SHOULD BE SAYING, WORKS FOR THE PEOPLE, SAVES THE CITY MONEY IS, IS SUPPOSED TO, AND THAT'S WHAT SUPPOSEDLY THE FRAUD HOTLINE IS. SO BEFORE WE LOOK AT ALL THE GLITZ AND THE SHINY CHARTS THAT ARE TAKEN FROM THE FRONT OF HER PAGE, WE NEED TO REMEMBER THAT SHE DOES NOT FOLLOW HER OWN PROCEDURES AND BEST PRACTICES. AND SHE'S DONE THAT OVER 15, A 15 YEAR TIME PERIOD. NOW, SHE MAY HAVE CORRECTED IT LATELY, BUT FROM WHAT I HAVE SEEN, AND I AM NOT BY ANY MEANS, A CPA, I'M JUST A BANKER, UM, ONE THAT WORKED, SPENT A LOT OF YEARS WITH THE FDIC, AND IN THAT BANKING, I'VE SEEN A LOT OF DIFFERENT THINGS. BUT THE ONE THING THAT GUIDED US WAS GENERALLY ACCEPTED ACCOUNTING PRINCIPLES. AND THOSE ARE COMMON AND THEY'RE COMMONPLACE WITH ALL WE'RE SEEING HERE. SO LET ME ASK ALL OF YOU ONE QUESTION. I KNOW THERE [01:05:01] ARE PEOPLE CALLING IN FROM ALL KINDS OF DIFFERENT PLACES AND ALL DIFFERENT THINGS, BUT HOW MANY OF YOU HAVE CALLED THE CITY AUDITOR AND ASKED THEM TO LOWER YOUR ELECTRIC BILL? OR LOOK AT THAT. WHY IS THAT BEING REPORTED? WASTE OF PAPER, WASTE OF TIME KILLED THE TREE. SORRY. SO WE NEED, WE NEED TO STREAMLINE SOME OF THIS. THE OTHER THING THAT'S REALLY UPSETTING IS WHEN YOU'RE CALLING IN AND YOU CALL IN AFTER HOURS, I DON'T WANT TO BE TALK, YOU KNOW, I I, I'M NOT FLUENT ANYMORE IN CHINESE, BUT I DON'T WANT TO BE TALKING TO SOMEBODY IN CHINESE FROM SOUTHEAST ASIA. I WANNA BE TALKING TO SOMEBODY. I CAN RELATE TAXES TO THINGS GOING ON IN MY CITY. IT'S A HORRIFIC THING TO PICK UP THE PHONE AND TALK TO SOMEBODY AND SIT ON THERE. YOU'RE PUT ON HOLD WITH THIS LOUD BLARING MUSIC AND IT GOES ON AND ON AND ON. AND THEN THEY CAN'T FIGURE OUT WHETHER YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT TAXES, YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT WHAT'S COMING IN OR ANY OF THOSE THINGS. SO THAT'S VERY UPSETTING. SO THAT'S, THAT'S SOME THINGS THAT SHOULD BE DONE. THE SAME, SAME GOES ON WITH THIS IFFY AUDITING FRAUD LINE AS, AS AN EXTENSION OF JUST BRIGHT FLASHING LIGHTS. IT'S NICE THAT YOU GET IT EVERY YEAR. I APPRECIATE IT. I READ IT. I'M PROBABLY ONE OF THE FEW, BUT IT'S JUST, IT'S JUST GLITZ. WE NEED SOMETHING A LITTLE BIT BETTER. AND ON TOP OF THAT, IT DOES NOT TAKE HOURS AND HOURS WHEN SOMEBODY CALLS IN ABOUT AN ELECTRIC BILL TO TELL THEM THAT YOU NEED TO CALL SCE. YOU JUST DON'T, SINCE SHE DOES NOT FOLLOW HER OWN PRACTICES, AT TIMES, THAT FORCES THE PUBLIC TO SUFFER WITH LACK OF FORESIGHT, UNDERSTANDING, AND EVEN EDUCATION. AND IT'S LACKING EDUCATION IN THE SIMPLEST FORM. EVERYBODY FROM MY EXPERIENCE OF WORKING IN THE CITY HERE, EVERYBODY THAT IS AN APARTMENT HEAD HAS THE ABILITY TO PUT IN YOUR WATER BILL, THAT IS YOUR TIME. PLEASE CONCLUDE YOUR COMMENT. OKAY? THAT WILL PUT IN YOUR WATER BILL INFORMATION THAT TELLS YOU WHAT THE FRAUD LINE HOTLINE IS, AND YOU COULD DO THAT ONCE A MONTH. SO WHY AREN'T WE DOING THOSE THINGS? DOESN'T COST ANYTHING. IT WOULD SAVE US MONEY. MY HAPPY PRIDE LEAD CHARLIE DISTRICT TWO. HI AUDITOR DON, GOOD TO SEE YOU AGAIN. SO I SENT YOU SOME EXHIBITS AND I, UM, DID NOT ATTEND THIS CAMPAIGN EVENT WAS AUGUST OF 2023. LAURA DOBB WAS THERE, AND SHE SPECIFICALLY SAW AND TALKED TO CITY STAFF ON THE CLOCK, WORKING ON A CAMPAIGN EVENT, WHICH YOU SEE HERE. AND, UH, SHE, SHE IS THE AUDITOR WITH HER OWN EYES, SAW FRAUD, WASTE AND ABUSE PEOPLE THAT ATTENDED THAT TOOK PICTURES. AND I'VE GOT OVER 20 PICTURES AND ABOUT 30 VIDEOS OF AUDITOR DODD ATTENDING A PRIVATE CAMPAIGN EVENT FOR AN ELECTED OFFICIAL THAT GAVE HER MONEY AS COUNCILWOMAN, NOT AS AN INDEPENDENT. AND SO THAT, SO THEN I WAS LIKE, OH MY GOSH, ALL THIS CAME TO ME. I DIDN'T ATTEND THE EVENT. AND SO I CALLED THE FRAUD HOTLINE. AND THAT REPORT AND DATA IS FROM 2023, NOT 2024, NUMBER 36. I HAD THE CA THE KEY NUMBER, NOT CASE NUMBER WAS FILED IN 2023. AND, UH, THEY'RE PASSING OFF THE 2023 DATA AS THEY DID SOMETHING IN 2024, AS YOU'LL SEE ON THE TOP LEFT, AND ATTENTION TO DETAIL WITH AN AUDITOR. THE PRESENTATION SAID CREDIT GUARD, IT'S AUDITOR, IT'S CREDIT CARD CARD. THESE ARE FINE TUNED DETAILS THAT A AUDITOR SHOULD BE DOING, WHICH RAISES SOME BIG ISSUES, UM, WHICH WE'RE GONNA TALK IN OTHER AGENDA ITEMS. SO THEN YOU LOOK AT THE FRAUD, WASTE, AND ABUSE KEY NUMBER. I HAVE A CASE NUMBER 36. I NEVER WAS CALLED BACK. NOTHING WAS EVER DONE. AND THEN IT WAS NO VIOLATIONS FOUND. THE EMAILS CITY STAFF WERE ON THE CLOCK DOING THOSE EMAILS. I REPORTED THAT NOT WAGE FRAUD AND ABUSE CITY STAFF WORKING AT CAMPAIGN EVENTS ON OUR TAX DOLLARS FOR A CAMPAIGN EVENT AS WASTE, FRAUD AND ABUSE. SHE SAYS, NO, IT'S NOT. IT'S ALLOWED. WHAT IS THAT? SO AS A PUBLIC MEMBER, I JUST CALLED THE FRAUD HOTLINE AND MADE ANOTHER REPORT. 57 MINUTES I WAS ON THE PHONE. I TALKED TO A REALLY NICE GENTLEMAN FROM ANOTHER COUNTRY AND HE SAID, WHAT IS THIS CITY PARK? WHAT ARE CITY TAXES? WHAT, WHAT, WHAT ARE TAXES? WHAT, WHAT ARE YOU TALKING ABOUT? HE HAD TO PUT ME ON HOLD AND HE, AND HE SAID, LET ME GET THIS RIGHT. YOU'RE FILING A COMPLAINT ABOUT MUST DIJON MUSTARD AT A RESTAURANT. I SAID, NO, SIR. WE'RE TALKING ABOUT A CAMPAIGN EVENT AT VETERANS PARK. ELECTIONEERING OCCURRED, AND THAT'S WASTE, FRAUD AND ABUSE. WHAT'S WASTE, FRAUD AND ABUSE? COULD YOU EXPLAIN? I SAID, SIR, I'M CALLING THE AUDITOR HOTLINE TRYING TO REPORT THIS. SO THERE YOU SEE THE WA 48 HOURS AGO, I JUST CALLED THE HOTLINE AND I [01:10:01] THINK WE NEED BETTER TRAINING. THIS, THIS, WHEN I'M CALLING A FRAUD HOTLINE, AND THEY DON'T EVEN KNOW WHAT TAXES, WHAT CITY, WHAT COUNTRY, ANYTHING. HOW AM I GONNA BID IT? SO THEN YOU PUT HOW MANY CASES WE'RE HUNG UP ON? I WANTED TO HANG UP, SO I CONFERENCED IN DAN AND HE HEARD IT, AND WE SAID, YOU CAN'T MAKE THIS UP WHEN YOU GET HOME. PLEASE CALL THIS AND GET READY FOR A COMICO SHOW. SAY, HEY, I WANNA MAKE A REPORT. THEY'RE GONNA PUT YOU ON HOLD FOR 10 MINUTES WHILE THEY GET THIS SCREEN. SO I HAVE A LOT OF OTHER AGENDA ITEMS, BUT MY QUESTION TO YOU, LAURA DOUBT, IS IF YOU'RE AN INDEPENDENT AUDITOR AND SAW CITY STAFF IN FRONT OF YOUR FACE, AND I HAVE IT, WHY DID YOU NOT REPORT ANYTHING? THAT IS YOUR TIME. PLEASE CONCLUDE YOUR COMMENT. HELLO, MY NAME IS LORI LOGAN. I'M FROM THE FIRST DISTRICT. I HAVE A POEM, THE FRAUD LINE. IS IT POSSIBLE THE MECHANISM TO FIGHT CRIME IS A MERE METHOD TO KILL TIME. IF I GET PAID BY THE MINUTE TO ENTERTAIN YOU, KEEPING THE MINUTES GOING IS WHAT I WILL DO. TELL ME MORE. I LIKE WHAT YOU SAY BECAUSE I NEED A CHECK. I NEED THE PAY. I'M PAID BY THE CLOCK. YOU SEE? SO KEEP TALKING DIRTY TO ME, THE FRAUD LINE IS A SCAM OF ALL AGES. JUST LIKE SEX WORKERS TRYING TO INCREASE THEIR WAGES, THE TAXPAYERS ARE LOSING A BUNCH OF MONEY SO THAT THE FRIENDS OF POLITICIANS CAN GET THE HONEY. YOU'D THINK IT SOUNDS FUNNY. THE AUDITOR WILL CHASE AN IMAGINARY CASE WHILE IGNORING ALL THE CORRUPTION AND WASTE. YOU ARE OUR LAST HOPE DEALING WITH ALL OF THIS FRAUD. SO IT'S HARD TO COPE. WE, THE PEOPLE EXPECT YOU TO DO SOMETHING, BUT YOU SEEM TO CLOSE YOUR EYES AND DO NOTHING. MAY GOD PROTECT THE CITIZENS FROM THE GREED AND PLUCK OUT THE EVIL SEEDS. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. IS THERE ANY FURTHER PUBLIC COMMENT? UH, LET'S TAKE A VOTE ON THIS ITEM. UH, COMMISSIONER SHAMA, UH, ARE VICE CHAIR COLEMAN, ARE YOU HAVING TECHNICAL ISSUES? WE COULD TAKE A VERBAL THEN. I'M OKAY. OKAY. SO, UH, COMMISSIONER, UH, SHOTWELL AYE. UH, VICE CHAIR COLEMAN AYE. MOTION CARRIES. UH, AGENDA ITEM NUMBER THREE, RECOMMENDATION TO RECEIVE AND FILE A STAFF REPORT ON THE REQUIREMENTS AND GUIDANCE [3. 25-55205 Recommendation to receive and file a staff report on the requirements and guidance provided to City of Long Beach candidates regarding the use of public service announcements during campaign season.       Suggested Action: Approve recommendation. ] PROVIDED TO CITY LONG CITY OF LONG BEACH CANDIDATES REGARDING THE USE OF PUBLIC SERVICE ANNOUNCEMENTS DURING CAMPAIGN SEASON. DO I, I HAVE A MOTION FROM COMMISSIONER D BENEDICTUS. SECONDED BY COMMISSIONER WISE. HI CHAIR. SO THIS IS LILIANA'S LAST, UM, DAY WITH US, LAST MEETING, OUR INTERN. OH, SO SHE DECIDED TO BE BRAVE AND GIVE THIS REPORT. UM, THE IDEA IS SHE WILL SHARE THE RESEARCH, UM, THAT SHE FOUND. WE'LL GATHER MORE FEEDBACK, AND THIS WILL PROBABLY COME BACK. IT'LL PROBABLY EVOLVE, UM, INTO A RECOMMENDATION OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT. BUT, UM, YEAH. SO I'M GONNA TURN IT OVER TO LILIANA TO GIVE THE STAFF REPORT. THANK YOU. OKAY. HELLO. UM, GOOD AFTERNOON COMMISSIONERS. TODAY I'LL BE GIVING A BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE RESEARCH THAT HAS BEEN PUT TOGETHER ON PUBLIC SERVICE ANNOUNCEMENTS DURING THE CAMPAIGN SEASON. THIS REPORT INCLUDES LOCAL RULES, STATE LAWS, AND EXAMPLES FROM OTHER CITIES AS WELL. SO THIS REPORT EXPLAINS WHY PSA GUIDANCE MATTERS, UM, ESPECIALLY DURING CAMPAIGN SEASONS. IT HELPS CLARIFY THE LINES, UM, BETWEEN GENERAL OUTREACH AND CAMPAIGN MESSAGING, AND HELPS PREVENT, UM, [01:15:01] THE APPEARANCE THAT CITY RESOURCES MAY BE BEING USED FOR POLITICAL BENEFIT. THIS ALSO SUPPORTS THE COMMISSION'S LONG-TERM GOALS AROUND TRANSPARENCY AND ETHICAL COMMUNICATIONS. SO THE LONG BEACH HAS A MUNICIPAL CODE SECTION THAT RESTRICTS MASS MAILINGS AND MEDIA USE BY CANDIDATES AFTER THEY HAVE FILED TO RUN FOR OFFICE. AND THERE HAS BEEN A REORGANIZATION OF THE MUNICIPAL CODE AND IS NOW REFERRED TO AS 1 15 5 30. HOWEVER, THESE LOCAL RULES DO NOT COVER THINGS LIKE DIGITAL VIDEOS, CAMPAIGN TAGGING OR PSA CONTENT MADE BY ANY OUTSIDE GROUPS AT THE STATE LEVEL. THE FPPC HAS A STRONGER ENFORCEMENT STATE LAWS PROHIBIT PUBLIC RESOURCE USE FOR CAMPAIGN PURPOSES AND REQUIRE DISCLAIMERS FOR CAMPAIGN STYLE MESSAGING. THESE APPLY TO ANY LEVEL OF GOVERNMENT, INCLUDING CITIES. SO, UM, WE WERE ABLE TO REACH OUT TO A FEW DIFFERENT DEPARTMENTS. THE CITY ATTORNEY'S OFFICE CONFIRMED THAT THERE IS NO NEW PSA SPECIFIC POLICIES IN PLACE FOR THE 20 24 25 ELECTION CYCLE. HOWEVER, THEY EMPHASIZED THAT DEPARTMENTS SHOULD CONTINUE TO FOLLOW THE TWO EXISTING FACT SHEETS, ONE ON CAMPAIGN ACTIVITY RESTRICTIONS AND THE OTHER ON BALLOT MEASURE NEUTRALITY. THE CITY ATTORNEY'S OFFICE ALSO HIGHLIGHTED THE NEED FOR CLEAR BOUNDARIES WHEN IT COMES TO PSAS, ESPECIALLY GIVEN THE LEGAL RISKS UNDER GOVERNMENT CODE SECTION 83 14 AND 5 4 9 6 4, WHICH PROHIBITS THE MISUSE OF PUBLIC RESOURCES FOR CAMPAIGN PURPOSES. FROM THE CITY CLERK'S OFFICE, WE RECEIVED A MEMO THAT OUTLINES CAMPAIGN COMMUNICATION RESTRICTIONS, AND IT REINFORCES THE IMPORTANCE OF MEDIA NEUTRALITY AND ENCOURAGES ONGOING TRAINING TO MAKE SURE STAFF UNDERSTAND WHAT IS AND WHAT IS NOT ALLOWED DURING CAMPAIGN SEASONS. AND WE WERE ABLE TO LOOK INTO A FEW, UM, OTHER CITIES ACROSS CALIFORNIA THAT HAD HELPFUL EXAMPLES. UM, LOS ANGELES HAD STRICT RULES AND ETHICS COMMISSION OVERSIGHT. SAN DIEGO OFFERED CLEAR COMMUNICATIONS ON WHEN PSAS ARE ALLOWED AND WHEN THEY REQUIRE DISCLAIMERS. SAN FRANCISCO SEPARATES, UH, OFFICIAL DUTIES FROM CAMPAIGN ACTIVITIES COMPLETELY, AND SANTA CLARA FOCUSES MORE ON ETHICS, UM, PLEDGES AND VALUES. AND THESE EXAMPLES CAN GIVE US USEFUL MODELS TO THINK ABOUT, UM, AS WE DEVELOP POLICIES THAT FIT LONG BEACH'S NEEDS. SO, UM, SOME OF THE GAPS THAT WE FOUND, UM, WE'RE ABLE TO SEE THAT IT HIGHLIGHTS, UM, THE RESEARCH THAT WE WERE LOOKING THROUGH FIRST. UM, THE FORMER SECTION OF THE MUNICIPAL CODE THAT COVERED CAMPAIGN COMMUNICATIONS, UH, 1 26 0 10 IS NOW 1 15, 5 30. SOME MATERIALS THAT ARE STILL BEING USED AS A REFERENCE, UM, REFERRED TO THE PREVIOUS NUMBERING. AND THIS COULD CAUSE SOME, UM, COMMUNICATION JUST FOR GENERAL PUBLIC OR ANYONE LOOKING INTO IT. SECOND, UM, THERE ARE NO LOCAL RULES THAT SPECIFICALLY ADDRESS DIGITAL PSAS OR CONTENT MADE BY THIRD PARTIES LIKE ANY UNIONS OR OUTSIDE ORGANIZATIONS. UM, THIRD, MANY DEPARTMENTS DO NOT HAVE CLEAR OR UPDATED GUIDANCE ON WHAT IS ALLOWED WHEN IT COMES TO PLATFORMS LIKE SOCIAL MEDIA. AND LASTLY, THINGS LIKE DISCLAIMERS, ENDORSEMENTS, AND CAMPAIGN TAGS AND VISUAL CONTENT ARE STILL, UM, A LITTLE BIT IN THE GRAY AREA. AND THIS IS ESPECIALLY IMPORTANT WHEN VIDEOS OR IMAGES INCLUDE ANY ELECTED OFFICIALS, UM, AND OUR SHARED, UM, CLOSE TO ELECTION TIMES. SO SOME RECOMMENDATIONS BASED ON THE RESEARCH AND MATERIALS WE REVIEWED. OUR RECOMMENDATION IS FOR THE ETHICS COMMISSION TO CONSIDER MAKING FORMAL RECOMMENDATIONS TO THE MAYOR AND CITY COUNCIL. THE GOAL WOULD BE TO HELP DEVELOP CLEAR AND UPDATED GUIDANCE AROUND CAMPAIGN SEASON COMMUNICATIONS. THE MAIN FOCUS AREAS WOULD INCLUDE HOW DIGITAL AND SOCIAL MEDIA CONTENT IS USED BY ELECTED OFFICIALS AND DEPARTMENTS DURING ELECTION PERIODS. HOW TO APPROACH PSAS CREATED BY OUTSIDE GROUPS LIKE ANY LABOR UNIONS OR ADVOCACY ORGANIZATIONS, AND HOW CAMPAIGN RELATED TAGGING OR PROMOTION SHOULD BE HANDLED ON ANY CITY AFFILIATED PLATFORMS. THE OVERALL OBJECTIVE IS TO HAVE A CLEAR, ENFORCEABLE GUIDELINE, UM, IN PLACE BEFORE THE NEXT ELECTION CYCLE. AND THIS WOULD SUPPORT FAIRNESS, HELP SAFEGUARD ANY PUBLIC TRUST AND PROTECT THE ETHICAL BOUNDARY BETWEEN CITY RESOURCES AND CAMPAIGN ACTIVITIES. AND LASTLY, I JUST WANNA TAKE THIS OPPORTUNITY TO SAY THANK YOU FOR LETTING ME PRESENT TODAY. AND I ALSO WANTED TO TAKE A MOMENT TO SAY HOW GRATEFUL I AM FOR THE EXPERIENCES I HAVE HAD DURING MY INTERNSHIP. AND IT'S BEEN A PRIVILEGE TO WORK WITH SUCH A DEDICATED AND SUPPORTIVE [01:20:01] TEAM, AND I HAVE LEARNED A LOT AND I'VE REALLY ENJOYED MY TIME HERE IN THE OFFICE. SO THANK YOU EVERYONE. THANK YOU. IT, IT SOUNDS TO ME LIKE THE ASSIGNMENT HAS NOW GOTTEN BIGGER, WELL, WE CAN, CAN WE GO BACK TO THE, THE SLIDE THAT HAS THE RECOMMENDATION ON IT? LET'S DO THAT. SO IF I COULD, SO IN THE PAST WE HAVE, WE HAVE WORDSMITHED EVERYTHING DOWN TO THE MINUTE DETAIL ON THE POLICY THAT WE THINK SHOULD BE RECOMMENDED TO CITY COUNCIL AND MAYOR. IN THIS INSTANCE, I THINK WHAT YOU'RE RECOMMENDING IS THAT WE JUST SAY, HEY, WE SEE THIS, THIS GAP, AND LET THEM GO TO THE CITY ATTORNEY AND ASK THE CITY ATTORNEY TO DO THE DEVELOPMENT OF THE LANGUAGE. SO REALLY WHAT WE COULD DO IS AMEND THE EXISTING MOTION TO INCLUDE A RECOMMENDATION THAT BE SENT TO THE MAYOR AND THE CITY COUNCIL TO DEVELOP CLEAR AND UPDATED GUIDANCE RELATED TO THE CAMPAIGN SEASON COMMUNICATION PRACTICES WITH A FOCUS ON ENSURING ETHICAL AND TRANSPARENT USE OF PUBLIC RESOURCES WITH FOCUS ON THE AREAS FOR GUIDED DEVELOPMENT AS OUTLINED BY STAFF, IF THAT WOULD BE ACCEPTABLE AS A FRIENDLY AMENDMENT TO THE MOTION TO JUST RECEIVE AND FILE SO THAT, BECAUSE I THINK, I THINK IT'S CLEAR THAT WE NEED TO DO SOMETHING IN THIS AREA, AND THIS IS ABOUT ALL WE CAN DO. WE HAVE NO, WE HAVE NO PURVIEW TO DO ANY INVESTIGATION. UM, WE DON'T EVEN HAVE ANY WAY OF REALLY PUSHING THAT IT GET DONE. IT JUST, IT HAS TO, IT HAS TO GO AND PERCOLATE AND HOPEFULLY SOMEBODY WILL DO SOMETHING ONCE WE SEND IT UP THERE, BUT WE COULD KEEP BRINGING IT UP. BUT I THINK RATHER THAN WAITING, IT WOULD BE BETTER TO DO IT NOW AS CAMPAIGN SEASON FOR 2026 IS OFF THE GROUND AND IT'S BETTER TO HAVE SOMETHING AVAILABLE FOR PEAK CANDIDATES TO KNOW. AND I THINK IT, UM, IT TAKES A STEP IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION OF GIVING THOSE CANDIDATES WHO NOT ARE NOT CURRENTLY OFFICE HOLDERS. THE, THE SENSE THAT THE PLAYING FIELD HAS BEEN LEVELED. SO I OFFER THAT AS A FRIENDLY AMENDMENT. YOU GOOD? UH, COMMISSIONER WISE? YEAH, I, I THINK THAT'S A, THAT'S A REALLY GOOD IDEA. UM, IF WE CAN DO IT, IF WE CAN DO THIS BY AMENDMENT TO THIS ITEM, THAT WOULD BE GREAT. I JUST WANNA SUGGEST THAT I THINK MAYBE WE SHOULD BE A LITTLE MORE SPECIFIC. WHEN YOU, AT THE END, YOU SAID AS DEVELOPED BY STAFF. ARE YOU TALKING ABOUT THE THREE POINTS THAT THEY ARE IN? NO, I SAID AS RECOMMENDED BY STAFF, THE FOCUS AREAS FOR GUIDED DEVELOPMENT IS RECOMMENDED BY STAFF. SO YOU'RE TALKING THEN ABOUT THE, BY THAT YOU MEAN THOSE THREE? YES. NEXT THREE BULLET POINTS. OKAY. YES. BECAUSE THIS ITEM, PARTICULARLY THIS ITEM OF PUBLIC SERVICE ANNOUNCEMENTS CAME UP, UM, DURING THE TIME THAT I HAVE. I MEAN, THERE WAS, THERE WERE QUESTIONS ABOUT THAT, AND THERE, UH, THERE WAS CONFUSION BY APPARENTLY ABOUT THAT, AND THERE WERE CLAIMS MADE OR WHATEVER. SO I THINK THIS WILL BE FRESH IN THE MINDS OF, OF, UM, OF THE, OF THE COUNCIL. AND, AND, UM, I, I THINK THIS WOULD BE, I THINK IT WOULD BE GREAT. I JUST WANNA BE SURE THAT IT'S UNDERSTOOD THAT WE MEAN THOSE BY THOSE THREE DOTS, WHAT WE, WHAT WE ARE REFERRING TO. AND IF WE HAVE TO BE, SAY THE WORDS IN BOLD OUT LOUD, I WOULD DO THAT IN THE MOTION . UM, BECAUSE I THINK THAT'S, THAT IS WHAT THE FOCUS IS GOING TO HAVE TO BE ON. BUT IT IS, THIS IS VERY TIME SENSITIVE GIVEN WHERE WE ARE IN THE, UM, ELECTION PROCESS. DO WE NEED TO READ THOSE INTO THE RECORD? ANITA? UH, SO I BELIEVE WE CAUGHT THE, THE NATURE OF YOUR, YOUR FRIENDLY AMENDMENT. OKAY. THE ONLY THING FOR POINT OF ORDER IS WE, UH, BECAUSE DEUS, UM, TECHNICALLY MADE THE MOTION, SHE TOLD ME IT'S OKAY. OKAY. WELL, IF WE CAN GET HER ON THE RECORD. . HERE. HERE. ALL RIGHT. AND THEN I BELIEVE COMMISSIONER WEISS WAS ALSO, UH, UH, IN, IN, IN AGREEMENT ON HER SECOND. IS THAT CORRECT? COMMISSIONER WEISS? YEAH. YEAH. I AM, I GUESS I'M EX I'M SUGGESTING THAT MAYBE WE SHOULD EVEN MAKE IT A LITTLE LONGER AND USE THE, I I WANT, I WANT IT TO BE VERY CLEAR WHAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT. 'CAUSE I THINK IF YOU, IF YOU DON'T HAVE THIS IN FRONT OF YOU, YOU'RE NOT GONNA KNOW WHAT THAT MEANS. SO, SO IN, IN WHAT GOES TO THE MAYOR AND THE COUNCIL, THE, THE STAFF WILL TAKE EVERYTHING [01:25:01] THAT THEY HAVE RIGHT UP THERE ON THAT PAGE AND INCORPORATE IT INTO A MEMO TO THEM THAT, THAT WE TOOK ACTION TO ADOPT THIS RECOMMENDATION. AND THEY'RE SENDING IT TO INCLUDING THE OBJECTIVE TO ESTABLISH CLEAR ENFORCEABLE PARAMETERS. YEAH. OKAY. NICE. NICELY DONE. STAFF. YEAH. VERY GOOD. VERY GOOD. THANK YOU. NO, I'M, I MIGHT BE ADDRESSED. COMMISSIONER KAMAN. UH, I, I THINK COMMISSIONER. OH, I'M SORRY. YOU BENEDICTUS. OH, THANK YOU, LILIANA. VERY GOOD WORK. UH, I KNOW AS A MEMBER OF THE AD HOC, UH, POLICY, UH, COMMITTEE, WE, UH, , WE, WE REALLY VALUE YOUR WORK, YOUR, YOUR INPUT. YOU'VE DONE A GREAT JOB. I LOVE THAT YOU'VE DONE THIS AND YOU PRESENTED IT. UM, I, I AGREE COMPLETELY. AND, UH, IT'S NICE TO SAY THAT YOUR FIRST PRESENTATION MAYBE ONLY IS A HOME RUN . THANK YOU. VICE CHAIR COLEMAN. OH, I'LL START. LILIANA, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR PRESENTING TODAY. UM, I THOUGHT IT WAS A GREAT PRESENTATION. UM, MY FIRST QUESTION, I BELIEVE BEFORE, UM, YOU STARTED, HEATHER, YOU MENTIONED THAT THERE MIGHT BE SOME TWEAKS MOVING FORWARD. CAN YOU JUST SHARE WHAT THE THINKING THERE WAS OR, YOU KNOW, AS WELL? NO, I WAS JUST, UH, PROJECTING THAT THERE MAY BE ADDITIONAL DIRECTION THAT COMES FROM THE COMMISSION TODAY, SO IT COULD BE AN ONGOING ITEM, BUT IT SOUNDS LIKE I MISSPOKE, . IT SOUNDS LIKE WE MAY WRAP THIS UP TODAY, WHICH IS GOOD. OKAY. UM, MY, MY OTHER COMMENT IN, AGAIN, JUST THINKING ABOUT THE MORE CULA, UH, RECOMMENDATIONS AS WELL AS THE SENSITIVITY BEHIND THE PREVIOUS ACTION, UH, ACTIONS, THE ETHICS SUBMISSION HAS TAKEN ON PSAS, UM, IS THAT MARCOLA, UH, SUGGESTED THAT WE HAVE OPEN DIALOGUES TO SEE COUNCIL MEMBERS, SO THAT WHEN THINGS ARE PUT IN FRONT OF THEM, THERE'S NOT MUCH OF A, AS MUCH OF A SURPRISE. I'M BALANCING THAT WITH THE FACT THAT THE 2026 CAMPAIGN, UH, CYCLE HAS BEGUN. UM, AND SO I JUST WANT THE COMMISSION TO THINK THROUGH, UM, UH, THOSE KIND OF, UH, BATTLING, YOU KNOW, SUGGESTIONS WE GOT FROM MARULA. YOU KNOW, IF WE SENT THIS TO CITY COUNCIL, THEY, THEY, THEY MAY BE SURPRISED THAT ETHICS IS TALKING ABOUT THIS. UM, IT IS IMPORTANT, IT IS TIMELY. UM, AND WHILE ALSO CONSIDERING, UM, THAT SOME OF THE PUSHBACK THAT WE HAVE GOT FROM CITY COUNCIL HAS BEEN DIRECTLY RELATED TO, ARE YOU SUGGESTING WE EXPAND THE FRIENDLY AMENDMENT TO INCLUDE AUTHORIZATION FOR THE CHAIR AND THE VICE CHAIR TO HAVE MEETINGS WITH THE MAYOR AND THE COUNCIL ON THIS ITEM BEFORE IT ACTUALLY GOES OUT FROM THE CITY MANAGER? I WOULD APPRECIATE THAT. . I'M, I'M COOL WITH THAT. THANK YOU. . COMMISSIONER WISE, YOU ALSO YES, COMMISSIONER VE THANK YOU CHAIR, LILIANA. THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR THAT. APPRECIATE IT. UH, JUST ONE QUESTION. WILL WE GET A COPY OF THIS PRESENTATION? IT'S NOT ONLINE AND IT WASN'T IN THE PACKET. OKAY. THANK YOU. THAT'S WHY YOU'RE HERE. YOU UNDERSTAND THE POLITICS. I STEP ON TOES ALL THE TIME. OH, COMMISSIONER SHOTWELL, ALONG THE LINES OF, UH, COMMISSIONER NOVA COMMENT, THEN I WOULD, I THINK WE WOULD ALSO AUTOMATICALLY GET, BUT JUST MAKING SURE A COPY OF THE MEMO THAT IS SENT. I, I JUST ALSO WANNA THANK YOU VERY MUCH. IT WAS A VERY GOOD PRESENTATION. UH, ANYTHING ELSE FROM THE COMMISSION? IS THERE ANY PUBLIC COMMENT ON THIS ITEM? WHEN I, AGO I OBSERVED SOMETHING THAT WAS FASCINATING, FILED SOME COMPLAINTS AND CALLED THE AUDITOR FRONT LINE CITY OFFICIALS THAT HAVE ACCESS TO USE CITY PARKS FOR NUMEROUS EVENTS, FUND FREE FOR EVERYBODY. THE CAVEAT IS, DURING THIS CAMPAIGN, THEY WILL GET UP ON THE STAGE, THEY'LL HAVE THEIR STAFF, AND THEY'LL GIVE OUT THEIR CARDS, THEIR MAILERS, AND IT'S A WAY TO DISGUISE THAT. IT'S ACTUALLY A CAMPAIGN EVENT. THE CITY ACTUALLY HIRED AN ATTORNEY AND WAS PROVEN. THEN THIS HAPPENED AGAIN AND THIS BEFORE [01:30:01] AT, AT BIXBY PARK. SO I'M GONNA SHOW YOU, LORI, ACTUALLY, UM, ATTENDED THIS EVENT. VOTE, GET OUTTA VOTE. IT'S REAL IMPORTANT THAT YOU VOTE UPCOMING. YOUR VOICE, EVERYTHING. REMEMBER YOUR VOICE COUNT MATTER. I'M RETRO INSTAGRAM AT SUPERSTAR YOUNG RETRO, THANK Y'ALL SO MUCH. THAT WAS DONE BY, UH, DISTRICT COUNCIL MEMBER, FORMER VICE MAYOR ALLEN. SHE KNEW THAT THAT WAS WRONG. SHE KNEW THAT'S CONSIDERED ELECTIONEERING. AND THIS OCCURRED AS A POP-UP BLACK HISTORY EVENT, WHICH IS, WHICH IS EVEN MORE VILE, IS THIS WAS LESS THAN A HUNDRED FEET FROM HER FIELD OFFICE. AND THREE PEOPLE WERE DROPPING OFF THEIR BALLOTS AND, AND HEARD THIS. AND THEY THOUGHT, WAIT A MINUTE. SO THEY CONTACTED ME AND SOME OTHER PEOPLE. WE FILED IT WITH THE CITY ATTORNEY, THE ETHICS COMMISSION, AND THE CLERK, AND THEY SAID, SORRY. SO WE FILED IT WITH THE DA AND CINDY ALLEN IS UNDER FEDERAL FELONY INVESTIGATION FOR ELECTIONEERING AS I SPEAK. YOU CANNOT DO PSAS AT A CITY PARK. IT'S CONSIDERED ELECTIONEERING AND IT'S A FELONY. AND SHE'S UNDER INVESTIGATION. SO I'M, THIS IS A VERY, VERY HOT BUTTON ISSUE. AND I THINK THAT WE NEED TO MAYBE TALK ABOUT WHEN YOU HEAR THIS, WHY CAN'T WE DO ANYTHING ABOUT IT? AND I THINK WE'RE GONNA TALK ABOUT IT IN AGENDA SIX AND SEVEN. THE ETHICS COMMISSION SHOULD BE ABLE TO STOP THIS. THE ETHICS COMMISSION SHOULD BE ABLE TO FIND THEM AND KEEP OUR PROBLEMS IN HOUSE, IN OUR CITY. AND THAT MONEY WILL GO TO OUR GENERAL FUND, WHICH WAS $7 MILLION IN THE HOLE. SO I'M SAYING, WHAT DO YOU DO? WHO DO YOU CALL? YOU CALL THE FRAUD HOTLINE. NOTHING. YOU CALL THE CITY ATTORNEY, SORRY. THE CITY ATTORNEY REPRESENTS THE OFFICIAL DOING THAT SO THEY CAN HELP YOU. AND THEN YOU CALL THE, THE CITY CLERK, PHILIP'S AMAZING. AND HE SAID, MR. CHARLIE, I, I, I'M SORRY, I WANNA HELP YOU, BUT THIS IS OUTTA MY PURVIEW. I CAN'T DO IT. AND PHILIP ALWAYS DIRECTS ME TO THE RIGHT. SO, UH, BJORN DODD, THE PUBLIC INTEGRITY DIVISION, GOT THIS VIDEO AND SAID, YES, MR. CHARLIE, THAT'S A FELONY. SO, UM, JUST UNDERSTAND THERE ARE SERIOUS LEGAL RAMIFICATIONS TO CAN LAND OUR VICE MAYOR, HOPEFULLY IN PRISON FOR DOING THIS, OR SEND A MESSAGE. NO MORE PSAS AT PUBLIC PARKS. THAT IS POLITICS NEED TO STAY OUTTA THE PARKS OR YOU TO MAKE, MAKE IT FREE FOR ANYONE RUNNING FOR OFFICE SHOULD BE ABLE TO USE THIS PARK. AND NOW YOU'RE GONNA HEAR LORI THAT ATTENDED THIS EVENT AS A GENERAL PUBLIC AND WAS TURNED AWAY AT A BLACK HISTORY EVENT. I WASN'T TURNED AWAY. OKAY. POP UP OR POP OUT. LAST YEAR, 2024, DURING BLACK HISTORY MONTH, I WENT TO BIXBY PARK TO RELAX. AFTER ATTENDING CHURCH SERVICES, I NOTICED THAT THERE WAS AN EVENT GOING ON BECAUSE IT WAS A LITTLE DIFFICULT TO PARK. OKAY. AS I SAT IN MY CAR BEFORE I WENT FOR MY WALK, I HEARD A DJ PLAYING MUSIC. I THEN HEARD SOMEONE SPEAKING INTO THE MICROPHONE. HE WAS SPEAKING ABOUT THE IMPORTANCE OF GETTING OUT TO VOTE. I THEN THOUGHT AT ODD THAT SOMEONE WAS TALKING ABOUT VOTING AT A BLACK HISTORY MONTH EVENT. UM, I NEVER RECALLED SEEING ANY FLYERS ABOUT AN EVENT AT THIS PARK. SO I DECIDED TO JOIN THE EVENT SO THAT I I, SO THAT I COULD SUPPORT THE BLACK VENDORS THAT USUALLY SELL ITEMS AT THESE EVENTS. AS I ENTERED THE SPACE, I QUICKLY NOTICED VOTE FOR CINDY ALLEN SIGNS, AND I SAW NO BLACK VENDORS. A CURRENT CITY COUNCILWOMAN WAS HAVING A PRETEND BLACK HISTORY MONTH EVENT SO THAT SHE CAN GET VOTES. THIS EVENT WAS A FRAUD BECAUSE IT WAS A GET OUT TO VOTE EVENT. THIS WAS AN UNETHICAL EVENT, HELPED BY CINDY ALLEN AND SUPPORTED BY THE TAXPAYERS OF LONG BEACH. IT IS AGAINST THE LAW FOR A POLITICAL CANDIDATE TO CAN CAMPAIGN THEIR POLLING BOXES. THE LAW STATES IT'S UNLAWFUL, BUT THE CITY OF LONG BEACH CONSIDERS THIS BEHAVIOR ETHICAL. ARE YOU COMMISSIONERS THE GATEKEEPERS FOR THE CITIZENS OF LONG BEACH OR THE DOOR KEEPERS OF CORRUPT LONG BEACH POLITICIANS? IS THERE ANY MORE PUBLIC COMMENT? WE'LL TAKE A VOTE. UH, VICE CHAIR COLEMAN, ARE YOU STILL EXPERIENCING TECHNICAL DIFFICULTIES? OKAY. AND WE CAN TAKE A VERBAL FOR YOU AS WELL. VICE CHAIR COLEMAN. AYE. AND MINE IS NOT COMING UP FOR A VOTE. SCREEN VOTE. WE CAN ALSO TAKE YOUR, UH, VERBAL VOTE IF YOU'RE UNABLE. I DID THE SAME THING. OKAY. UM, I, I DID. OH, IT JUST CAME UP. AND THEN COMMISSIONER [01:35:01] NOVA. AYE. ALL RIGHT. MOTION CARRIES. AGENDA ITEM NUMBER FOUR, RECOMMENDATION TO RECEIVE AND FILE A [4. 25-55206 Recommendation to receive and file a status update on the City’s Administrative Regulations Review Project.       Suggested Action: Approve recommendation. ] STATUS UPDATE ON THE CITY'S ADMINISTRATIVE REGULATIONS REVIEW PROJECT. UH, MOTION FROM COMMISSIONER MORALES, SECONDED BY COMMISSIONER DE BENEDICTIS. AND HELLO, HI, COMMISSION. UM, THANKS FOR HAVING ME AGAIN TODAY. SO A FEW MONTHS AGO I PRESENTED ON A PROJECT WE'RE UNDERTAKING IN OUR CITY MANAGER'S OFFICE. SO BASICALLY A CENTRALIZED, UM, A WAY IN THE CITY MANAGER'S OFFICE IS CENTRALIZED A REVIEW OF ALL OF OUR ADMINISTRATIVE REGULATIONS, ALL OF OUR ADMINISTRATIVE REGULATION POLICIES. AND SO TODAY, AS REQUESTED BY THE COMMISSION, I'M HERE TO PROVIDE AN UPDATE ON THAT PROJECT. SO, JUST AS A REFRESHER. UM, SO WHY, WHY DO WE FEEL LIKE WE NEED THIS CENTRALIZED PROJECT? SO MANY OF OUR ARS WERE ESTABLISHED YEARS AGO. UM, THEY MAY NOT REFLECT CURRENT LAWS, TECHNOLOGY OR ORGANIZATIONAL NEEDS. UM, THIS MISALIGNMENT CAN, LIKE, CAN LEAD TO INEFFICIENCIES, LACK OF CLARITY AND POTENTIAL LEGAL LIABILITIES. SO WHAT IS OUR GOAL? WE'RE TRYING TO REVIEW AND UPDATE OUR ARS FOR RELEVANCE AND COMPLIANCE. LOOK TO POSSIBLY RETIRE ARS THAT ARE NO LONGER RELEVANT. UM, CONSIDER ANY CONSOLIDATION OPPORTUNITIES OR IDENTIFY GAPS WHERE MAYBE MORE POLICIES MAY BE NEEDED. AND WHAT OF OUR, WHAT ARE OUR EXPECTED OUTCOMES? WE WANNA MITIGATE LEGAL LIABILITIES AND IMPROVE OPERATIONAL EFFICIENCY, INCREASED STAFF UNDERSTANDING OF POLICY, AND IMPROVED STAFF TRAINING AND ONBOARDING. SO BEFORE I GET INTO THE UPDATE ON THE PROJECT ITSELF, UM, I KNOW THERE'S SOME QUESTIONS AROUND, UM, AR AUTHORITY AND WHAT'S ALLOWABLE UNDER THE CITY CHARTER. SO ANITA'S ACTUALLY GONNA, I'M GONNA PASS IT OVER. ANITA'S JUST GONNA KIND OF HELP PROVIDE A LITTLE BIT MORE CONTEXT TO HELP US UNDERSTAND. THANKS. THANK YOU, JORGE. UM, SO UNDER THE CITY CHARTER, UH, THERE'S A AUTHORITY LISTED FOR THE CITY MANAGER. UM, SECTION 300 PROVIDES THAT THE CITY MANAGER SHALL BE RESPONSIBLE FOR THE ADMINISTRATION OF ALL CITY DEPARTMENTS, EXCEPT, UM, THOSE THAT ARE LISTED HERE, WHICH INCLUDE THE CITY ATTORNEY, AUDITOR, PROSECUTOR, CITY CLERK, POLICE OVERSIGHT OFFICE, LEGISLATIVE DEPARTMENTS, THE HARBOR AND, UM, PUBLIC UTILITIES. UNDER SECTION 3 0 2 A, THE CITY MANAGER HAS THE POWER AND DUTY TO DIRECT AND SUPERVISE THE ADMINISTRATION OF ALL MANAGER DIRECTED DEPARTMENTS IN THE CITY. SO THIS SLIDE'S INTENT IS JUST TO POINT OUT THAT THE CITY MANAGERS ARS HAVE, UM, AUTHORITY, UH, FOR ALL MANAGER DIRECTED DEPARTMENTS IN THE CITY. HOW, THANK YOU, ANITA. OKAY. SO THEN, UH, SINCE, SINCE THE LAST UPDATE, JUST WANT TO GO OVER SOME OF THE THINGS WE'VE BEEN DOING ON THIS PROJECT. SO WE HAD A KICKOFF MEETING, UM, PREVIOUSLY WITH ADMINISTRATIVE. UM, I THINK THE LAST UPDATE I GAVE WITH, WITH, WE HAD MET WITH THE ADMINISTRATIVE OFFICERS FOR EACH DEPARTMENT. FOLLOWING THAT MEETING, WE HAD FOLLOWED UP WITH THEM AND ASKED THEM TO IDENTIFY DEPARTMENT DESIGNATED CONTACTS FOR THIS SPECIFIC PROJECT. SO WE, THEY WERE ABLE TO DO THAT. UM, ONCE WE OBTAINED THOSE CONTACTS, WE SCHEDULED A KICKOFF MEETING AND PROVIDED BASICALLY THE SAME INFORMATION ON WHAT WE'RE TRYING TO ACHIEVE WITH THE PROJECT. UM, FOLLOWING THAT MEETING, UM, WE HAD THEM LOOK AT OUR, ALL THE, UH, AR ASSIGNMENTS THAT WE HAD GIVEN. SO BASICALLY WENT THROUGH EACH AR AND TRIED TO IDENTIFY WHICH DEPARTMENT WOULD BE RESPONSIBLE FOR ANY REVISIONS. SO WE HAD THEM REVIEW THOSE. UM, AND THEY, UH, BASICALLY CONFIRMED THE ASSIGNMENTS WERE CORRECT. SO THAT'S DONE. UM, THEN WE LAUNCHED OUR MICROSOFT LIST, WHICH WILL HELP US TRACK THE REVIEW STATUS ASSIGNMENTS OF THOSE AR SO WE KNOW WHICH DEPARTMENT'S WORKING ON THEM. AND ALSO IDENTIFY TIMELINES FOR REVISIONS. WE ALSO SHARED OUR NEW AR TEMPLATE, UM, AND THEN WE DEVELOPED A FRAMEWORK, WHICH I'LL TALK ABOUT A LITTLE BIT MORE, UM, IN THE NEXT SLIDE. BUT WE DEVELOPED A FRAMEWORK THAT WILL HELP THEM GUIDE AND THINK THROUGH WHAT REVISIONS ARE NEEDED, UH, FOR THE SPECIFIC, FOR WHATEVER SPECIFIC POLICY THEY'RE LOOKING AT. UM, THEN WE ALSO DEVELOPED AN ANONYMOUS STAFF SURVEY TO TRY TO UNDERSTAND WHAT KIND OF STAFF NEEDS, UM, WOULD BE NEEDED TO ACCOMPLISH THIS PROJECT. SO JUST TRY TO BASICALLY IDENTIFY ANY BARRIERS EARLY ON. UH, WE CREATED A MICROSOFT TEAMS CHANNEL TO CENTRALIZE OUR PROJECT TRACKING AND CREATE A WAY FOR ALL THE CONTACTS TO COMMUNICATE AND THEN SAVE A LOT OF OUR, UM, TEMPLATES LINKS THERE AS WELL. UM, WE'RE, UH, WE'RE GONNA BE LAUNCHING QUARTERLY CHECK-INS WITH THOSE CONTACTS. SO THAT'S JUST A WAY TO BRING THE GROUP TOGETHER TO, AGAIN, IDENTIFY ANY ROADBLOCKS, TRY TO FIGURE OUT IF THERE'S ANY, UM, ADDITIONAL SUPPORT THAT'S NEEDED. AND ALSO HOPEFULLY TO CELEBRATE WINS AS WE GET REVIEWS DONE. UM, THAT'S, I'M THINKING THAT'S LIKELY TO INCREASE IN FREQUENCY AFTER THIS FIRST YEAR, JUST DEPENDING ON WHAT KIND OF PROGRESS WE MAKE. UM, AND THEN, UM, TRYING TO LEVERAGE TECHNOLOGY AS ALWAYS. SO, [01:40:01] UM, WE HAVE A COOL TOOL, UM, CALLED MICROSOFT BOOKINGS. UM, SO I'M USING THAT. IT'S REALLY COOL. IT BASICALLY, YOU IDENTIFY DAYS AND TIMES EVERY WEEK THAT YOU'D BE AVAILABLE FOR, UH, WHAT I'M CALLING OFFICE HOURS. AND IT WORKS AROUND YOUR SCHEDULE AUTOMATICALLY. SO I JUST HAVE TO SHARE A LINK WITH EVERYONE, ALL THOSE CONTACTS, AND AT ANY TIME THEY CAN GO IN THERE AND BOOK AN APPOINTMENT WITH, WITH ME TO GET SUPPORT ON, ON AR. SO REALLY THAT JUST IS GONNA BE ONGOING, UM, AS WE WORK ON THIS PROJECT. SO I'M AVAILABLE ONE-ON-ONE PRETTY MUCH EVERY WEEK AS NEEDED. UH, AND THEN WE ALSO HAVE SEVERAL AR THAT ARE ASSIGNED, UH, TO OUR OFFICE. OUR OFFICE IS RESPONSIBLE FOR REVIEWING THOSE, SO WE'RE BEGINNING THE REVIEW PROCESS OURSELF AS WELL. AND THEN THAT AR AR REVIEW FRAMEWORK. SO JUST WANTED TO CREATE, I FELT LIKE THERE WAS MAYBE SOME MORE DOCUMENTATION WE CAN PROVIDE, UM, THAT WOULD BE SU THAT WOULD SUPPORT THE CONTACTS AS THEY'RE THINKING THROUGH WHAT SHOULD I, I BE THINKING ABOUT WHEN I'M DETERMINING WHAT REVISIONS ARE NEEDED. SO IT CREATED THIS, I THINK IT'S LIKE A TWO PAGE DOCUMENT AND REALLY HAS THESE, THESE DIFFERENT SECTIONS AND IT KIND OF POSES QUESTIONS, UM, THEY CAN CONSIDER. SO WE'RE LOOKING AT, UM, RELEVANCE AND PURPOSE, UM, FOR THE AR, HOW THEY SHOULD PRIORITIZE AND WHAT REVIEW PROCESS THEY SHOULD FOLLOW, UM, EQUITY AND, AND IMPACT, UM, QUESTIONS THAT THEY SHOULD CONSIDER AND HOW THEY SHOULD DETERMINE THEIR TIMELINES. SO WE PROVIDED THIS AS A RESOURCE TO THEM. THAT'S AVAILABLE ON OUR TEAM SITE AS WELL. AND I KNOW THE, UM, FOR THE COMMISSION, UM, TRYING TO, TRYING TO GET ALIGNMENT ON OUR POLICIES IS IMPORTANT. SO WE DO SHARE THAT GOAL. WE DO WANT TO ENSURE THAT OUR POLICIES AND OUR VISIONS CREATE ORGANIZATIONAL UNIFORMITY CITYWIDE, INCLUDING FOR THOSE INDEPENDENT DEPARTMENTS. SOME OF THE CURRENT CHALLENGES WE FACE, AS ANITA MENTIONED, UM, ARE THE CITY MANAGER'S. AR AUTHORITY DOES NOT EXTEND TO IN INDEPENDENT DEPARTMENTS OR ELECTED OFFICES. AR IS ONLY APPLY TO CITY MANAGER DEPARTMENTS, UM, AND OTHERS ARE JUST ENCOURAGED TO COMPLY. UM, SO WHAT WE'VE BEEN TRYING TO DO IN THIS AREA TO COORDINATE IS WE'VE ACTUALLY ENGAGED THE CITY ATTORNEY'S OFFICE TO EXPLORE WHAT KIND OF LEGAL OPTIONS MIGHT BE AVAILABLE TO ENSURE BROADER ALIGNMENT. AND THEN WE'VE ALSO BEEN IN COMMUNICATION WITH PORT AND UTILITY STAFF. UM, THEY'VE ACTUALLY BEEN INVOLVED IN OUR, OR ATTENDED OUR PROJECT MEETINGS. AND THEY'VE ALSO, JUST IN CONVERSATIONS, THEY HAVE EXPRESSED SUPPORT FOR CITYWIDE CONSISTENCY AS WELL. IT'S JUST FIGURING OUT THE BEST PROCESS. SO SOME OF THE OPTIONS WE'RE CONSIDERING IS, UM, USING LANGUAGE THAT WILL SET AN EXPECTATION FOR CITYWIDE COMPLIANCE, UM, WITH, UH, PROVIDING FLEXIBILITY IF AN INDEPENDENT DEPARTMENT HAS A, A SEPARATE, UH, POLICY THAT'S PUBLICLY AVAILABLE. SO TRYING TO USE SOME LANGUAGE LIKE THAT, UM, TO ENCOURAGE ALIGNMENT. UM, ALSO WE'VE THOUGHT ABOUT POSSIBLY FOR THOSE POLICIES AR THAT, 'CAUSE THERE THERE ARE SOME AR THAT MAY NOT REALLY, MAY NOT MATTER IF THEY APPLY TO DIFFERENT DEPARTMENTS, BUT FOR THE ONES THAT SHOULD BE CONSISTENT CITYWIDE, WE'VE TALKED ABOUT POSSIBLY PACKAGING THOSE INTO A RESOLUTION. AND SO THAT COULD POSSIBLY BE ADOPTED BY CITY COUNCIL AND THAT'LL REALLY AFFIRM THAT CITYWIDE APPLICABILITY AS WELL. UM, AND THEN WE'VE UM, UH, ACTUALLY GOT THE SUGGESTION BY, BY OUR CHAIR, BY POSSIBLY LOOKING AT, UM, RELEASING POLICIES THAT ARE CO-SIGNED BY THE CITY MANAGER AND THE INDEPENDENT DEPARTMENT DIRECTORS TO HELP, TO HELP, UH, FORMALIZE ALIGNMENT AS WELL. SO A FEW OPTIONS WE'RE CONSIDERING, IT'S JUST A MATTER OF, UM, TALKING WITH MANAGEMENT, FIGURING OUT WHAT PATHWAY WE WANNA PURSUE AND CONTINUING OUR CONVERSATIONS WITH THE CITY ATTORNEY'S OFFICE. SO WE ARE HAVING THOSE CONVERSATIONS. IT'S JUST DECIDING THE BEST PATH FORWARD AT THIS, AT THIS TIME. AND WITH THAT, THAT'S MY UPDATE. ANY QUESTIONS? COMMISSIONER SHOTWELL? THANK YOU. UH, OR I REALLY APPRECIATE THE UPDATE AS YOU KNOW, THIS IS, UH, TYPE OF THING THAT'S REALLY NEAR AND DEAR AS WE'VE BEEN TALKING ABOUT FOR THE LAST SIX YEARS. WELL, YOU HAVEN'T BEEN PART OF IT FOR SIX YEARS, BUT, UM, COUPLE OF QUESTIONS THROUGH THE, I REALLY APPRECIATE THE WORK. UM, ARE YOU INCORPORATING IN THE WORK ONCE THIS PROCESS IS DONE, A ANNUAL BIANNUAL TRIANNUAL PROCESS WHERE ALL PO ALL REGULATIONS OR ARS ARE GOING THROUGH THAT PROCESS ON A ROUTINE SCHEDULE? AND I COULD SEE THOSE ARS BEING ASSIGNED DIFFERENT PERIODS. SOME MAY BE MORE, MAY BE APPROPRIATE FOR REVIEW ANNUALLY AND SOME MAY NOT NEED TO BE REVIEWED, BUT TRI MANUALLY. YEAH, SO WHAT WE'RE DOING, UM, AT LEAST A NEW TEMPLATE. SO YEAH, I GOT ACTUALLY INSPIRATION FROM, UM, HUNTING CITY OF HUNTINGTON BEACH. UM, 'CAUSE THEY WERE ACTUALLY UNDERGOING A SIMILAR AR KIND OF REVIEW PROCESS THROUGH CITY MANAGER'S OFFICE. SO I'D REACHED OUT TO THEM AND ACTUALLY MET WITH THE CONTACT THAT'S LEADING THAT PROJECT. AND ON THEIR TEMPLATE, THEY ACTUALLY HAVE, UM, AT THE VERY TOP, WHICH WE'VE ADOPTED IS A, LIKE A NEXT REVIEW DATE. SO THAT, UM, BASICALLY IT'S THE, UM, IT'S THE LATEST REVISION DATE. WELL, WE HAVE THREE, THREE DATES WE'VE NOW ADDED BECAUSE I, I'VE REALIZED ON SOME OF ARS, WE, WE CAN'T EVEN DETERMINE WHEN THEY WERE ACTUALLY, UM, UH, IMPLEMENTED. THERE'S NO, THERE'S NO DATE. SO WE'RE ADDING THE DATE THAT THE POLICY WAS ACTUALLY CREATED WHEN IT WAS LAST REVISED AND THEN THE NEXT REVIEW DATE. AND SO WE'RE STARTING OFF WITH LIKE A TWO YEAR TIMELINE. [01:45:01] I MEAN, THERE MAY BE SOME POLICIES THAT YEAH, LIKE YOU'RE SAYING, MAY NEED LESS OR MORE OR MAYBE EVEN MORE TIME IS IS OKAY. UM, BUT WE'RE JUST STARTING WITH A TWO YEAR TIMELINE AND WE'RE ANTICIPATING THAT THESE REVIEWS WILL KIND OF COME IN, UM, YOU KNOW, AT DIFFERENT TIMES. AND SO I THINK IT'LL, WE'RE ALSO GONNA TAKE ON THE RESPONSIBILITY IN OUR OFFICE TO HELP KIND OF MANAGE THAT CALENDAR OF WHEN THOSE POLICIES SHOULD BE REVIEWED SO THAT THERE IS SOME KIND OF REGULAR REVIEW PERIOD AND WE DON'T HAVE TO UNDERGO LIKE THIS MASSIVE, UH, REVIEW EFFORT AGAIN, HOPEFULLY IN THE FUTURE. THANK YOU. UH, WILL YOU HAVE A, UH, NOW THE AR CURRENTLY ARE NOT IN A CENTRALIZED LOCATION OR ARE THEY IN A YEAH, THEY'RE ACTUALLY AVAILABLE PUBLICLY ON OUR HR WEBSITE. IN ONE LOCATION? YEAH. IN ONE LOCATION. YEAH. UH, THE CITY AUDITOR'S PRESENTATION REFERRED TO FRAUD INVESTIGATIONS THAT MAY RELATE TO CITY POLICIES. WAS THAT SEPARATE FROM THE ARS OR WOULD DOES HER EX, DOES SHE ACTUALLY ALSO INVESTIGATE, UH, UH, VIOLATIONS OF ADMINISTRATIVE REGULATIONS? UM, I'M NOT SURE IF I, I'M NOT SURE IF THAT, IF THAT THAT'S THE CASE. I THINK, I THINK IT'S PRETTY MUCH RELATED TO ANY KIND OF CITY POLICY, RIGHT. I WOULD THINK INCLUDING AR AND WHETHER OR NOT STAFF ARE ABUSING THAT. 'CAUSE WE DO HAVE USE OF RESOURCES AS PART OF OUR AR UH, SO, BUT SUSO I COULD CONFIRM. UM, BUT I DO KNOW THAT, UM, AS FAR AS PART OF OUR REVIEW PROCESS, UM, THE SEA AUDITOR DOES WEIGH IN ON REVISIONS AND THEY ACTUALLY REVIEW THE POLICIES AS PART OF THE ACTUAL REVIEW WORKFLOW. SO IT TYPICALLY GOES TO OUR, OUR OFFICE FIRST WHEN A POLICY'S PROPOSED TO BE REVISED. UM, THEN IT GOES TO THE, THE, UM, UH, AFFECTED DEPARTMENTS. USUALLY IT'S ALL OF THEM TO WEIGH IN. UM, AND THEN IT GOES TO CITY ATTORNEY'S OFFICE, CITY ATTORNEY FOR THEM TO REVIEW AND WEIGH BACK IN BEFORE IT COMES BACK TO OUR, OUR OFFICE FOR ANOTHER REVIEW. SO THEY ARE INVOLVED IN THE REVIEW PROCESS FOR SURE. OKAY. YEAH. UM, I GUESS IF YOU THINK OF LIKE A HYPOTHETICAL EXAMPLE FROM LIKE A FRAUD STANDPOINT, ONE OF THE ARS LOOKS AT, UM, AND PROVIDES GUIDANCE ON LIKE REIMBURSEMENT FOR COSTS WHEN YOU GO TO A CONFERENCE, FOR EXAMPLE. SO I MEAN, YOU COULD HAVE AN INSTANCE POTENTIALLY WHERE THE AUDITOR WOULD BE INVOLVED OR, UM, YOU KNOW, IF THERE'S SOME FRAUD RELATED TO THE REIMBURSEMENT PROCESS. SO THE AR PROVIDES THE POLICY AND THE, YOU KNOW, PROCESS FOR REIMBURSEMENT. AND IF THERE WERE SOME DISCREPANCIES THERE, THEN POTENTIALLY THAT'S WHERE I THINK THE AUDITOR COULDN'T BE INVOLVED IN TERMS OF THE IMPLEMENTATION OF, OR ENFORCEMENT OF, UM, THE AUDIT OR THE, UM, AR IN, IN A CASE LIKE THAT. BUT NOT NECESSARILY ALL OF THE AR WOULD BE, YOU KNOW, THE SAME KIND OF CONCERN. 'CAUSE WE HAVE LIKE AN AR RELATED TO, UM, WHEN WE DISPLAY CERTAIN FLAGS. SO THERE'S NOT REALLY ANY FRAUD, UH, ISSUES RELATED TO THAT. SO THANK YOU TODD. UM, LAST QUESTION. IS THERE ANY, UM, AREA OF THE CITY THAT IS, UM, RESISTING, MAYBE PROCRASTINATING SAYING THEY'RE TOO BUSY TO DO THIS RIGHT NOW? OR ARE YOU GETTING REALLY UNCONDITION SUPPORT? YEAH, WE LIKE ON THE SURVEY RESULTS, WE DIDN'T REALLY, I WAS ANTICIPATING GETTING LIKE, INPUT SAYING LIKE, YOU KNOW, THAT'S WHY I WANTED TO KEEP IT ANONYMOUS, TO GIVE PEOPLE AN OPPORTUNITY TO GIVE HONEST FEEDBACK. UM, AND I WAS ANTICIPATING GETTING, KINDA GETTING FEEDBACK ABOUT LIKE CAPACITY ISSUES OR, UM, BUT REALLY WE DIDN'T REALLY GET MUCH. UM, WE GAVE PEOPLE THE OP THE OPPORTUNITY TO ANSWER A FEW A COUPLE TIMES. SO YEAH, IT SEEMS LIKE IT'S, UH, WE'VE ACTUALLY GOTTEN GOOD FEEDBACK THAT THEY THINK IT'S NEEDED. UM, SO THAT'S GOOD. THINK DEPARTMENTS RECOGNIZE THE NEED TO, UM, DO THESE REVISIONS. IT'S JUST, I THINK HOPEFULLY OUR OFFICE WILL KIND OF HELP BRING SOME MOMENTUM TO MAKE IT HAPPEN, WHICH I THINK HAS BEEN LACKING. 'CAUSE THERE'S JUST OTHER EMERGENCIES AND PRIORITIES THAT HAVE COME UP OVER THE YEARS. UM, SO YEAH. SO, UH, I THINK WE'VE RECEIVED GOOD FEEDBACK, NOT MUCH PUSHBACK, WHICH IS GOOD. OKAY. THANK YOU AT ALL. THANKS COMMISSIONER DE BENEDICTUS. UH, THANK YOU JORGE. GOOD JOB. UH, LOOKING FORWARD TO IT. UM, I GUESS, UH, I AM LIKE COMMISSIONER SHOTWELL. I'M CONCERNED ABOUT, YOU KNOW, THE RESPONSIVENESS. I THINK IT'S GREAT THAT YOU'RE USING MICROSOFT BOOKINGS. I'M FAMILIAR WITH IT NOW FROM ANOTHER, UH, ACTIVITY THAT I'M DOING. AND I GET, IT'LL BE A, A NATURAL AUTO NAG IN SETTING EXPECTATIONS. UM, DO YOU HAVE A TIMELINE ON WHAT CURRENTLY EXISTS? YOU KNOW, IS IT A FIVE YEAR PROJECT OR IS YOU EXPECT TO GET IT ALL DONE IN TWO YEARS? UH, IN THE OVERVIEW I PROVIDED TO THE CONTACTS, I SET EXPECTATION OF TWO YEARS, BUT I DID, I DID LET THEM KNOW THAT, YOU KNOW, DEPENDING ON SOME POLICIES, LIKE WE'RE FLEXIBLE, UM, WE JUST WANT TO CREATE KIND OF SOME NORTH STAR TO TRY TO HIT. BUT THERE'S SOME POLICIES I KNOW THAT ARE GONNA TAKE, YOU KNOW, THERE'S A LOT OF, UM, THERE'S MEET AND CONFERS INVOLVED, THERE'S DIFFERENT STAKEHOLDERS INVOLVED THAT CAN LENGTHEN THINGS AND OTHER PRIORITIES. SO WE'VE LET THEM KNOW [01:50:01] LIKE, HEY, BE REALISTIC WITH THE TIMELINES YOU'RE PROPOSING BASED ON YOUR CAPACITY. UM, YOU KNOW, IF SOMEONE SAYS IT'S GONNA TAKE ME FIVE YEARS TO COMPLETE THIS, THEN I THINK THAT'S PROBABLY NOT . UM, THAT'S A LITTLE TOO FLEXIBLE. BUT, UM, WE'RE, WE, WE'RE AIMING FOR TWO YEARS WITH FLEXIBILITY IS WHAT WE'RE COMMUNICATING. I AGREE WITH, UH, COMMISSIONER SHOTWELL, YOU'RE GONNA NEED AN AR ON AR TO MAKE SURE EVERYBODY STAYS, UH, STAYS CURRENT. UH, BECAUSE GENERALLY MORE OFTEN THAN NOT, THEY SLIDE PAST THEIR EX, YOU KNOW, THE MM-HMM . THE DUE DATE. UM, THE OTHER THING I WANTED TO, I WISH YOU SUCCESS ON ALSO THE ADOPTION BY OTHERS. I THINK THAT THAT'S GONNA BE VERY IMPORTANT. UM, IT MIGHT EVEN BE A GOOD EXERCISE TO, UH, REQUEST THEM. WHAT IS THEIR RESPONSE TO THIS AR UM, DO THEY HAVE A SIMILAR IF OR IF NOT MORE RESTRICTIVE TYPE OF POLICY AT THEIR LOCATION, OR WILL THEY ADOPT ONE WAY OR THE OTHER IS KIND OF A MAYBE, UH, CORRALLING THEM A LITTLE BIT. AND THEN I WANTED, MY NEXT QUESTION IS A LITTLE BIT FOR HEATHER. WELL, AND YOU ON, WE KNOW WHAT EXISTS NOW, BUT DO YOU EXPECT MAYBE, UM, SO YOU KNOW, WE'LL BE PULLING FOR UPDATES, BUT HOW ABOUT PUSH? UH, I COULD SEE THAT PERHAPS DOD WOULD WANT AN AR OR ETHICS WANTING AN AR TO, UM, DO YOU ANTICIPATE THAT? GREAT. YEAH, WE'VE ACTUALLY TALKED ABOUT LIKE POSSIBLY AN AR FOR PRAS. THAT MIGHT BE SOMETHING THAT, YOU KNOW, WOULD BE HELPFUL. SO YEAH, WE'VE HAD, WE'VE HAD THOSE CONVERSATIONS INTERNALLY AS A TEAM FOR SURE. YEAH. 'CAUSE WE KNOW THAT THE ORDINANCE, IF, YOU KNOW, IF WE'RE SO LUCKY, UM, WILL NOT BE SUFFICIENT. AND, UM, AND FOR ETHICS, I THINK FOR HEATHER IT WOULD BE JUST BIG DOOR OPENER FOR YOU TO GET AS MUCH AS YOU CAN, UM, MEMORIALIZED. SO, BUT THANK YOU VERY MUCH. VERY GOOD PRESENTATION. THANK YOU. COMMISSIONER NOVE. THANK YOU CHAIR JORGE. THANK YOU. UM, MY FIRST SET OF QUESTIONS, UM, ARE REGARDING EQUITY AND IMPACT AS PART OF THE FRAMEWORK. UH, FIRST OF ALL, UM, THANK YOU FOR INCLUDING THOSE. UM, THEY ARE CORE TO, UM, THE CRITERIA OF THIS. SO, UM, OFTEN OVERLOOKED. UH, MY QUESTION IS HOW WILL, UM, HOW WILL THE DEPARTMENTS BE GUIDED OR HELD ACCOUNTABLE, UH, FOR CONDUCTING ASSESSMENTS OR REVIEW? UM, IT PROBABLY JUST DEPENDS ON THE SPECIFIC POLICY AND LIKE WHAT IT IS WE'RE TRYING TO MEASURE. BUT I THINK THOSE ARE, AS THE REVISIONS REVIEW COME IN, UM, LUCKILY WE HAVE, WE'RE ABLE TO SEE VISIBILITY IN THE POLICY, OR AT LEAST WHAT THEY'RE TRYING TO DO AT THE VERY BEGINNING. AND THEN WE SEE IT AGAIN AT THE VERY END. AND, YOU KNOW, TYLER AND I USUALLY ARE THE FIRST LEVEL OF REVIEW BEFORE IT GETS TO, TO TOM OR APRIL. SO WE KIND OF HAVE THE ABILITY TO, UM, SEE WHAT'S BEING PROPOSED AND THEN WEIGH IN ON LIKE YOU'RE SAYING, HOW, HOW, IF THERE'S ANYTHING THAT SHOULD BE MEASURED OR TRACKED AND HAVE THAT CONVERSATION WITH THE DEPARTMENTS BEFORE THE POLICY IS DEPLOYED. SO IT'S JUST SOMETHING I THINK WE'LL BE THINKING ABOUT AS WELL, THIS FRAMEWORK AS WE RECEIVE POLICIES AND WORK WITH DEPARTMENTS ON THE REVISIONS. OKAY. AND DO YOU HAVE A PROPOSED, UM, EQUITY CHECKLIST OR, UM, A RUBRIC FOR A AR? UM, THE, THE FRAMEWORK THAT WE DEVELOPED FOR EQUITY AND IMPACT, WE ACTUALLY ACTUALLY DEVELOPED IT WITH THE OFFICE OF EQUITY. SO THEY, I KIND OF STARTED IT AND THEN THEY WENT IN AND PROVIDED THEIR FEEDBACK. SO THE FRAMEWORK KIND OF, IT, IT DOESN'T HAVE LIKE, IT'S NOT A CHECKLIST, BUT IT, IT WAS DEVELOPED IN COLLABORATION WITH THEM. OKAY. UM, AND THEN THEY'VE OFFERED, OF COURSE, THEIR SUPPORT AND, UM, IN THE REVIEW PROCESS AS WELL, UM, IF THERE'S, UM, ANY KIND OF CONCERNS THEY HAVE OR ANYTHING THEY SHOULD, WE SHOULD FLAG IN THAT AREA, UM, WORKING WITH THEM AS WELL. OKAY. TO IDENTIFY THAT. UM, THAT'S GOOD TO HEAR. MM-HMM . UM, MY SECOND SET OF, UM, MY OTHER QUESTION IS, UM, I MAY HAVE MISSED IT, BUT WILL ARS BE PUBLICLY POSTED OR OPEN FOR PUBLIC COMMENT OR AT PUBLIC MEETINGS? UM, WE DON'T, SO OUR CURRENT PROCESSES ARE INTERNAL POLICIES, SO, OKAY. WE DO THOUGH ONCE, ONCE THE POLICIES ARE DEVELOPED INTERNALLY, WE DO, NOW WE'RE STARTING TO, UM, ISSUE, WHICH WASN'T DONE BEFORE. WE'RE STARTING TO DRAFT THE MEMOS TO THE MAYOR AND CITY COUNCIL THAT BASICALLY EXPLAINS TO THEM WHO REVIEWED THE POLICY THAT WE FOLLOWED THE PROCESS AND WHAT REVISIONS WERE MADE AND WHY. UM, AND THEN WE ISSUE OUT THAT COVER MEMO WITH THE POLICY AS A, LIKE A, BASICALLY A, AS ANY OTHER MEMO. AND THOSE ARE A, THOSE MEMOS ARE AVAILABLE ON THE CITY'S WEBSITE. LIKE ANY OTHER MEMO WE SEND UP, UM, TO THE, UH, LIKE THE MEMO FOR EXAMPLE, THAT YOU'LL BE SENDING UP, IT'S IN THE SAME PLACE. SO THOSE ARE ALL PUBLICLY AVAILABLE TO EXPLAIN LIKE WHAT REVISIONS WERE MADE. OKAY. YEAH. UM, AND I HAVE A SLIGHT CONCERN ABOUT, UH, POTENTIAL POLICY FRAGMENTATION, UH, OF THE DEPARTMENTS, THE INDEPENDENT DEPARTMENTS THAT ARE NOT UNDER THE CITY MANAGER. IS THERE, DO YOU FORESEE, UH, THE POSSIBILITY OF FORMALIZING AND [01:55:02] INTEGRATING THOSE INDEPENDENT DEPARTMENTS WITH CITY MANAGER? I THINK WE'RE, I THINK WE'RE PRETTY MUCH BOUND BY WHAT'S ALLOWED IN THE CHARTER NOW. SO THE CHARTER, TECHNICALLY UNLESS A CHARTER IS CHANGED, THERE'S A CHARTER CHANGE, UM, THE CITY MANAGER WON'T HAVE AUTHORITY TO BIND THE OTHER DEPARTMENTS. SO IT WOULD HAVE TO BE LIKE ONE OF THOSE METHODS, WHETHER IT'S AT THE CITY COUNCIL LEVEL OR IT'S JUST A COLLABORATION TO CONFIRM OUR ALIGNMENT. OKAY. IS WHAT REALLY WHAT WE'RE FOCUSING ON IS OPTIONS. OKAY. UM, THAT'S IT. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. WELL, I WANT TO THANK YOU FOR, UH, THE PRESENTATION. UM, AND THE FACT THAT THE PORT AND UTILITIES ARE PARTICIPATING IS GREAT NEWS. MM-HMM. UM, AND WE'LL SEE IF WE CAN'T BRING SOME, UH, SOFT POWER TO BEAR ON SOME OF THE OTHER DEPARTMENTS, I'D APPRECIATE IF YOU'D SEND ME A COPY OF THE PRESENTATION. 'CAUSE IT SEEMS, I THINK IT WAS MOSTLY THE OFFICES OF THE ELECTEDS, ONCE YOU HAVE CITY MANAGER PORT AND UTILITIES AGREEING AND, AND I RECOGNIZE THAT'S ONLY A SUBSET OF THERS THAT WOULD HAVE MM-HMM . BROADER, YOU KNOW, CITYWIDE APPLICABILITY. BUT I THINK IT'S WONDERFUL IF WE CAN GET THE PORT AND UTILITIES TO SIGN OFF ON THE SAMERS, OR AT LEAST THE SUBSET OF AR THAT THE CITY MANAGER SIGNS OFF ON. AND THEN WE MAY HAVE TO GO TO THE CITY, YOU MAY HAVE TO GO TO THE CITY COUNCIL MM-HMM . UM, TO GET THE OTHER DEPARTMENTS ON BOARD, BUT MAYBE WE CAN, MAYBE WE CAN, UH, OVER TIME GET THEM ON BOARD EVEN WITHOUT THAT. SO I REALLY APPRECIATE IT. YEAH. UH, THANK YOU. THANK YOU. I KNOW IT'S HARDER TO TRY TO COORDINATE WITH CO-EQUAL BRANCHES, UH, BUT I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT IN A LOT OF AREAS THAT IF YOU'RE A CITY EMPLOYEE, WHETHER YOU WORK FOR PORT OR UTILITIES, YOU KNOW, WHAT YOUR HR REQUIREMENTS ARE, ESPECIALLY THOSE THAT WOULD HAVE, HAVE THE ABILITY TO BE APPLIED CITYWIDE. SO THANK YOU VERY MUCH. NO PROBLEM. THANK YOU. UH, COMMISSIONER SHOTWELL, I JUST ONE COMMENT ON WHAT CHAIR P*****K SAID. UH, AND THAT IS THAT, YOU KNOW, THERE'S ALWAYS THE ART OF THE POSSIBLE, AND I THINK THE INITIAL FOCUS IN TERMS OF THOSE THAT HAVE CITYWIDE APPLICABILITY, BUT MY EXPERIENCE ALSO HAS BEEN THAT, YOU KNOW, THERE IS TREMENDOUS AMOUNT VALUE EVEN TO REACHING IN AND HAVING A GOVERNANCE STRUCTURE OVER THINGS THAT NEVER GO OUTSIDE THE DEPARTMENT, BUT THE ADMINISTRATION, THE AR THAT APPLY JUST WITHIN THAT DEPARTMENT, STILL NEED TO FOLLOW THE SAME PROCESS AND NEED, I WOULD SAY, EXTERNAL REVIEW. NOTED. THANK YOU. ANY OTHER INPUT FROM THE COMMISSION? IS THERE ANY PUBLIC COMMENT ON THIS ITEM? SEEING NO PUBLIC COMMENT, LET'S MOVE TO A VOTE. ALRIGHT. MOTION CARRIES. AGENDA ITEM NUMBER FIVE, RECOMMENDATION TO RECEIVE [5. 25-55246 Recommendation to receive and file amendments to the Conflict of Interest Code regarding Civil Service Commission & Civil Service Employee Rights & Appeals Commission.       Suggested Action: Approve recommendation. ] AND FILE AMENDMENTS TO THE CONFLICT OF INTEREST CODE REGARDING CIVIL SERVICE COMMISSION AND CIVIL SERVICE EMPLOYEE RIGHTS AND APPEALS COMMISSION. UM, HAVE A MOTION FROM COMMISSIONER COLEMAN, SECONDED BY COMMISSIONER WISE, I, I HAVE A POINT OF ORDER QUESTION. OKAY. SINCE THIS WILL APPLY TO ME DOWN THE ROAD, DO I NEED TO RECUSE MYSELF FROM VOTING ON THIS ITEM? HMM. ANITA LEFT. BAD TIMING. JUST, I'M GONNA, I'M GONNA GO AHEAD AND JUST RECUSE YOURSELF. OH, HERE SHE COMES. ANITA, SINCE THIS ITEM WILL APPLY TO ME GOING FORWARD, DO I NEED TO RECUSE MYSELF FROM IT? I THINK, UM, TO AVOID LIKE A GENERAL APPEARANCE OF IMPROPRIETY UNDER THE COMMON LAW, YOU CAN RECUSE YOURSELF AND I'M GONNA STEP IN THE BACK. YEAH, YOU'LL STEP IN THE BACK AND THEN WE'LL LET YOU KNOW WHEN TO COME BACK. THANK YOU. SO THIS IS OUR GENERAL, UH, CONFLICT OF INTEREST CODE ADOPTION. UM, THIS IS IN REGARDS TO THE CIVIL SERVICE COMMISSION, UH, PREVIOUS OR ITS PREVIOUS ENTITY AND MOVING FORWARD INTO ITS NEW, UM, UH, AMENDMENT, OR I SHOULD SAY A MEASURE ADOPTED, UH, THROUGH JB INTO THE, UH, EMPLOYEE RIGHTS AND APPEALS COMMISSION, UM, WHEN UNDER ANY COMMISSION OR BODY CHANGES MAKES ANY MAJOR AMENDMENT TO THEIR TITLE, TO THEIR, YOU KNOW, THEIR STRUCTURE, AN, UH, COI INITIAL OR AMENDMENT, UH, NEEDS [02:00:01] TO BE, YOU KNOW, CREATED AND, AND SENT FORTH. AND THAT'S WHERE WE'RE TODAY. ANY QUESTIONS? UH, SORRY. ADDITIONAL POINT OF ORDER. I, I WAS UNAWARE THAT THIS ALSO AH, YES. . YEAH. IF YOU WANT TO, IF YOU WANNA RECUSE YOURSELF AS WELL, JUST TO MAKE SURE THERE'S NO, ANY I MADE THE MOTION THOUGH, SO THAT MAY ALSO NEED TO BE YEAH. SO WE CAN RETAKE THE MOTION. OKAY. OKAY. I HAVE A MOTION FROM, I BELIEVE, ACTUALLY, SORRY. UM, THERE WAS A MOTION BY SHOTWELL. AND THEN, UH, WE'LL KEEP THE SECOND BY WEISS. THERE WE GO. OKAY. AND WE STILL HAVE A QUORUM. PLEASE CONTINUE. UH, SO, UM, UH, AS I MENTIONED, THIS IS JUST THE, THE COI ADOPTION FOR, UH, THE SUN SETTING OF THE CIVIL SERVICE AND THE INITIATION OF THE CIVIL SERVICE EMPLOYEES RIGHTS AND APPEALS COMMISSION. IS THERE ANY INPUT FROM THE COMMISSION AND DO WE HAVE ANY PUBLIC COMMENT ON THIS ITEM? LET'S MOVE TO A VOTE. MOTION CARRIES. SORRY ABOUT THAT. . THEY THOUGHT THEY WERE GONNA GET A NICE LONG BREAK, . OKAY. AGENDA ITEM NUMBER SIX, RECOMMENDATION TO RECEIVE AND FILE THE ETHICS COMMISSION'S FY 26 BUDGET LETTER. AND DO I HAVE A MOTION? I [6. 25-55212 Recommendation to receive and file the Ethics Commission’s FY26 Budget Letter.       Suggested Action: Approve recommendation. ] HAVE A MOTION FROM COMMISSIONER WISE, SECONDED BY COMMISSIONER AVE. UM, AND I, I JUST WANNA NOTE THIS LETTER HAS BEEN SUBMITTED. UM, WE RECEIVED COMMENTS DURING AN EARLIER MEETING, UH, THE APRIL MEETING AND, UH, INCORPORATED THE COMMENTS. AND SO THE LETTER HAS BEEN SUBMITTED. I DO WANNA NOTE COMMISSIONER NOVE SENT AROUND A COPY OF THE PRESS REPORT THAT CAME OUT AFTER THE LETTER WAS SUBMITTED, UM, INDICATING THAT THE CITY'S LOOKING FOR $7 MILLION. BUT, BUT I THINK IRRESPECTIVE MEAN THE CITY HAS BEEN IN TIGHT FISCAL TIMES THE ENTIRE TIME THAT WE'VE BEEN A COMMISSION. AND REGARDLESS, WE NEED TO ASK FOR WHAT WE NEED TO OPERATE CLEANLY AND EFFICIENTLY. BECAUSE IF YOU DON'T ASK WHEN YOU DON'T GET, BUT TWO, IF YOU DON'T ASK, IF THEY DON'T HAVE THE MONEY AND SOMETHING HAPPENS DOWN THE ROAD, THEN THE QUESTIONS ARE WHY DIDN'T YOU ASK? SO YEAH, EVERY, EVERYONE IN CALIFORNIA IS GOING TO BE IN TIGHT TIMES FOR A WHILE HERE. ANY ADDITIONAL INPUT FROM THE COMMISSION, COMMISSIONER WISE? YEAH. UM, OH, FIRST, AS I READ THE BYLAWS FOR THIS COMMISSION, THE CHAIR AND THE VICE CHAIR ARE ALREADY AUTHORIZED TO SPEAK WITH THE ELECTEDS ABOUT THESE, UM, ABOUT THE, OUR BUDGET, THE BUDGET ISSUES FOR THIS COMMISSION. SO I, I AM ASSUMING, BUT I GUESS I'LL ASK WHETHER YOU BOTH ARE PLANNING TO, TO DO THAT SOMETIME OVER THE NEXT COUPLE MONTHS. I'VE CERTAINLY SPOKEN WITH THE CITY MANAGER'S DEPARTMENT, . OKAY. I HAVEN'T SPOKEN WITH ANYONE ON THE CITY COUNCIL ABOUT THIS ITEM. OKAY. WELL, I BELIEVE THE BYLAWS ALREADY PROVIDE THE AUTHORITY FOR YOU TO, FOR YOU TO DO THAT. AND I THINK THAT IT'S, IT'S VERY IMPORTANT AND ALSO THAT YOU, UM, APPEAR AT THE MEETINGS BEFORE THE, UM, THE COUNCIL'S BUDGET COMMITTEE AS, AS WELL, WHEN, WHEN THE BUDGET FOR THE ETHICS COMMISSION IS GOING TO COME UP. UH, AND I WAS, I WAS GLAD THAT, UM, COMMISSIONER NOBE, UM, HAD BROUGHT TO OUR ATTENTION THE ARTICLE THAT WAS CIRCULATED. I HAD HAD, UM, HAD SEEN A, A SIMILAR ARTICLE. BUT IN, IN THAT REGARD, I DO THINK IT WOULD, I, I DO SUGGEST THAT YOU, UM, PART WITH, PARTICULARLY WITH THE REQUEST ABOUT, UH, TRAINING FOR STAFF, THAT YOU BE SURE TO HAVE SOME, UM, BACKGROUND INFORMATION THAT YOU CAN PROVIDE ABOUT THE EXPENSES THAT, LIKE, YOU KNOW, FOR THE CONFERENCES OR TRAININGS THAT YOU WOULD HAVE, UH, [02:05:01] UH, THE COMMISSIONERS OR THE, ESPECIALLY THE NEW COMMISSIONERS OR, UM, STAFF ENGAGE IN OVER THE NEXT YEAR. AND, YOU KNOW, IT MAY BE THAT SOME OF THOSE THINGS CAN BE DONE REMOTELY, UM, BUT THERE IS , UH, COMMISSIONER WISE, I'M SORRY TO INTERRUPT YOU. UM, WE'RE GETTING A NOTE NOTIFICATION FROM, UH, VIEWERS ONLINE THAT THEY'RE HAVING TROUBLE HEARING YOU. OKAY. SO IF YOU COULD SPEAK MORE DIRECTLY INTO THE MIC. THANK YOU. OKAY. SORRY. UM, I, I WAS SUGGESTING THAT, THAT YOU, UM, BE PREPARED FOR THE MEETINGS WITH THE MAYOR AND THE BUDGET COMMITTEE TO TALK ABOUT THE, SORT OF THE BACKGROUND FOR THE TYPES OF TRAINING THAT, THAT, UM, WE WOULD BE HOPING THAT THE STAFF AND THE NEW COMMISSIONERS COULD HAVE IN PARTICULAR. UM, THERE MAY BE A LITTLE BIT OF TRIMMING THAT COULD BE DONE IF THINGS WERE ATTENDED REMOTELY, SOME OF THEM. BUT I THINK THERE IS GREAT VALUE IN HAVING THE OPPORTUNITY TO ACTUALLY MEET WITH THE, THE PEOPLE THAT ARE, ARE PROVIDING THE INFORMATION. UM, AND AS I SAID ON OTHER ITEMS, UM, I, I THINK THE OPPORTUNITIES THAT I'VE HAD, UM, BOTH TO GO TO A CONFERENCE OR JUST TALK ON THE PHONE WITH OTHER, UM, WITH COMP, YOU KNOW, THESE KIND COMMISSIONERS OR COMMISSION STAFF IN OTHER CITIES HAS BEEN INCREDIBLY, UM, VALUABLE AND BEEN, AND INFORMED ME ABOUT BETTER PRACTICES AND ALTERNATIVE WAYS OF THAT, THAT WE COULD APPROACH SOME OF THE ISSUES IN, IN OUR CITY. SO I THINK THAT'S AN IMPORTANT PART OF, OF THE, OF THE BUDGET GOING FORWARD. AND THEN, OF COURSE, THIS IS A CHARTER APPROVED COMMITTEE THAT THE, THAT THE VOTERS ESTABLISHED. AND SO I, I DO BELIEVE THAT IT, IT DESERVES FUNDING BECAUSE THE VOTERS HAVE IN ESTABLISHED, HAVE ESTABLISHED IT QUITE RECENTLY. SO THOSE ARE MY COMMENTS, BUT, UM, I'M, I'M GLAD THE LETTER'S OFF AND, UM, I HOPE THAT, UM, UH, THAT, THAT THE COMMISSION GETS AND THE ETHICS DEPARTMENT GETS, UM, GETS, UH, THE MONEY NEEDED TO DO THIS WORK. ANY OTHER INPUT FROM THE COMMISSION COMMISSIONER OR VE YEAH. CHAIR. THANK YOU. UM, I JUST MADE A COUPLE OF NOTES, UM, HOPEFULLY THEY MIGHT ASSIST YOU AND VICE CHAIR WHEN YOU, UH, GO IN FRONT OF CITY COUNCIL. UM, I THOUGHT THE LETTER YOU MADE A COMPELLING CASE, UM, FOR COUNCIL AND THE CITY OF ITS ETHICS, UH, COMMISSION. UM, I WOULD EMPHASIZE THE MATURITY, UM, THAT THE COMMISSION HAS MADE ALONG WITH OET OVER THE YEARS. I, I WOULD EMPHASIZE ALSO, UH, THE CLEAR JUSTIFICATION FOR THE BUDGET AMOUNT, UH, THE TURNOVER THAT YOU MENTIONED, UM, THE, THE OLYMPICS AND LOSS OF STAFF, UM, OR POSSIBLE LOSS OF STAFF AND THE STRATEGIC, UM, ROADMAP. AND I LIKE THAT YOU, YOU BOTH ARE, WERE ARE VERY FORWARD THINKING IN THE LETTER, UM, INCLUDING THE UPCOMING, UM, THE NEW INCOMING COMMISSIONERS, UM, THE TRAINING MATERIALS, THE NEW, UH, THE NEW, UM, COM, UM, CODES THAT WE'VE SUBMITTED, UH, THE HELPLINE AND EVERYTHING THAT WE WANNA WORK ON. I THINK THOSE ARE IMPORTANT CONSIDERATIONS MOVING FORWARD. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. ANY OTHER INPUT FROM THE COMMISSION? IS THERE ANY PUBLIC COMMENT ON THIS ITEM? GOOD AFTERNOON AGAIN, COMMISSIONERS STAFF. UM, THE OET OFFICE IS A GREAT IDEA. THERE'S GREAT VISION TO IT. IT'S A WONDERFUL PROVISO. THERE'S A GOOD THOUGHT PROCESS BEHIND IT. IT CAN GENERATE MONEY. AND JUST TO REMIND YOU, EVERY YEAR SINCE THE YEAR 2000 EVERY YEAR, EXCEPT FOR ONE, WE HAVE HAD RECORD REVENUES DOESN'T HURT TO ASK. KEEP ASKING, PLEASE. THERE IS ONE BA ONE THING THAT'S UNFORTUNATE ABOUT THIS, AND THAT IS ANYTIME THAT YOU INVOLVE THE CITY ATTORNEY, IT COULD JEOPARDIZE YOUR PROTECTIONS. IT CAN JEOPARDIZE PEOPLE DURING AN ELECTION, THEIR PROTECTIONS TOO. SO BECAUSE THE CITY ATTORNEY'S MAIN CLIENT OR CITY OFFICIALS, IT'S NOT THE PUBLIC AS MUCH AS WE VOTE FOR THEM AND WE PUT THEM IN OFFICE, THAT'S THE FACTS. SO THERE HAS TO BE SOMETHING WRITTEN INTO THIS THAT WILL ACTUALLY [02:10:01] RELIEVE WHATEVER ATTORNEY LIKE ANITA, UM, OF HER PROTECTION. SO SHE'LL BE ABLE TO PROTECT YOU AND PROTECT AT LEVEL THE PLAYING FIELD WITH ANY ELECTION AND STUFF LIKE THAT. SO OTHER THAN THAT, THIS IS A GREAT IDEA. THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR IT. THIS IS LEE CHARLIE, AND, UM, I'LL BE IDENTIFIED AS UNINTENDED CONSEQUENCES OF THIS AS A CANDIDATE RUNNING AND WORKING ON SOME CAMPAIGNS. IN 2026 AND 2023 OF US CALLED TEXTED, EMAILED, SENT PHOTOS, VOICEMAILS LEFT BY FORMER VICE MAYOR ALLEN STAFF DONE DURING NORMAL WORKING HOURS AT CITY HALL. CITY STAFF WERE BOOKING EVENTS, WAR ID BADGES, USED CITY COMPUTERS, EMAILS, PHONES, BUILDING HER REELECTION CAMPAIGN. THE CHIEF OF STAFF SEEN WEDNESDAY, UH, FEBRUARY 20, FEBRUARY 14TH, 2024 AT 10:48 AM SUBMITTED TO Y'ALL. EMAIL WAS DISCUSSING F-P-P-V-F-P-P-C VIOLATIONS. HE WAS ON THE CLOCK SEEN BY THE PRA REQUEST DOING CAMPAIGN ACTIVITY. HE WAS ON CAMPAIGN FLYERS. CITY STAFF WERE USING THE POLITICAL APP CALL TO WIN AT HOME. ONE OF THE EMPLOYEES WAS FIRED. AND NOW I HAVE THE RECEIPTS. SHE WAS BEING PAID TO DO CALL TO ONE AT HOME, INSTRUCTED PER TO PUT TELECOMMUTE OR FIELD OFFICE ON HER TIME CARDS, WHICH WE HAVE THE ENTIRE CITY PAID FOR THIS POLITICAL ACTIVITY REFORM AND REFORM IS NEEDED IN THE 2026 ELECTION. EVEN IF CITY STAFF ARE OFF THE CLOCK, THE PERCEPTION OR APPEARANCE THAT THEY'RE BEING PAID TO WORK ON CAMPAIGNS IS PROHIBITED. I CALLED AND REPORTED THIS POSSIBLE WASTE, FRAUD AND ABUSE TO THE LONG BEACH TAXPAYER MONEY CITY AUDITOR HOTLINE SCENE, AS I MENTIONED EARLIER, AND IT WAS TOLD NO EVEN THOUGH SHE WAS THERE. I RESEARCHED THE CITY ETHICS COMMISSIONER AND ATTORNEY HANDBOOK DATED AUGUST 23RD THAT Y'ALL WROTE, AND THE CITY ATTORNEY WROTE, AND PLEASE NOTE ON, ON YOUR EXHIBITS I SENT YOU. PAGE 27, THE CITY ATTORNEY'S OFFICE INFORMED, INFORMED ME THAT THEY CANNOT DO ANYTHING. I SAW THE CITY AUDITOR, CITY AUDITOR, UH, ATTORNEY WERE, UH, CAMPAIGN EVENTS, NUMEROUS CAMPAIGNS, UM, DONATIONS BY THIS COUNCIL MEMBER. SO NOW LET'S GO TO AFTER THE MARCH 5TH, 2024 PRIMARY ELECTION, WHICH YOU HEARD THE VIDEO ELECTION OVER. A NICE LADY NAMED SARAH MARSIA CALLED ME ON SATURDAY. SHE WAS RETAINED BY THE CITY OF LONG BEACH TO CONDUCT AN IMPARTIAL INVESTIGATION. SHE SAID A SUNDAY AFTERNOON ZOOM MEETING. I HAD NO IDEA THAT SHE WAS A HIGH POWERED ATTORNEY CURRENTLY REPRESENTING THE CITY, SUING THE CIVIL COMMISSION, SEEN BY HER RITA MANUS, DATED 4 13 22. SHE WAS SUING THE CITY AND AT THE SAME EXACT TIME WAS REPRESENTING THE CITY. I FILED THE STATE BAR COMPLAIN, AND SHE'S STILL UNDER INVESTIGATION. SHE WAS, I WAS PLACED UNDER OATH BY THIS ATTORNEY. THE INTERROGATION AND DEPOSITION BECAME VERY ADVERSARIAL. I BEGAN TO FEEL THREATENING TEXTING MY ATTORNEY FRIENDS WAS INFORMED TO STOP TALKING TO HER. THIS WAS ILLEGAL. AND I FILED THE STATE BAR COMPLAINT, WHICH SHE CAN BE DISBARRED. I TOLD MARTO THAT NOW I FEEL I, NOW I FEEL LIKE A KAREN FOR CALLING THE AUDITOR AND RAISING THIS ISSUES, SIMPLY ASKING QUESTIONS. I WAS GHOSTED FOR EXACTLY SIX MONTHS. AND THE CITY ATTORNEY THEN SENTS ME THIS LETTER, WHICH I'M WILL BE IN PUBLIC RECORD. THE CITY ATTORNEY THEN SENT ME THE RESULTS OF THE INVESTIGATION. $9,000 TO THIS ATTORNEY TO CONCLUDE THIS FROM THE CITY ATTORNEY'S. PAGE THREE, WHETHER MR. CHARLIE CALLED MR. SIN A KAREN. WHAT? SO THE CITY STAFF PARTICIPATED ON ALAN'S CAMPAIGN, WAS NOT FOUNDED YET. EVIDENCE. SO I SUBMITTED THIS. THIS IS WHY THE OET WILL NOT WORK. SHE CAN. SO WE'RE GOING TO WHATEVER THIS AGENDA ITEM, THIS, THIS CONCLUDES YOUR TIME. PLEASE, PLEASE, PLEASE. THEY'RE GONNA HAVE TO HIRE AN OUTSIDE ATTORNEY. GOOD JOB. THANK YOU. IS THERE ANY ADDITIONAL PUBLIC COMMENT? LET'S TAKE A VOTE. LORI WANTS TO SPEAK. THIS POSITION WOULD BE GREAT IF THEY WOULD INVESTIGATE EVERYONE AND MAKE IT ALL PUBLIC. NOT JUST THE PEOPLE THAT ARE RUNNING, BUT THE INCUMBENTS AS WELL. IT SHOULDN'T JUST BE ONE SIDE OF THE COIN BEING INVESTIGATE INVESTIGATED. WE MUST INVESTIGATE ALL. IS THERE ANY ADDITIONAL PUBLIC COMMENT NOW? LET'S TAKE A VOTE. MINE'S NOT WORKING THERE. YEAH. NOW MINE. OH, THERE IT IS. OKAY. MOTION CARRIES. [02:15:08] AGENDA ITEM NUMBER SEVEN, RECOMMENDATION TO RECEIVE AND FILE A REPORT FROM THE AD [7. 25-55207     Recommendation to receive and file report from the Ad Hoc Committee on Commission Responsibilities.               Suggested Action: Approve recommendation. ] HOC COMMITTEE ON COMMISSION RESPONSIBILITIES. WE HAVE A MOTION FROM COMMISSIONER SHOTWELL, SECONDED BY COMMISSIONER DE BENEDICTUS. AND WHICH OF YOU WILL BE PRESENTING, I ASSUME SO. I THINK IT'S RELATIVELY BRIEF. SO THE AD HOC COMMITTEE AT THE LAST MEET COMMISSION MEETING PRESENTED ITS, UH, MEMO, DRAFT MEMO FOR THE COMMISSION'S, UH, REVIEW. UH, AND THERE WERE SUGGESTIONS AND COMMENTS, UH, INCLUDING, UM, WHETHER OR NOT OUR INDIVIDUAL ITEM RECOMMENDATIONS, UH, COULD BE IDENTIFIED AS WHO WOULD HAVE AUTHORITY TO, UH, UH, GROUP THEM BY WHO WOULD HAVE AUTHORITY TO APPROVE THEM, ALONG WITH PRIORITIZING THOSE ITEMS. UH, WHAT THE AD HOC DID WAS WE WENT THROUGH EACH OF OUR RECOMMENDATIONS AND WE CATEGORIZED THEM UNDER THE FOLLOWING FOUR CATEGORIES, THOSE REQUIRING CHARTER AMENDMENT, THOSE REQUIRING CITY COUNCIL APPROVAL, THOSE REQUIRING CITY MANAGER APPROVAL, AND THOSE THAT THE COMMISSION COULD JUST DO. AND THEN WE DID NOT, UH, ACTUALLY PRIORITIZE THE INDIVIDUAL RECOMMENDATIONS. WE FELT THAT WAS REALLY BEST LEFT TO THE FULL COMMISSION. HAVING SAID THAT, WE DID, UH, NOTE IN THE DRAFT THAT THE MOST IMPORTANT ITEM AMONG FROM THE AD HOCS PERSPECTIVE IS FURTHER GUIDANCE ON HOW INVESTIGATIONS ARE TO BE HANDLED. UH, AND A AND A PROCESS THAT WOULD BE ESTABLISHED ACROSS THE CITY FOR HOW INVESTIGATIONS WOULD BE HANDLED, INCLUDING HOW THE COMMISSION WOULD BE INCORPORATED. AND WITH THAT, ANYTHING ELSE FROM THE OTHER AD HOC COMMITTEE MEMBERS? COMMISSIONER DE BENEDICTUS? A NOPE. THANK YOU. ANY, UH, COMMISSIONER WISE? YES, I WOULD JUST ADD THAT, UM, WITH RECOMMEND WITH THE RECOMMENDATION REGARDING WHAT WE THOUGHT WAS NEEDED MOST REGARD REGARDING INVESTIGATIONS THAT WAS PARTICULARLY, UM, WITH PERTAINING TO VIOLATIONS OF THE CITY OF CAMPAIGN AND ELECTION REGULATIONS. SO I, I GUESS I WOULD SAY THAT THAT'S WHERE WE THOUGHT THE, THE START, AT LEAST THE STARTING THE STARTING THE STARTING POINT SHOULD BE. SO ANY OTHER INPUT? COMMISSIONER COLEMAN? UH, JUST TWO SMALL ITEMS. UM, THE FIRST, UM, JUST BECAUSE WE ARE GOING TO BE APPROVING TODAY, UH, HOPEFULLY, UM, IS ON PAGE THREE. OH MY GOODNESS. UM, ON PAGE THREE, THE FIRST PARAGRAPH, UH, SECOND LINE FROM THE BOTTOM OF THAT PARAGRAPH, IT SAYS, CITY CLERK MONIQUE DELA, UH, GARZA ASSISTANT. UM, I'M NOT SURE IF THAT'S SUPPOSED TO BE COMMA. YES, IT'S OKAY. AFTER GARZA. YEAH, AFTER GARZA RATHER THAN AFTER ASSISTANT. YES. ASSISTANT. OKAY. IT'S SUPPOSED TO MODIFY APRIL'S POSITION, RIGHT? YES. YEAH. UM, SO, AND I THINK THEN WE HAVE IT THERE, OR MM-HMM . YEAH. OKAY. UM, SO THAT'S JUST SMALL CLEANUP. UM, THE, MY, MY SECOND QUESTION, UM, AND I JUST WANTED TO MAKE SURE THAT I UNDERSTOOD THIS RIGHT. UM, PAGE FOUR, UM, ITALICIZED CHANGES LIKELY TO REQUIRE REQUIRING A, A CHARTER AMENDMENT FIRST BULLET POINT. UM, IT TALKS ABOUT, UM, MAKING THE ETHICS COMMISSION MORE INDEPENDENT, UM, SIMILAR TO POLICE OVERSIGHT, UM, AND THEN DISCUSSES, UM, MORE AUTHORIZATION FOR THE COMMISSION TO MAKE EMPLOYMENT DECISIONS. UM, AS FAR AS I'M AWARE, UM, WITH THE NEW CHARTER AMENDMENT, AT LEAST THE POLICE OVERSIGHT EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR IS HIRED, UH, BY THE CITY COUNCIL, AND IT TAKES A FULL COUNCIL VOTE TO REMOVE THAT, UH, PERSON FROM THEIR POSITION. UM, AND I'M NOT SEEKING NECESSARILY A CHANGE. UM, IT, IT JUST SEEMS LIKE THAT'S A, A BIT MISGUIDED MISLEADING. SO IF YOU KIND OF BREAK IT UP. YEAH, SURE. SO REALLY THE THOUGHT PROCESS IS THAT THEY, THE COMMISSION COULD LOOK AT BEING MORE INDEPENDENT, LIKE THOSE COMMISSIONS THAT ARE INDEPENDENT. GOT IT. AND THAT IN LOOKING AT INDEPENDENCE, [02:20:01] IT IS ALSO RECOMMENDED THAT YOU LOOK AT THE ABILITY TO MAKE THE DECISION ABOUT HIRING THE, THE, UM, THE ETHICS OFFICER AND THEN SET THAT PERSON UP TO, SO KIND OF SEPARATE THOSE TWO THOUGHTS OUT MM-HMM . OKAY. WOULD YOU SUGGEST THAT IT WOULD BE TWO SEPARATE BULLETS? YEAH. OH, MAYBE THAT MIGHT BE BETTER. THAT'S, YEAH, THAT WAS GONNA BE MY SUGGESTION, THAT IT'S JUST A SEPARATE SPACE, BULLET POINT. OKAY. JUST SO THAT THERE'S SEPARATE THOUGHTS. OKAY. THAT, THAT PROBABLY WORK BETTER. YEAH. ANYTHING ELSE FROM THE COMMISSION? YEAH, I HAVE ONE OTHER THING. YES. I JUST WANNA POINT OUT THAT THIS IS, THIS REPORT IS JUST TO BE RECEIVED AND FILED. I MEAN, WHAT HAPPENS TO ANY OF THESE ITEMS? HOW YOU ALL DECIDE TO BREAK THEM UP? UM, I MEAN, WE CAN ANSWER ANY INTERPRETATION QUESTIONS YOU HAVE ABOUT WHAT THE THREE OF US COLLECTIVELY CAME TO, TO THINK, BUT THIS IS NOT A, A DOCUMENT. UM, WELL, I GUESS YOU CAN DO WHATEVER YOU WANT WITH IT, BUT, UM, IT ISN'T NECESSARILY IN A, A FORM THAT YOU WOULD JUST SEND IT TO CITY HALL. SURE. IT WAS MEANT TO BE THINGS FOR YOU ALL TO THINK ABOUT OVER THE NEXT, UM, YOU KNOW, THE NEXT, THE YEARS TO COME, I THINK AS TO WHAT YOU COULD DO BETTER. BUT I, BUT I WANNA JUST ADD ONE THING ABOUT THE INDEPENDENCE THING. FROM MY STANDPOINT, I WON'T SPEAK FOR THE OTHER TWO, UH, MAY KNOW, UM, COMMISSIONER SHOTWELL OR COMMISSIONER MORALES, THE MOST IMPORTANT THING IN, IN, IN THIS WHOLE THING, IN THIS WHOLE THING THAT WE'RE TRYING TO DO ABOUT DEVELOP AN ETHICAL CULTURE IS TO, TO TRY TO KEEP THE, THE ETHICS DEPARTMENT KIND OF SEPARATE FROM ALL THE POLITICAL FORCES IN THE CITY. AND SO, BY WHETHER, WHETHER THE, YOU KNOW, THE, THE HARBOR HIRES ITS OWN EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, THE POLICE COMMISSION APPARENTLY DOES NOT, I'M NOT SURE ABOUT THE, THE OTHER, OTHER POSITIONS, BUT ONE OF THE THINGS WE KNOW WE DON'T DO IS WE DON'T HIRE THE, THE ETHICS OFFICER. WELL, WE KNOW. I MEAN, I THINK BY EXPERIENCE, WE KNOW HOW VALUABLE THE WORK OF, OF OUR STAFF IS. AND, AND JUST, FOR EXAMPLE, THE REPORT THAT LILY PUT TOGETHER AND PRESENTED TODAY WAS, YOU KNOW, THAT WAS A STAFF GENERATED EFFORT AND THAT WAS A RECOMMENDATION FROM MARK KULA. BUT THE MORE INDEPENDENT THEY ARE AS WELL, THEN IT, IT GIVES EVERYONE MORE CONFIDENCE IN, IN IT. AND IT ALSO PROVIDES A, A NEUTRAL PLACE THAT PEOPLE CAN TAKE THEIR PROBLEMS. AND, AND I THINK THAT'S IMPORTANT THAT IF YOU ARE IN, IN SOME OF THE OTHER POSITIONS, IT COULD, IT'S REALLY AWKWARD FOR YOU. BUT IF THERE'S AN, IF THERE'S A NEUTRAL PLACE, THEN YOU CAN SAY, OH, THAT HAS TO GO TO THE NEUTRAL PLACE. I, AND, AND YOU, THE PER THE PERSON WHO'S, YOU KNOW, FEELS IT'S AWKWARD, DON'T HAVE TO DEAL WITH IT. SO THAT'S, THAT'S A CONCEPT THAT, THAT AT LEAST I HAVE COME TO IN, IN MY MIND OF, OF, OF SORT OF THE GOAL THAT WE'RE WORKING FOR. BUT THERE'S A LOT OF LITTLE PIECES THAT CAN BE DONE A ALONG, ALONG THE WAY TOWARDS THAT. SO IF, IF YOU WANNA THINK ABOUT IT IN THE WAY THAT I THOUGHT ABOUT IT, THAT'S, THAT IS WHAT, HOW, HOW I WOULD EXPLAIN IT. SO, UM, AND GO AHEAD. GO AHEAD. YEAH, NO, COMMISSIONER SHOTWELL. MINE'S UNRELATED. SO, OKAY. I JUST WANTED TO SAY, I, I, I, THIS WILL COME BACK AS AN AGENDA ITEM FOR THE FULL COMMISSION TO TALK ABOUT PRIORITIES AND WHAT WE WANT TO START WITH. AND THEN I SUSPECT IT'LL GET BROKEN UP. THE RECOMMENDATION IS TO PUT IT INTO THE STRATEGIC ROADMAP AND THERE'LL BE INDIVIDUAL ITEMS THAT WILL THEN GET WORKED, UM, TO, IT'S, IT'S JUST, THAT'S NOT PART OF THE AGENDA ITEM TODAY, BUT ABSOLUTELY THIS IS, UH, GOING TO BE A GUIDING DOCUMENT ALONG WITH THE STRATEGIC ROADMAP AND THEREFORE INTEGRATED INTO IT. YEAH. A QUESTION AND COMMENT, DO YOU SEE, DOES THE COMMISSIONERS THE CHAIR SEE A NEED FOR A REVISED MEMO? NO. UH, GOOD . I WANTED TO NOTE THAT WHEN UPON REVIEWING IT AGAIN TODAY, I NOTED SOMETHING AND I UNDERSTAND WHY WE DID IT THE WAY WE DID. UH, WELL, WE MADE THE RECOMMENDATION OF THE FULL COMMISSION, AND THEN WE LISTED FOR ADDITIONAL DISCUSSION WITH SEVERAL ELECTED OFFICIALS, INCLUDING THE MAYORS, CITY COUNCIL MEMBERS AND THINGS LIKE THAT. WE DID LEAVE OFF, UH, THE CITY AUDITOR. OH. AND THE CITY [02:25:01] PROSECUTOR. THE REASON WHY WE LEFT THEM OFF IS 'CAUSE WE HAD TALKED WITH THEM. HOWEVER, I BELIEVE IF IT'S THE COMMISSION AS A WHOLE FURTHER DISCUSSION, I DO BELIEVE THAT THE COMMISSION AS A WHOLE WOULD ALSO BENEFIT FROM GOING BACK TO THE CITY AUDITOR AND THE CITY, UH, PROSECUTOR, UH, FOR ADDITIONAL DISCUSSION, ADDITIONAL FEEDBACK. BUT WE DID GET THEIR INPUT IN DRAFTING THIS. THAT'S THE REASON WHY THEY WEREN'T LISTED. BUT I THINK, PERSONALLY, I THINK THAT THEY WOULD BE APPROPRIATE TO GO BACK TO IN THE FULL COMMISSION. AND JUST A REMINDER THAT OUR NOTES ARE AVAILABLE AS YOU GO FORWARD, IF YOU WANNA SEE WHAT WE DISCUSSED WITH ANYONE THAT WE MET WITH, THOSE ARE POSTED. ANY FURTHER INPUT FROM THE COMMISSION? NO. THANK YOU. IS THERE ANY PUBLIC COMMENT ON THIS ITEM? SEEING NONE, LET'S TAKE A VOTE. . COMMISSIONER SHOTWELL, ARE YOU ABLE TO, UH, CAST YOUR VOTE THIS TIME? I'M ON VOTE CAST. OKAY. WE, WE WILL TAKE A VERBAL THEN. UH, COMMISSIONER SHOTWELL. AYE. ALL RIGHT. MOTION CARRIES. THANK YOU. AGENDA ITEM NUMBER EIGHT, RECOMMENDATION TO DISCUSS ANTICIPATED AD HOC COMMITTEES FOR UPCOMING PROJECTS. AND IF APPROPRIATE, TAKE ACTION TO DISSOLVE, CREATE, OR REAUTHORIZE AD [8. 25-55208 Recommendation to discuss anticipated Ad Hoc Committees for upcoming projects; and, if appropriate, take action to dissolve, create or reauthorize Ad Hoc Committees.       Suggested Action: Approve recommendation. ] HOC COMMITTEES. I HAVE A MOTION FROM COMMISSIONER MORALES, SECONDED BY COMMISSIONER D BENEDICTUS. AND I THINK WE CAN DISBAND, UM, THE, THE AD HOC ON RESPONSIBILITIES. SO I WOULD DO A FRIENDLY AMENDMENT TO DISBAND THE WORK OF THE AD HOC ON RESPONSIBILITIES. COMMISSIONER DE BENEDICTUS CONCUR, CONCURS ANY OTHER DISCUSSION ON THIS AGENDA ITEM? IS THERE ANY PUBLIC COMMENT ON THIS AGENDA ITEM? UH, SO WE'LL TAKE A VOTE ON THE AGENDA ITEM AS AMENDED. COMMISSIONER SHOTWELL. AYE. OUGHT TO DO, UH, YEAH. VERBALLY. AYE. ALL RIGHT. AND MOTION CARRIES. HE DOESN'T WANNA DISBAND. AGENDA ITEM NUMBER NINE, RECOMMENDATION TO RECEIVE AND FILE A MONTHLY UPDATE FROM THE ETHICS OFFICER. I HAVE A MOTION FROM COMMISSIONER DE BENEDICTUS, SECONDED [9. 25-55209 Recommendation to receive and file a monthly update from the Ethics Officer.       Suggested Action: Approve recommendation. ] BY COMMISSIONER SHOTWELL. HEATHER. THANK YOU, CHAIR. UM, AS WE ALL KNOW, THIS IS ANITA'S LAST MEETING. UH, JUST WANTED TO SHARE THAT AGAIN PUBLICLY. UM, WE DON'T KNOW WHO OUR NEW ATTORNEY IS GOING TO BE, BUT THEY ARE ACTIVELY WORKING TO GET US COVERED UNLESS, OH, SOUNDS LIKE WE'RE CLOSER TO AN ATTORNEY THAN I REALIZE. BUT THAT'S BEING FINALIZED, WHICH IS GREAT. UM, WE KNOW IT'S LILIANA'S LAST DAY. UM, WE, THE OET HAD A TABLE AT OUR EMPLOYEE RESOURCE FAIR LAST WEEK, SO IT WAS AN AWESOME EVENT. UM, HUNDREDS OF EMPLOYEES CAME THROUGH. UM, SO IT WAS, UM, WE WERE ABLE TO GET A LOT OF, OR SOME OF OUR RESOURCES OUT, INCLUDING, UM, DOING A LOT OF PUSH AROUND THE HELPLINE. SO THESE ARE THE TYPES OF EVENTS THAT WE CONTINUE TO LOOK FOR IN PARTICIPATING IN OET AND, UH, THE ETHICS COMMISSION. WE HAVE OUR PSAS RECORDED. UM, I SHOULD SEE THOSE, UM, THIS WEEK. ACTUALLY, I'LL CHECK IN WITH ED. OUR LUNCH AND LEARN THIS MONTH IS WITH CITY AUDITOR LAURA DOUD. SO SHE'LL BE DOING A SIMILAR PRESENTATION TOMORROW, UM, TO THE ONE WE DID TODAY. UM, TALKING ABOUT THE HOTLINE, BUT ALSO FOCUSING ON AUDITS AND HOW AUDITS ARE TRIGGERED, UM, ET CETERA. UH, ETHICS AND GOOD GOVERNMENT ACT. I ANTICIPATE THAT BEING RELEASED PROBABLY NEXT WEEK. UM, SO I WILL KEEP YOU POSTED ON THAT. WHEN I SAY RELEASED, MEANING GO UPSTAIRS, UM, WITH, UH, THE CITY MANAGER'S MEMO FRAMEWORK FOR ETHICAL DECISION MAKING, WE PLAN TO PRESENT THAT TO [02:30:01] THE COMMISSION IN JUNE. AND THEN A REMINDER THAT WE'RE LOSING OUR THREE COMMISSIONERS NEXT MONTH, MORALE IS SHOT WELL, AND WHY? AND WE WILL HAVE A CELEBRATORY DINNER AFTERWARDS. SO JUST NEED TO KNOW WHO'S COMING TO THAT FOR RESERVATION PURPOSES RIGHT NOW. WE ARE, UM, GOING TO AMATO, BUT WE'RE FLEXIBLE. WELL, I'M FLEXIBLE. I DON'T KNOW THAT THE CHAIR'S FLEXIBLE, BUT , I'M JUST KIDDING. , I'M TEASING YOU ABOUT BOBOS. UM, SO THAT'S THE END OF MY REPORT. THANK YOU. . I WAS TEASING YOU ABOUT BOBO'S RESTAURANT. OH, . YEAH. I'M FLEXIBLE WITHIN CONSTRAINTS CHAIR. YES. COMMISSIONER SHAWA. SO I STILL HAVE ONE MORE MEETING, BUT, UH, ON BEHALF OF COMMISSIONER MORALES AND WISE, AND THE, I MEAN, WE HAVE HAD NOW THREE ATTORNEYS, UH, AND I DO THINK THAT WE PROBABLY SHOULD JUST REQUIRE ANITA TO BE OUR ATTORNEY THROUGH THE NEXT MEETING. I'M JUST, I'M BEING FACETIOUS AND KIDDING. UH, WE'RE GONNA MISS YOU, ANITA, SHOULD I MENTION, UH, ANY OTHER INPUT FROM THE COMMISSION? IS THERE ANY PUBLIC COMMENT ON THIS ITEM? SEEING NO PUBLIC COMMENT, LET'S MOVE TO VOTE. ALL RIGHT. MOTION CARRIES. AGENDA ITEM NUMBER 10, RECOMMENDATION. DID I SKIP ANYTHING? NO. RECOMMENDATION TO DISCUSS POTENTIAL [10. 25-55210 Recommendation to discuss potential agenda items for future Commission meetings.       Suggested Action: Approve recommendation. ] AGENDA ITEMS FOR FUTURE COMMISSION MEETINGS. IF A MOTION FROM COMMISSIONER MORALES SECONDED BY COMMISSIONER WISE, ANY INPUT? UH, PLEASE, COMMISSIONER WISE? YEAH. UM, IT, IT, IT JUST CAME TO ME WHEN WE WERE TALKING EARLIER WITH, UM, UNDER THE ITEM WITH THE AUDITOR'S REPORT AND TALKING ABOUT, UM, COORDINATION REGARDING FRAUD REPORTS BETWEEN HR AND, AND HER OFFICE AND THE OET, ET CETERA. THAT, UM, AND I HAVEN'T THOUGHT THIS OUT, BUT, BUT I THINK SOME THOUGHT SHOULD GO INTO HOW WITH THE CURRENT, UM, STAFFING AND AUTHORITY THAT OUR COMMISSION, THIS COMMISSION HAS, HOW WE BEST, UM, I'M JUST GONNA SAY ASSIST IN THE, IN THE ELECTION PROCESS GOING FORWARD, INCLUDING WITH THE CLERK'S OFFICE, WHICH IS THE PLACE WHERE THE REPORTS ARE COMING REGARDING, UM, CAMPAIGN, UH, FINANCES AND, AND, AND THINGS LIKE THAT. AND WHETHER MORE CAN'T BE DONE ON THAT, AND MAYBE EVEN ON THE LOBBYING REPORTS, I DON'T KNOW, BUT, BUT THOSE REPORTS, SO SOMEBODY HAS TIME TO LOOK AT THEM SUBSTANTIVELY AND MAKE SURE THAT THEY'RE, UM, YOU KNOW, THAT THEY'RE THOROUGH OR, OR THAT THEY'VE BEEN COMPLETED, UM, MORE OR LESS CORRECTLY. SO I DON'T, I DON'T WANNA BELABOR THE POINT HERE, BUT I THINK IT'S SOMETHING THAT, UM, SHOULD BE LOOKED AT SOONER THAN LATER SO THAT, UM, THE, THE ETHICS COMMISSION CAN BE AS HELPFUL AND INVOLVED AS IS APPROPRIATE IN COORDINATION WITH DEPARTMENTS THAT, THAT HAVE RELATED RESPONSIBILITIES. SO, ANY OTHER INPUT FROM THE COMMISSION? ANY PUBLIC COMMENT ON THIS ITEM? LET'S MOVE TO A VOTE. MOTION CARRIES. AND DO WE HAVE ANY PUBLIC COMMENT [PUBLIC COMMENT Opportunity to address the Ethics Commission on non-agenda items. Each speaker is limited to three minutes to make their comments unless extended by the Chair.] ON NON AGENDA ITEMS? WE ALREADY DID. UM, ANNOUNCEMENTS. UH, [ANNOUNCEMENTS] I, I WANTED TO NOTE THAT, UH, VICE CHAIR COLEMAN AND I HAD A MEET AND GREET WITH THE NEW HEAD OF HR FOR THE CITY OF LONG BEACH. UH, SEEMS LIKE HE WILL BE A GOOD PARTNER. HE'S DRINKING FROM A FIRE HOSE RIGHT NOW. UM, WE DID NOTE [02:35:01] THAT, UM, WHEN HE COMES UP FOR AIR, UM, WE SENT, HEATHER SENT HIM A COPY OF THE PERFORMANCE AUDIT, UH, THAT THE CITY AUDITOR'S OFFICE DID IN 2019. AND THE, UH, EXTERNAL AUDIT THAT WAS DONE IN 2020, THE HARVEY ROSE AUDIT, AND A COPY OF THE INVESTIGATION PROTOCOL. UM, SO HE WILL HAVE A, A SENSE OF, OF WHERE WE'RE GOING, AND THEN WE CAN START DISCUSSIONS ON OUR STRATEGIC ROADMAP AND THE INTERACTIONS WITH, UH, WITH, WITH HR IN THE CITY. SO I'M, UH, I'M LOOKING FORWARD TO THE PARTNERSHIP THERE, AND WE'LL, UM, MEET WITH HIM PERIODICALLY. UH, CHIEF, UH, VICE CHAIR COLEMAN, DO YOU WANNA ADD ANYTHING ON THAT? UM, I'M, I'M A LITTLE CONFUSED ABOUT THE ETHICS AND GOOD GOVERNANCE ACT. I LISTENED TO THE GOVERNMENT OPERATIONS AND EFFICIENCY COMMITTEE MEETING OF APRIL 15TH, IN WHICH THE COMMITTEE INDICATED THAT THEY WOULD BE TAKING UP THE ORDINANCE. BUT IT SOUNDS LIKE WHAT I JUST HEARD IS THE ORDINANCE HASN'T GONE TO THE CITY COUNCIL YET. I HEARD THAT THEY WOULD BE TAKING UP ETHICS RECOMMENDATIONS IN GENERAL, SO MAYBE WE HEARD TWO DIFFERENT THINGS. OH, UH, WE MAY HAVE HEARD THE SAME THING AND INTERPRETED IT DIFFERENTLY. , I KNOW THAT THERE'S ANTICIPATION IN RECEIVING THE ORDINANCE RECOMMENDATION. OKAY. SO THEY'RE JUST ANTICIPATING WE'VE BEEN FOLLOW THERE. THOSE OFFICES HAVE BEEN FOLLOWING THE WORK, SO THEY KNOW THAT IT'S BEEN APPROVED BY THE COMMISSION. SO IT, IT WOULDN'T, I WOULDN'T BE SURPRISED IF THEY WILL TALK ABOUT IT, BUT WHAT I HEARD WAS THAT THEY JUST WANT TO START SPENDING MORE TIME WITH COMMISSION RECOMMENDATIONS IN GENERAL. OKAY. GREAT. MM-HMM . AND YOU'RE LOOKING INTO HOW WE FIND OUT ABOUT THEIR MEETING IN ADVANCE SO THAT WE CAN, WHEN, WHEN ETHICS IS ON THE AGENDA, SO THAT WE CAN THE MEETING. YEAH, I, IT'S ON MY LIST OF THINGS TO TALK TO PHILIP ABOUT. I DON'T, IN MY EXPLORATION, I DON'T KNOW UNLESS THEY HAVE SOMETHING ON LINK LB SPECIFIC TO THAT. UM, UH, JUST TO INTERJECT, UH, THIS IS, UH, VARYING OFF OF ANNOUNCEMENTS AND, AND ONTO OUR PREVIOUS ITEM. IF WE WANT, WE COULD REVISIT THE ITEM AND OPEN IT BACK UP, BUT, UH, IT'S OKAY. WE'RE JUST GETTING AWAY FROM JUST TO POINT ORDER, THAT'S ALL. OKAY. SORRY. NO WORRY. UM, AND THE LAST ANNOUNCEMENT IS THAT WE'RE ALL GONNA MEET IN THE BACK FOR A FEW MINUTES AFTER THIS MEETING. UM, TO SAY GOODBYE TO ANITA AND LILIANA, VICE CHAIR COLEMAN. I ALSO JUST WANTED TO, YOU KNOW, A A COUPLE OTHER ANNOUNCEMENTS OF ONE THIS WEEKEND. UM, THE CITY OF LONG BEACH IS HOSTING A YOUTH WEEK, UM, WHICH I AM VERY EXCITED ABOUT. I'LL BE SPEAKING AT ONE OF THE, UH, EVENTS. IT WILL BE HELD AT LB, THE HEADQUARTERS AT LB WINN. UM, AND SO IF YOU KNOW ANY, UM, MIDDLE SCHOOL HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS WHO ARE, YOU KNOW, INTERESTED, UM, I HIGHLY RECOMMEND YOU TELL THEM ABOUT IT. UM, IT'S, YOU KNOW, REALLY FOCUSING ON YOUTH AND EMPOWERING THEM IN THEIR CAREER AND EDUCATION. UM, THE SECOND ITEM, UM, I JUST WANTED TO ACKNOWLEDGE THAT LONG BEACH IS CELEBRATING PRIDE, UM, UH, THIS WEEKEND AS WELL. IT'S THE 42ND ANNUAL ANNUAL HOSTING OF IT. IT'S ALSO, UM, OCCURRING THIS WEEKEND WITH THE PARADE OCCURRING ON, UH, SUNDAY THE 18TH. SO I JUST WANTED TO GIVE RECOGNITION OF THAT AS WELL. THANK YOU. IS THERE ANYTHING ELSE? WE ARE ADJOURNED. [ADJOURNMENT] OKAY. THE TIME IS FIVE 40. THANK YOU. UH, NEXT WEDNESDAY NIGHT. * This transcript was created by voice-to-text technology. The transcript has not been edited for errors or omissions, it is for reference only and is not the official minutes of the meeting.