Dec 10, 2025 Ethics Commission

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THE TIME IS, UH, 3 0 1.

WOULD YOU LIKE TO CALL THE MEETING TO ORDER? OKAY.

ALL RIGHT.

AT 3 0 1, UH, ETHICS COMMISSION IS NOW CALLED TO ORDER.

LET'S TAKE ROLL CALL.

COMMISSIONER GILLETTE.

HERE.

COMMISSIONER GILL? HERE.

COMMISSIONER EATON? HERE.

COMMISSIONER D BENEDICTUS.

HERE.

COMMISSIONER VEY.

HERE.

VICE CHAIR COLEMAN.

HERE.

CHAIR P*****K.

HERE WE HAVE CORUM.

[ROLL CALL]

A MOTION FROM COMMISSIONER DE BENEDICTUS, SECONDED BY COMMISSIONER GILL.

IS THERE ANY DISCUSSION?

[1. 25-57175 Recommendation to approve the minutes for the Ethics Commission meeting of Wednesday, November 12, 2025.        Suggested Action: Approve recommendation. ]

I THOUGHT WE HAD RECEIVED A PUBLIC COMMENT ABOUT AN HOUR BEFORE THE MEETING SOMETHING WAS TRANSMITTED TO US, BUT I DIDN'T SEE THAT IN THE MINUTES.

IT SHOULD BE THERE NOW IF IT'S ON ITEM NUMBER TWO.

AND WE ALSO HAVE IT ATTACHED AT THE SECONDARY PUBLIC COMMENT IN THE REPORT.

UH, SO IT IT IT WAS ADDED AFTER THE MATERIALS THAT WERE SENT OUT TO US.

YEAH, IT CAME IN AFTER, AFTER THE FACT.

UH, THIS WAS A, UM, ABOUT AN HOUR BEFORE THE MEETING LAST, THE NOVEMBER MEETING? NO, THIS CAME IN, UH, NO, I'M SAYING WE RECEIVED SOMETHING ABOUT AN HOUR BEFORE THE NOVEMBER.

YES.

OUR OFFICE NOTIFIED THE COMMISSION AS WELL AS STAFF THAT WE HAD RECEIVED PUBLIC COMMENT AS WELL AS SUPPLYING THE REPORT FOR THIS, THIS WEEK'S AGENDA.

WE RECEIVED A PUBLIC COMMENT IN RELATION TO ITEM NUMBER TWO FROM THE NOVEMBER MEETING.

IN OTHER WORDS, WE'RE LOOKING AT THE MINUTES OF THE NOVEMBER MEETING, RIGHT? YES.

I THOUGHT THERE WAS A COMMENT ON THE NON-FINANCIAL CONFLICT OF INTEREST ISSUE FROM THE NOVEMBER MEETING.

I BELIEVE THERE WAS A QUESTION ABOUT THAT, BUT THAT WAS ANSWERED.

UNFORTUNATELY, TYLER'S NOT HERE TO ADDRESS THAT SPECIFIC CONCERN.

UM, I DON'T HAVE THE, THE SPECIFICS OF THAT QUESTION, BUT NOTHING WAS RECEIVED IN CONNECTION WITH THAT ITEM.

I BELIEVE YOU'RE REFERRING TO ITEM NUMBER THREE, IS THAT CORRECT? UH, FROM THE NOVEMBER MEETING? NO, FROM, UH, I I THINK THIS IS IN RELATION TO THIS WEEK'S.

UM, YES.

NO, I, I RECEIVED SOMETHING.

I THOUGHT IT WAS TRANSMITTED TO THE ENTIRE COMMISSION.

FOR, FOR ITEM, YES, FOR ITEM NUMBER THREE ON THE NOVEMBER MEETING.

I I, I'M SORRY IF I'M, I'M NOT FOLLOWING IT.

WE HAVE THE ATTACHMENT THERE.

IS THAT, IS THAT NOT DISPLAYING FOR YOU? SHOULD I BE LOOKING ON THE COMPUTER OR THE AGENDA MATERIALS THAT YOU SENT OUT, UH, ON THE COMPUTER? THAT WOULD BE THE MOST RECENT WHAT WE HAVE.

AH, OKAY.

UH, DID YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS IN RELATION TO ITEM NUMBER ONE RIGHT NOW FOR LA LAST, UH, NOVEMBER'S MINUTES.

THE MINUTES DON'T REFLECT THAT WE RECEIVED WRITTEN COMMENT.

YEAH, WE WOULDN'T, WE WOULDN'T PUT IT IN THE MINUTES.

THAT'S, THAT, THAT WOULDN'T BE, IT WOULD ONLY BE IN THE WRITTEN, UH, UH, UH, FINALIZED MINUTES.

SO IF YOU GO ONLINE, YOU CAN SEE THE FINALIZED MINUTES AND YOU CAN FIND THOSE SPECIFIC COMMENTS IN RELATION.

IT WOULDN'T BE PRESENT IN THE MINUTES.

SO THE MINUTES FROM NOVEMBER, SAY,

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I SHOULD BE LOOKING ONLINE BECAUSE THE COPY NO, THE, THE, THE MINUTES FROM THE NOVEMBER 12TH MEETING WILL NOT REFLECT SPECIFIC AFTER THE FACT PUBLIC COMMENT.

IT WOULD BE CONNECTED TO THE, THE, THE PACKET.

THAT'S THE H THANK YOU.

THE HTML MINUTES THAT ARE DISPLAYED ONLINE.

THEY'RE NOT, THEY'RE NOT NOTED IN THE SPECIFIC MINUTES.

IT'S MORE FOR ACTIONS THAT WERE TAKEN AND DISCUSSION TAKEN, UH, DURING THE NOVEMBER MEETING.

SO I HAVE A QUESTION, BUT THE MINUTES SAY THERE WERE NO ONLINE PUBLIC COMMENTS AND THE, THERE WAS A COMMENT RECEIVED AN HOUR BEFORE THE MEETING.

YES.

SO, UM, CHAIR P*****K, UM, THE NOTE IN THE MINUTES THAT SAYS THERE WERE NO ONLINE PUBLIC COMMENTS OR, UM, EMAILS RECEIVED THAT IS SPECIFIC TO NON AGENDA PUBLIC COMMENT.

OH, OKAY.

SO THE, THE COMMENT THAT WAS RECEIVED WAS FOR ITEM NUMBER THREE? YEP.

SO IF, UM, WHICH YOU AREN'T ABLE TO CHECK ON YOUR TABLET, UM, BUT IF YOU CHECK THE ONLINE, UM, FOR ITEM THREE IN THE HTML MINUTES, THERE IS AN ATTACHMENT FOR ITEM THREE DASH PC.

AND THAT WOULD BE THE PUBLIC COMMENT THAT I BELIEVE MOST LIKELY WOULD'VE BEEN EMAILED TO YOU PRIOR TO LAST MEETING.

OKAY.

I PULLED UP THE, AND THEN THE ONLY TIME WE GENERALLY NOTE, UM, IF LIKE A PUBLIC COMMENT, UM, WAS SUBMITTED, UM, IS LIKE, IF IT'S A HANDOUT, IF IT'S SUBMITTED AT THE MEETING, WE WOULD STATE, LIKE, IT WAS LIKE, UM, SOMETHING LIKE THE PERSON SPOKE AND SUBMITTED A HANDOUT OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT.

OTHERWISE, IF IT'S JUST LIKE AN ATTACHMENT, LIKE WHAT YOU RECEIVED TODAY, UHHUH, UM, PRIOR TO THE MEETING, I THINK PHIL SENT OUT, UM, THOSE KIND OF PUBLIC COMMENTS ARE JUST EITHER ATTACHED TO THE SPECIFIC ITEM AS ATTACHMENT IN AFTER THE MEETING.

IN ONE MEETING MEETING, OR, YEAH.

OR, AND THAT SHOULD SHOW, ACTUALLY, I THINK RIGHT NOW, RIGHT? YOU MADE THAT PUBLIC FOR THE PUBLIC COMMENTS THAT WERE SENT OUT TODAY? FOR TODAY'S, YES.

YES.

SO THAT'S MADE PUBLIC WHEN YOU GUYS RECEIVE IT, UM, WE PUBLISH IT.

AND THEN FOR THE ONE THAT WAS THE NON AGENDA ONE THAT YOU, UM, LIKE, UH, THAT WOULD BE ADDED TO THAT SECTION THAT HAS THAT NOTE.

SO THAT NOTE ONLY REFERS TO THE NON AGENDA AND ONLINE PUBLIC COMMENT REPORT.

OKAY.

SO THE EMAILS, UM, IS SPECIFIC TO THAT.

AND THEN THE ONLINE PUBLIC COMMENTS IS THAT REPORT THAT, UM, WE SEND OUT PRIOR TO THE MEETING AND THOSE WOULD BE THERE.

SO TODAY'S MINUTES, THE MINUTES FOR TODAY WILL SAY NO ONLINE PUBLIC COMMENT, BUT, UH, IN THE ONE MEETING APP, IF YOU CLICK THE, THE, THE PUBLIC COMMENTS THAT WE RECEIVE, BECAUSE THEY ARE AS TO AN AGENDA ITEM WILL APPEAR IN THE APP ONLINE.

YES.

SO FOR TODAY'S, IT, IT'LL APPEAR FOR THAT ITEM, I BELIEVE.

'CAUSE I THINK PHIL SAID IT WAS FOR A SPECIFIC ITEM, AND THEN THE OTHER ONE, IT IS FOR THE SAME ITEM, BUT IT WAS IN THAT ONLINE PUBLIC COMMENT REPORT, WHICH THEY PROVIDED.

UH, THEY DID IT THROUGH THE SYSTEM.

UM, AND IT GENERATES THE REPORT, AND THE REPORT WILL BE ATTACHED TO THAT PUBLIC COMMENT SECTION.

OKAY.

FOR THE NON AGENDA PUBLIC COMMENT SECTION.

OKAY.

THANK YOU.

OH, NO PROBLEM.

I GUESS I SHOULD HAVE FIGURED THAT OUT IN FOUR, FOUR YEARS.

BUT OKAY.

FIVE YEARS.

UH, DO WE HAVE ANY MORE COMMENTS ON THIS ITEM? ARE THERE ANY PUBLIC COMMENTS ON THIS ITEM? WE'LL MOVE TO A VOTE.

OKAY.

HOW DO WE GET BACK? THERE WE GO.

I GOTTA GO TO VOTE CAST HERE, MY THING.

NO, YOU DON'T HAVE TO JUST CLICK ON LIVE MEETING YOU.

YOU'RE WELCOME.

VOTE CAST WASN'T DOING IT.

.

YEAH, IT I'M LOST, BUT I'M AN I.

OH, HALF THE TIME IT DOESN'T.

ALL RIGHT.

JUST TO HELP.

UH, THANK YOU, JT.

COMMISSIONER DEBEES, YOU SAID AYE.

AYE.

OKAY.

THANK YOU.

THANK YOU.

THANK JT.

THANK YOU.

MOTION CARRIES.

AGENDA ITEM NUMBER TWO, RECOMMENDATION TO RECEIVE AND FILE AN UPDATE TO THE PROPOSED LONG BEACH FRAMEWORK FOR ACCOUNTABILITY, INTEGRITY, AND REPORTING PERS FAIR ACT.

I HAVE A MOTION FROM COMMISSIONER DE BENEDICTUS, SECONDED BY COMMISSIONER COLEMAN.

[2. 25-57176 Recommendation to receive and file an update to the proposed Long Beach Framework for Accountability, Integrity, and Reporting (FAIR) Act.       Suggested Action: Approve recommendation. ]

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SO I JUST WANTED TO CONFIRM THAT THE GO MEETING TO DISCUSS THE FAIR ACT HAS BEEN SCHEDULED FOR FEBRUARY 10TH AT 3:30 PM IF THAT WAS CONFIRMED.

UH, JUST TODAY, TWO 10 AT WHAT TIME? 3:30 PM THREE 30.

THANK YOU.

YOU'RE WELCOME.

UM, SO FOR THE COMMISSION, I, I HOPE YOU ALL FOLLOWED IT.

ON NOVEMBER 18TH, THE CITY COUNCIL APPROVED THE RECOMMENDATION OF MAYOR RICHARDSON TO ADVANCE THE FAIR ACT, WHICH IS FRAMEWORK FOR ACCOUNTABILITY INTEGRITY AND REPORTING ACT.

UH, I APPEARED ON BEHALF OF THE COMMISSION.

UH, FORMER COMMISSIONER, UH, WISE SPOKE IN HER PERSONAL CAPACITY WHILE NOTING HER ROLE AS A FORMER CHAIR OF THE COMMISSION AND MEMBER OF ONE OF THE AD HOC COMMITTEES THAT WORKED FOR THE MATTER.

I WANNA THANK COMMISSIONER NOVE FOR COMING TO PROVIDE SUPPORT WAS, UM, VERY MUCH APPRECIATED.

UM, UNFORTUNATELY, WE ONLY HAD ABOUT A MINUTE EACH TO SPEAK.

UM, AS A MEMBER OF THE PUBLIC, I THANKED MAYOR RICHARDSON FOR HIS SUPPORT AND DIDN'T GET THROUGH MUCH MORE.

UM, BOTTOM LINE, UP FRONT, THE MAYOR'S RECOMMENDATION AND THE APPROACH HE, UH, PROPOSED WAS APPROVED BY THE COUNCIL.

IT'S AS FOLLOWS, THE COUNCIL REFERRED THE ACT TO THE GOVERNMENT OPERATIONS AND EFFICIENCY COMMITTEE FOR PUBLIC INPUT DISCUSSION AND FEEDBACK.

THE PROPOSAL SUBMITTED TO THE COMMITTEE INCORPORATES THE CHANGES PROPOSED BY CITY STAFF, ADDITIONAL CHANGES, UH, THAT WERE INCLUDED IN THE MAYOR'S TRANSMISSION, AND IT ASSUMES ADDITIONAL CHANGES MAY BE NEEDED.

UM, THE MAYOR, THE FAIR ACT AS PROPOSED IS SUBSTANTIALLY, BUT NOT ENTIRELY.

UH, THE ETHICS AND GOOD GOVERNANCE ACT WAS THAT WAS PREPARED BY THIS COMMISSION AND SENT TO THE CITY MANAGER.

UH, THE MAYOR'S PROPOSAL, UH, INCLUDED SOME ADDITIONAL CHANGES.

UM, ONE OF PARTICULAR NOTE IS THAT WHILE THIS COMMISSION RECOMMENDED THAT LOBBYIST REPORTS BE FILED MONTHLY, THE MAYOR'S RECOMMENDATION WOULD REQUIRE THAT REPORTS BE FILED QUARTERLY.

UM, WE ARE REPLACING A PROVISION THAT REQUIRES THAT THE REPORTS BE FILED BI-ANNUALLY.

SO QUARTERLY IS BETTER THAN BI-ANNUALLY.

BUT I STILL HAVE A QUESTION OF WHETHER OR NOT A QUARTERLY REPORT IS TIMELY TO KNOW WHO HAS BEEN PAYING FOR INFLUENCE ON A MATTER WHEN IT COMES BEFORE THE CITY COUNCIL.

UM, THERE WERE A FEW OTHER CHANGES.

I'M HAPPY TO GO OVER THEM WITH ANYONE IF, IF, UH, ANYONE, UH, WANTS TO KNOW MORE OF THE DETAILS.

UM, THERE WERE A NUMBER OF COMMENTS FROM INDIVIDUAL COUNCIL MEMBERS.

UH, SOME OF THE QUESTIONS ARE ACTUALLY ANSWERED IN THE LANGUAGE THAT THE ETHICS COMMISSION PROPOSED, BUT WHICH WASN'T INCLUDED IN THE PACKAGE.

UH, SOME WERE QUESTIONS WE'D CONSIDERED, BUT WE'D RECOMMENDED AN APPROACH THAT JUST SIMPLY MAY NOT PREVAIL.

UM, THERE WERE A NUMBER OF CONCERNS RAISED ABOUT THE PROPOSAL TO REQUIRE MAINTENANCE AND DISCLOSURE OF CALENDARS BY CITY OFFICIALS.

UM, AND, AND SUBSTANTIAL CONCERN ABOUT THE FISCAL IMPACT.

WE, WE RECOGNIZE THAT THIS PROPOSAL WOULD HAVE A, A FISCAL IMPACT, AND, UH, THE CITY WILL HAVE TO QUANTIFY THAT.

UH, UH, AFTER THE MEETING, I REACHED OUT BY EMAIL TO COUNCIL MEMBER DUGAN, WHO IS THE CHAIR OF THE GOVERNMENT OPERATIONS AND EFFICIENCY COMMITTEE.

I HAVE NOT YET HEARD BACK.

UM, I'D LIKE TO REACH OUT TO OTHER INDIVIDUAL COUNCIL MEMBERS WHO RAISED ISSUES DURING THE COUNCIL MEETING.

UH, I BELIEVE THAT MY AUTHORIZATION FROM THE FULL COMMISSION TO, UH, SPEAK TO THE CITY COUNCIL INCLUDES INDIVIDUAL MEMBERS OF THE CITY COUNCIL.

I'M SURE MILLICENT WILL CORRECT ME IF I AM WRONG ABOUT THAT.

BUT, UH, I DO PLAN TO REACH OUT, UM, AND TRY TO SCHEDULE MEETINGS, BECAUSE IF WE ONLY HAVE THREE MINUTES OR TWO MINUTES, OR A MINUTE AND A HALF OR 60 SECONDS, DEPENDING ON HOW MANY PEOPLE SHOW UP AT THE GOVERNMENT AND, AND, AND OPERATIONS AND EFFICIENCY COMMITTEE, IT'S SIMPLY NOT ENOUGH TIME TO EXPLAIN WHAT OUR

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UM, AND IN SOME CASES, SIMPLY HOW WE ADDRESS THE CONCERN THAT'S BEING RAISED.

UM, SO I, UH, WILL BE REACHING OUT TO ADDITIONAL, UH, MEMBERS OF THE CITY COUNCIL TO TRY TO ANSWER QUESTIONS AND, AND SPEAK AT, AT GREATER LENGTH ON SOME OF THE ISSUES.

ANY QUESTIONS? QUESTION? YES.

WAS, AND I'M SORRY IF I DIDN'T WATCH IT, BUT WAS THE, YOU STILL CAN I STILL CAN OR WAS THE MOTION APPROVED AS PRESENTED, OR WAS THERE, UH, ALTERNATE MOTION? THE MOTION WAS APPROVED AS PRESENTED, BUT AS PRESENTED, IT WAS A MOTION TO SEND THIS TO THE GOVERNMENT OPERATIONS AND EFFICIENCY COMMITTEE TO GET ADDITION TO HAVE PUBLIC MEETINGS, GET ADDITIONAL FEEDBACK, ACCEPT THE RECOMMENDATIONS OF CITY STAFF FOR CHANGES, AND COME BACK WITH A, WITH, AND THEN MOVE TO THE CITY ATTORNEY FOR FINAL DRAFTING AFTER THE GOVERNMENT OPERATIONS AND EFFICIENCY COMMITTEE IS CONCLUDED BEFORE THEY GO BACK TO THE CITY COUNCIL.

SO, AND, AND WITH A MEETING IN THE FIRST MEETING BEING IN FEBRUARY, I, I'M JUST GONNA HAVE TO TRY TO EXERCISE MORE PATIENTS THAN I HAVE ABOUT THIS.

UM, AND IT WILL HAVE TO GO TO MEET AND CONFER ONCE THE CITY COUNCIL IS ON BOARD, OR I THINK BEFORE THE CITY COUNCIL GETS ON BOARD.

UM, I'M NOT SURE WHEN, WHEN MEET AND CONFER TAKES PLACE, BUT THERE HAS TO BE, MEET AND CONFER WITH THE BARGAINING UNITS, AND THAT WE KNOW THAT THAT'S A TIMELY PROCE, A TIME CONSUMING PROCESS.

SO I'LL PUT A STOPWATCH ON IT.

YEAH, I MEAN, THE MEETING FIRST GONNA TAKE MANY, MANY WEEKS, UM, BECAUSE THERE'S NINE, I BELIEVE THERE'S NINE ORGANIZATIONS.

EIGHT ORGANIZATIONS, YEAH.

ANY OTHER COMMENTS FROM THE COMMISSION? COMMISSIONER NOVE.

THANK YOU, CHAIR.

I JUST WANTED TO THANK YOU AND FORMER COMMISSIONER WEISS, UH, FOR SPEAKING.

I THOUGHT YOU GUYS DID AN EXCELLENT JOB.

UM, MY SENSE WAS THAT THE, THE COUNCIL AND THE MAYOR, UM, WERE PRETTY ENTHUSIASTIC AND VERY SUPPORTIVE OF OUR WORK.

AND, UM, BUT YES, UH, TO YOUR POINT, UH, MAYBE THREE OR FOUR COUNCIL MEMBERS DID HAVE SPECIFIC ISSUES LIKE YOU MENTIONED.

UM, BUT I'M, I'M SURE YOU'LL BE ABLE TO MEET WITH THE CHAIR AND HAVE PLENTY OF TIME TO HAVE A CONVERSATION WITH THEM BEFORE THE, THE 10TH OF FEBRUARY.

BUT, UM, GOOD JOB.

ANY OTHER MEMBERS OF THE COMMISSION? COMMISSIONER DE BENEDICTUS? YEAH, I'LL JUST ADD, I, I WASN'T, UM, AS, AS INGRAINED AND, AND INVOLVED WITH THE AD HOC WITH, UH, THE LOBBYING ACTIVITIES, WHICH SOME OF THIS CALENDARING, UH, INFORMATION CAME UP.

I RECALL THERE BEING A GREAT DEAL OF WORK DONE ON FAQS AROUND THESE AREAS.

SO I THINK, UM, I STILL SUPPORT THE MONTHLY DISCLOSURE, UM, BUT OF COURSE, WHAT WE NEED TO HEAR, UH, THEIR OPINIONS AND THE FISCAL IMPACT IS GONNA BE, UH, BE KEY.

BUT IF YOU NEED ANY ASSISTANCE, I'M HAPPY TO HELP OUT.

BUT, UM, I DO THINK, UM, HAVING FAQS OR BEING PREPARED, WHICH, WHICH I KNOW YOU WILL BE, UH, TO HELP THEM WITH THE CALENDARING, UH, SO IT DOESN'T SEEM SO BURDENSOME THAT THEY CAN DO THINGS RETROACTIVELY, ET CETERA, UH, THAT IT'S REALLY ABOUT TRANSPARENCY AND THE, TO THE BEST OF THEIR ABILITY TO KEEP THOSE CALENDARS, UM, OPEN AND TRANSPARENT TO THE PUBLIC.

BUT I'LL, I'M HAPPY TO JOIN YOU IF YOU NEED ANY HELP.

THANKS.

YEAH, I DEFINITELY, BECAUSE I ONLY WAS ON THE AD HOC FOR LOBBYING, AND YOU WERE THE AD HOC ON THE AD HOC, YOU'RE THE ONLY REMAINING MEMBER OF THE AD HOC ON ALL OF THE REST OF THE PROVISIONS.

SO I, I DEFINITELY WOULD, WOULD APPRECIATE THE HELP.

THANK YOU.

AND, AND ALL THE MEMBERS OF THE COUNCIL AND THE MAYOR WERE VERY COMPLIMENTARY TO THE WORK THAT HAD BEEN PUT IN.

SO KUDOS TO THE FORMER COMMISSIONERS WHO, WHO CONTRIBUTED.

IS THERE ANY PUBLIC COMMENT ON THIS ITEM? IF THERE'S ANY PUBLIC COMMENT, PLEASE APPROACH THE PODIUM.

YOU HAVE THREE MINUTES.

I'M JUST GOING TO COMBINE.

I AM THE PUBLIC THAT MESSED UP THE ATTACHMENTS TO THIS AGENDA ITEM TWO THINGS.

ONE, UM, I NOTICED THAT FISCAL INTERMEDIARIES, THAT THERE ARE A LOT OF PROJECTS, NOT A LOT, BUT SOME THAT I'VE FOCUSED ON THAT COME

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AND I WILL TURN TO THE ATTORNEY HERE.

BUT THE CONTRACTS I DID REVIEW, AND THE WAY I READ IT, THE PROJECT ITSELF DOESN'T, IS LIKE A STANDALONE AND MAY NOT MEET THE REQUIREMENTS OF WHO NEEDS TO REGISTER TO SAY WE'RE LOBBYING, WHEREAS THE FISCAL INTERMEDIARY WOULD.

AND SO I WOULD ASK THAT ANY SMALL PROJECT OR NONPROFIT THAT OPERATES, OR NOT, A NONPROFIT THAT OPERATES UNDER A FISCAL INTERMEDIARY, THAT, THAT HAVE TO RE THAT, THAT PROJECT NEEDS TO REGISTER IN THE WAY THE FISCAL INTERMEDIARY WOULD.

I NOTICED ON THE CONTRACTS, THE PROJECT DOESN'T SIGN OFF.

SO EVEN THE CODE OF CONDUCT OR THE, THE CITY WOULD HAVE TO, I BELIEVE BECAUSE OF, I'LL USE THE WORD FROM LONG AGO, PRIVITY HAVE TO GO THROUGH THE FISCAL INTERMEDIARY TO HOLD THE PROJECT IF IT DOESN'T PERFORM.

SO I JUST WANTED TO MAKE THAT PUBLIC.

THE OTHER IS AT, WHEN YOU DID THE PRESENTATION, THERE WAS A GROUP THAT REALLY PUSHED TO HAVE THE, UM, CIVIL, CIVIL AND HUMAN RIGHTS INVESTMENT SCREENING POLICY AS PART OF AN ETHICAL SCREENING THING.

I PUT IN A MASSIVE AMOUNT OF STUFF IN THERE FOR DC.

BUT THAT IS A NATIONAL EFFORT TO GLUM THAT KIND OF POLICY ONTO ANYTHING THAT THESE INDIVIDUALS CAN DO.

AND I THINK A AWARE, I'M NOT SAYING RIGHT, WRONG, IT'S GOVERNMENT, BUT I THINK THERE SHOULD BE AN AWARENESS IS THAT IS WHAT'S HAPPENING.

THANK YOU.

THANK YOU.

ANY, I GUESS NO OTHER PUBLIC COMMENT, WE'LL MOVE TO A VOTE.

MOTION CARRIES AGENDA ITEM NUMBER THREE, RECOMMENDATION TO RECEIVE AND FILE CONFLICT OF INTEREST AMENDMENTS MULTIPLE FROM CITY CLERK.

I HAVE A MOTION FROM COMMISSIONER DE BENEDICTUS, SECONDED BY COMMISSIONER EATON.

[3. 25-57177 Recommendation to receive and file Conflict of Interest (COI) amendments (multiple) from City Clerk.       Suggested Action: Approve recommendation. ]

UH, SO, UH, JUST KIND OF A, A QUICK BACKGROUND FOR THOSE NEW TO THESE ITEMS. UH, THE COI OR CONFLICT OF INTEREST CODE? WELL, IT HAS, THE TERM CONFLICT OF INTEREST IS, UH, SPECIFICALLY IN REGARDS TO THE FILING REQUIREMENT FOR OUR FORM 700 FILERS.

UM, IT IS A FAIR POLITICAL PRACTICES COMMISSION, UH, RELATED TERM.

UH, EVEN THOUGH IT DOES, LIKE I SAID, SHARE THE SAME, IT DOESN'T IMPACT THE FULL SCOPE OF WHAT IS AND ISN'T ALLOWED.

IT IS SPECIFICALLY FOR, UH, WHO MAY OR WHO IS REQUIRED TO FILE.

SO THE, THE REPORT YOU HAVE IN FRONT OF YOU, OR THE LIST YOU HAVE IN, IN FRONT OF YOU IS, UH, THE AMENDMENTS WE ARE, UH, BRINGING FORWARD FOR REVIEW.

UM, BEFORE WE BRING THIS TO, UH, THE CITY COUNCIL FOR FINAL ADOPTION, UM, THESE ARE BROUGHT ON BY THE, UH, BUDGET THAT WAS ADOPTED RECENTLY IN OCTOBER.

UM, AND AS A, UH, PREPARATION FOR THE UPCOMING 2026 BIENNIAL REVIEW.

WE DO THIS EVERY YEAR AT THE END OF YEAR AFTER OUR ADOPT, UH, BUDGET ADOPTION.

UM, JUST TO KIND OF MAKE SURE THAT OUR COI CODE MATCHES THE PERSONNEL SUMMARY, UH, THAT IT MATCHES THE, THE FULL SCOPE AND REQUIREMENTS OF WHO SHOULD BE FILING, UH, TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE NOT PUTTING AN UNDUE BURDEN ON OUR CITY EMPLOYEES.

UM, THIS ISN'T, I, I BELIEVE WE DID HAVE A COMMENT.

I JUST DO WANT TO ADDRESS IT.

WE, UH, WE ARE NOT REMOVING ANY COMMISSIONER'S RESPONSIBILITY.

I'M SORRY, YOU, YOU ALL MUST STILL FILE, WHICH WE THANK YOU FOR.

UM, UH, BUT THERE WERE SOME CROSSOVERS WHERE CERTAIN AGENCIES HAD COMMISSIONER LISTED.

SO, UH, THAT'S NO LONGER LISTED IN THEIR BUDGET.

UM, THEY'RE, THEY'RE NOW SLOTTED IN THEIR RESPECTIVE AGENCY.

UM, SO THAT'S, THAT'S WHAT YOU'RE LOOKING AT RIGHT NOW.

UM, BUT IF YOU HAVE ANY ADDITIONAL QUESTIONS, I'M HAPPY TO ANSWER ANYTHING THAT YOU MIGHT HAVE.

THANK YOU, COMMISSIONER GILL.

UH, SO IT'S JUST MY, I GUESS THE QUESTION WOULD BE, IF I'M LOOKING AT THESE, WOULD MANY OF THEM THAT SAY DELETED? IS THAT BECAUSE THAT POSITION IS NO LONGER IN THE BUDGET? UH, YEAH.

OR THAT IT'S BEING REMOVED FROM THE COI, SO IT'S, IT'S OUR SHORTHAND, JUST TO TELL YOU THAT THIS IS NOW BEING REMOVED FROM THE COI CODE.

IT'S NO LONGER REQUIRED FOR THIS AGENCY FOR THAT POSITION TO BE A FORM 700 FILER.

IT DOESN'T, IT DOESN'T IMPACT NECESSARILY THE HR SIDE.

I KNOW IT, IT DOES.

UNFORTUNATELY, SOME OF OUR, UH, EMPLOYEES GET

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TECHNICALLY, THEY ARE STILL IN THEIR POSITION.

IT'S JUST THAT THEIR FILING REQUIREMENT IS NO LONGER DEEMED THAT THEY'RE OUTSIDE OF THE SCOPE OF, UH, FULL AUTHORITY OVER, UH, POLICY SETTING OR, UH, BUDGETARY, UH, DISCRETIONARY SPENDING.

SO THEY MIGHT STILL BE A MANAGEMENT EMPLOYEE OF THE CITY E EXACTLY.

BUT THEY DON'T HAVE THOSE SPECIFIC RESPONSIBILITIES ANY LONGER.

EXACTLY.

OKAY.

OR, OR OF COURSE, THE POSITION'S BEEN ELIMINATED.

OR IT'S BEEN ELIMINATED.

YEAH.

OKAY.

THANK YOU.

YOU'RE WELCOME.

OH, UH, ON THAT POINT, THE, THE POLICE DEPARTMENT DELETED THEIR CHIEF FINANCIAL OFFICER.

DOES THAT MEAN THEY NO LONGER HAVE ONE? AND SO THAT'S ANOTHER THING THAT, UM, A LOT OF TERMINOLOGY, UH, ONE FSO AND, UH, SAY THE CITY CLERK DEPARTMENT AND THE, THE, THE POLICE DEPARTMENT MIGHT NOT SHARE THE SAME RESPONSIBILITIES.

WHILE THEY DO TECHNICALLY SHARE THE SAME TITLE CLASSIFICATION, UM, UH, I WAS ACTUALLY, UH, TALKING TO OUR, UH, CONTACT, I BELIEVE WITH THE, THE FIRE DEPARTMENT AND THEIR, THEIR FSOS HAVE THAT AUTHORITY OVER POLICY.

THEY, THEY MEET WITH CONTRACTORS.

THEY ARE, THEY'RE HANDLING MONEY.

THEY'RE, THEY'RE MAKING DECISIONS, UH, WITH AUTHORITY TO DIRECT, YOU KNOW, POLICY AND SPENDING, UH, WHILE IT WAS DEEMED, UH, THROUGH THE PDS DEPARTMENT THAT THEY DO NOT HAVE THAT, THEY ARE MORE, UH, BUDGETARY OF JUST, YOU KNOW, AUDIT AUDITING OF MAKING SURE THAT THE MONEY IS GOING TO IT.

THEY DON'T HAVE THE AUTHORITY TO SAY, I'M GOING TO PICK X VENDOR.

I'M GOING TO SET Y POLICY.

THEY ARE JUST, YOU KNOW, SIGNING, MAKING SURE THE CHECKS GO OUT AND THAT, YOU KNOW, THE, UH, THE BUDGET IS BEING, YOU KNOW, FOLLOWED AS DIRECTED BY A SUPERIOR COMMISSIONER GILL.

SO, I GUESS ALONG THAT SAME VEIN, UM, I MEAN, I KNOW THAT WE HAVE A CHIEF OF POLICE, AND I KNOW WE HAVE MULTIPLE, UH, DEPUTY CHIEFS WHO ARE BUREAU MANAGERS.

UM, DO WE NO LONGER HAVE AN ASSISTANT CHIEF OF POLICE? UM, I DON'T HAVE THE SPECIFICS OF THEIR HR IN FRONT OF ME, BUT, AND, AND, AND THE REASON WHY I BRING THIS UP, BECAUSE IT SAYS DELETED MM-HMM .

SO IF WE STILL HAVE AN ASSISTANT CHIEF OF POLICE, IF THE CHIEF IS UNAVAILABLE, I THINK I WOULD MAKE THE ASSUMPTION THAT THE ASSISTANT CHIEF IS THEN THE ACTING CHIEF.

SO IF WE HAVE ONE, AND THEN WOULDN'T THAT, THAT WOULD PER BE PERSON MAKING SIGNATURE AUTHORITY ON ALL KINDS OF THINGS.

SO IF WE DON'T HAVE AN ASSISTANT CHIEF, THEN THIS MAKES SENSE TO ME.

IF WE STILL HAVE AN ASSISTANT CHIEF OF POLICE OTHER THAN JUST THE DEPUTY CHIEFS WE HAVE, UM, THEN THIS DOESN'T MAKE SENSE TO ME.

SO THAT'S WHAT I MEANT.

SO WE, UH, MORE THAN LIKELY THAT POSITION WAS NO LONGER IN, IN THAT SPECIFIC BUDGET SUMMARY.

UM, IF YOU LIKE, I COULD TRY TO PULL IT UP, BUT I, LIKE I SAID, WE, WE, WE TRUST THE, THE PEOPLE THAT ARE WITHIN THOSE AGENCIES TO UPDATE US, BECAUSE THEY WOULD KNOW THE STRUCTURE, UM, BETTER THAN WE DO.

UM, UNFORTUNATELY, IT'S JUST THE NATURE OF, OF THE SYSTEM.

UM, SO WE, WE MEET WITH THEM.

WE, WE, WE MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE, WE'RE NOT JUST TAKING THE WORD AGAINST US.

WE'RE, WE'RE JUDGING IT AGAINST THE PERSONNEL SUMMARY.

UM, SO IF IT, IF THE ASSISTANT CHIEF IS BEING REMOVED, THEN MORE THAN LIKELY IT'S BECAUSE OF, UH, IT, IT'S EITHER BEEN, UH, YOU KNOW, RENAMED, REMOVED, UH, OR, YOU KNOW, ABSORBED SOMEHOW IT'S NO LONGER NEEDED TO BE REFLECTED IN THE COI.

UH, AND WE HAVE, WHEN THERE'S BEEN FEWER OF THESE IN A SINGLE PACKAGE, WE HAVE SEEN THE PERSONNEL SUMMARIES.

UH, UH, I'M NOT SURE IF WE'VE INCLUDED THE PERSONNEL SUMMARY, BUT WE DO SEND THIS TO THE CITY ATTORNEY'S OFFICE FOR, FOR FULL REVIEW.

SO THEY DO WITH THE PERSONNEL SUMMARIES? YEAH, THEY, THEY, UH, GARY, GARY AND HIS TEAM, THEY DO REVIEW THIS BEFORE WE BRING IT TO YOUR ATTENTION.

IN TERMS OF THE QUESTION ABOUT THE ASSISTANT POLICE CHIEF WEED.

DO NOT HAVE ONE.

WE HAVE DEPUTY CHIEFS.

SO JUST CONFIRM.

THANK YOU, TYLER.

THANK YOU.

I KNEW THERE WAS A REASON FOR IT, AND THERE YOU ARE.

UM, O ONE OTHER THING IN GOING THROUGH THESE THAT I'VE BEEN TRIED TO, TRIED TO BE SENSITIVE TO IS THAT WE DON'T HAVE A, UH, DESIRE TO JUST ADD PERSONNEL TITLES TO THE LIST SO THAT NOBODY CAN EVER QUESTION WHY DIDN'T YOU GET A FORM 700 FROM THIS PERSON? UM, SO I ALSO LOOKED AT THE LIST WITH THAT IN MIND, THAT I DON'T WANNA BE OVER-INCLUSIVE.

THE WELLNESS PROGRAM ADMINISTRATOR HAS CONTRACTING AUTHORITY.

DOES ANYONE KNOW? IS THAT WHY THEY'RE INCLUDED?

[00:30:02]

WE, WE REVIEW THE ADOPTED BUDGET, AND WE, WE ASK, ARE ALL POSITIONS STILL WITHIN THE SCOPE OF RESPONSIBILITY? AND WE TRUST THEM TO, YOU KNOW, AGAIN, THEY KNOW THE FULL, UH, UH, YOU KNOW, REQUIREMENTS OF THOSE POSITIONS AND WHAT AUTHORITY THEY HAVE.

AND EVEN THOUGH THE, THE HR SUMMARY MIGHT SAY ONE THING, IT MIGHT ACTUALLY BLEED INTO, WELL, THEY, YES, THEY DO, BUT WE ALSO ALLOW THEM, YOU KNOW, DISCRETIONARY AUTHORITY OVER THIS OR THAT, DEPENDING ON, UH, EACH, UH, EACH AGENCY'S, UH, YOU KNOW, STRUCTURE.

ANY OTHER COMMENT FROM THE COMMISSION? DO WE HAVE ANY PUBLIC COMMENT ON THIS ITEM? MOVE TO A VOTE.

MOTION CARRIES AGENDA.

ITEM NUMBER FOUR, RECOMMENDATION TO DISCUSS.

AND IF APPROPRIATE, TAKE ACTION ON CANCELING ONE MEETING OF THE ETHICS COMMISSION DURING THE CA THE 2026 CALENDAR YEAR.

MOVED BY COMMISSIONER GILLETTE, SECONDED BY COMMISSIONER DE BENEDICTUS.

[4. 25-57178 Recommendation to discuss, and if appropriate, take action on cancelling one meeting of the Ethics Commission during the 2026 calendar year.       Suggested Action: Approve recommendation. ]

THANK YOU, CHAIR.

UM, I'D LIKE TO PROPOSE THAT THE ETHICS COMMISSION CANCEL OR GO DARK, WHATEVER LANGUAGE, UH, FOR ONE MONTH IN 2026, AND THAT THE DARK MONTH BE JULY ALIGNED WITH THE PERIOD WHEN THE CITY COUNCIL IS ALSO DARK.

ALL OF THE MEETINGS WOULD REMAIN AS SCHEDULED.

I WANT TO EMPHASIZE THAT THE INTENT OF THIS PROPOSAL IS TO SUPPORT THE WELLBEING AND WORKLOAD SUSTAINABILITY OF THE STAFF WHO MANAGE THE YEAR ROUND RESPONSIBILITIES OF MEETING PREP, COMPLIANCE, TECH SUPPORT, LEGAL REVIEW, RECORD KEEPING, AND ADMINISTRATIVE, UH, FUNCTIONS.

EVERY MEETING REQUIRES A SUBSTANTIAL BEHIND THE SCENES AMOUNT OF WORK FROM OET, CITY CLERK, CITY ATTORNEY, CITY MANAGER, UM, TECH STAFF, AND OUR INTERNS.

MANY ALREADY SUPPORT MULTIPLE COMMISSIONS, AND THE ETHIC COMMISSIONS MEETING LOAD ADDS SIGNIFICANTLY TO THEIR MONTHLY RESPONSIBILITIES.

O'S WORKLOAD CONTINUES TO GROW WITH THE ROADMAP IMPLEMENTATION AND THE UPDATED COMMUNICATIONS PLAN.

ALSO, THE FORMALIZED 70% REDUCTION OF OS SECOND FULL-TIME EMPLOYEE.

THIS FISCAL YEAR HAS FURTHER COMPOUNDED THE STRAIN.

AND WHILE OET WILL HAVE TWO INTERNS NEXT MONTH, THEIR TERMS WILL BE LIMITED AT SIX MONTHS.

AND THEIR WORK IS PRIMARILY FOCUSED ON PRA SUPPORT.

SO, CHOOSING JULY IS INTENTIONAL AND, AND ADDRESSES CONCERNS RAISED.

PREVIOUSLY, THERE IS NO, UM, CHARTER, UH, THERE, THERE IS NO REQUIREMENT IN THE CHARTER OR BYLAWS REQUIRE A MONTHLY MEETINGS.

STAFF COUNCIL CONFIRM THIS ON THE RECORD.

OUR CITY COUNCIL IS DARK THE ENTIRE MONTH OF JULY, DEMONSTRATING THAT EVEN CHARTER BODIES WITH SIGNIFICANT WORKLOADS CAN TAKE A PLANNED HIATUS WITHOUT DIMINISHING EFFECTIVENESS.

JULY IS HISTORIC, IS HISTORICALLY A SLOWER PERIOD IN CITY OPERATIONS WITH FEWER TIME SENSITIVE FILINGS OR ENFORCEMENT DEADLINES.

STAFF HAS STATED ON THE RECORD THAT THEY WOULD WELCOME A BREAK.

A SINGLE DARK MONTH DOES NOT CREATE A 60 DAY DELAY.

IT SIMPLY CAUSES A 30 DAY SHIFT.

MANY COMMISSIONS HAVE REDUCED MEETING SCHEDULES OR ADOPTED DARK MONTHS WHEN APPROPRIATE, WITHOUT ANY NEGATIVE IMPACT ON PRODUCTIVITY OR GOVERNANCE.

THE ETHIC COMMISSION'S WORK IS STEADY.

IT'S NOT CRISIS DRIVEN.

AND PREDICTABLY SCHEDULING IS ENTIRELY COMPATIBLE.

A DARK MONTH ALSO PROVIDES AD HOC COMMITTEES WITH NEEDED SPACE TO MAKE MEANINGFUL PROGRESS AND RETURN WITH SUBSTANTIVE UPDATES.

AND LAST, AT TIMES IT FEELS AS THOUGH, UH, WE'RE SEARCHING FOR TOPICS JUST TO FILL SPACE.

FINALLY, IN MY OPINION, THIS PROPOSAL CONTINUES TO RESPECT THE COMMISSION'S MANDATE, WHILE ACKNOWLEDGING THAT SUPPORTING THE STAFF WHO MAKE OUR WORK POSSIBLE

[00:35:01]

FOR THESE REASONS, I PROPOSE THAT THE COMMISSION ADOPT A DARK MONTH IN JULY, 2026, AND ALL OTHER MEETINGS WOULD REMAIN AS SCHEDULED.

THANK YOU.

COMMISSIONER GALE.

UH, QUESTION FOR STAFF IS JULY, MONDAY, JULY 6TH, IS THAT A CITY HOLIDAY CLOSURE OR NOT? NO, IT'S JUST A JULY 4TH HOLIDAY.

IS JULY 3RD FRIDAY A CITY HOLIDAY ENCLOSURE? I THINK IT WOULD BE THE THIRD, YES.

I DON'T RECALL FOR THIS COMING YEAR, BUT IT WOULD BE PROBABLY THE DAY BEFORE THE FOURTH.

YEAH, IN THIS COMING YEAR, IT'S GONNA BE THE THIRD.

THAT WOULD BE THE, YEAH, IT WOULD BE THE THE THIRD.

OKAY.

SO MY QUESTION, NOT A COMMENT.

UM, OTHER COMMENTS.

SO THIS, THIS ISSUE'S COME BEFORE THE COMMISSION BEFORE, UM, I'LL, UH, ABIDE BY THE CONSENSUS.

UM, I, I OPPOSED IT BEFORE AND CONTINUE TO OPPOSE IT.

I'M VERY FRUSTRATED THAT OUR AGENDAS HAVE BEEN SO LIGHT FOR THE LAST SEVERAL MONTHS.

FIRST, WE WERE WAITING FOR THE NEW COMMISSIONERS, UM, AND THERE WERE A NUMBER OF THINGS THAT WE DIDN'T WANT TO TAKE UP UNTIL WE WERE FULLY STAFFED.

NOW WE'RE FULLY, FULLY POPULATED ON THE COMMISSION.

UM, AND I DO DEFER TO STAFF ON SOME THINGS.

FOR EXAMPLE, UM, OUR ETHICS OFFICER COULD NOT BE HERE TODAY.

SO CERTAIN THINGS THAT WOULD'VE BEEN ON THE DECEMBER AGENDA HAVE MOVED TO THE JANUARY AGENDA, THE JANUARY AGENDA.

AS OF RIGHT NOW, GIVEN ALL THE THINGS WE MOVED FROM OCTOBER, NOVEMBER, AND, AND DECEMBER.

THE JANUARY AGENDA, IF LEFT AS IT CURRENTLY IS, WOULD BE ABOUT 22 ITEMS. UM, IT'S A BIT OF AN EXAGGERATION, SO, BUT IT, IT WOULD BE MUCH TOO, UH, HEAVY.

SO SOME OF THE THINGS THAT WE'D HOPE TO COVER IN JANUARY WILL NOW MOVE TO FEBRUARY AND MARCH.

UM, YES, OTHER COMMISSIONS DO GO DARK.

WE ARE A CHARTER COMMISSION, AND I'M NOT AWARE OF ANY OTHER CHARTER COMMISSIONS THAT GO DARK.

THE CITY COUNCIL DOES GO DARK FOR A PERIOD OF TIME, BUT THEY GENERALLY MEET THREE TO FOUR TIMES A MONTH, I BELIEVE.

UM, SO, UH, I, I, I, YOU KNOW, ONE THING I'VE, I'VE SAID TO OUR ETHICS OFFICER AND, AND WOULD SAY AGAIN, UM, SHE COULD NOT BE HERE TODAY FOR BUSINESS REASONS.

AND THE QUESTION WAS, DO WE GET AN ETHICS OFFICER REPORT? AND MY, MY RESPONSE WAS, ABSOLUTELY, EVERYONE NEEDS TO BE ABLE TO TAKE TIME OFF WITHOUT WORK STOPPING.

SO, UH, WE WILL BE RECEIVING AN ETHICS OFFICER REPORT TODAY.

UM, AND I, I FEEL IT'S IMPORTANT TO THE VITALITY OF AN ORGANIZATION FOR SOMEONE TO BE ABLE TO TAKE TIME OFF AND FOR SOMEONE ELSE TO KNOW HOW TO STEP IN AND DO WHAT NEEDS TO BE DONE TO KEEP THE, THE PROJECTS MOVING FORWARD.

UM, I GUESS I'VE SAID ENOUGH , ANY OTHER INPUT? I GUESS I WOULD JUST, UH, POINT OUT THAT THIS YEAR, UM, WE DID GO DARK FOR A MONTH, AND THAT WAS AN EXAMPLE OF IF DURING THE AGENDA SETTING MEETING, IT FEELS LIKE THE AGENDA MAY BE TOO LIGHT AND MAY NOT HAVE BUSINESS THAT WILL ALLOW, UH, FOR A FULL MEETING.

UM, THERE'S STILL AN OPTION TO GO DARK.

UM, BUT PERHAPS PRESCRIBING A SPECIFIC MONTH WITHOUT NECESSARILY KNOWING WHAT COULD BE HAPPENING THAT MONTH MAY BE TOO PRESCRIPTIVE.

UM, AND I'LL, I'LL LEAVE IT THAT COMMISSIONER DE BENEDICTUS.

ALRIGHT.

AS A PERSON WHO, UH, HAS BEEN ON QUITE A FEW AD HOCS AND ONES THAT GO VERY LONG, UM, I'M SUPPORTIVE OF THE, OF THE GOING DARK IN JULY.

UM, I AM SENSITIVE TO, I, I DO, I'M SUPPORTIVE OF WHAT I RECALL BEING STAFF'S CONCERNS ABOUT THE WORK.

I DO THINK THAT AS, UH, COMMISSIONER NORV SAID THE WORK WILL GO ON

[00:40:01]

EVEN WHEN WE WENT DARK, MY AD HOCS KEPT GOING AND WE KEPT WORKING.

UH, AND IF IT GIVES THE STAFF, UH, A LITTLE BIT OF A RESPITE, I'M SUPPORTIVE OF THAT.

I DON'T SEE IT BEING PROBLEMATIC AT GETTING WORK DONE.

UH, BUT AGAIN, I SUPPORT THE CHAIR'S VIEW, UH, THE VOTE WILL MAKE THE, MAKE OUR DECISION FOR US.

UH, COMMISSIONER GI.

YEAH, I, I GUESS THAT I WOULD, ALONG THE LINE OF COMMISSIONER COLEMAN, UM, UH, VICE CHAIR COLEMAN, IS THAT WE'RE, WE'RE LIKE SIX, SEVEN MONTHS OUT FROM JULY.

SO IT'S KIND OF HARD TO UNDERSTAND AT THIS POINT WHAT MIGHT BE IMPORTANT AT THE TIME.

I THINK I WOULD BE MORE SUPPORTIVE OF, OF MAKING ALMOST LIKE A, YOU KNOW, A, UM, PENCIL IN, IN THAT MAYBE IN THE FUTURE WE WOULD AGREE TO BE OFF IN JULY, BUT MAYBE TAKE A VOTE FOR THAT PURPOSE IN APRIL SO THAT WE'RE NOT DOING IT ON THE LAST MINUTE, SUCH AS DURING AN AGENDA SETTING TIMEFRAME, WHERE, YOU KNOW, WE'RE JUST DAYS AWAY FROM HAVING A MEETING WHERE PEOPLE COULDN'T HAVE SCHEDULED MAYBE DOING SOMETHING ELSE.

BUT THAT DOING IT RIGHT NOW IN DECEMBER JUST SEEMS TO BE, UM, QUITE A LONG TIMEFRAME IN ADVANCE.

SO THAT'S MY KIND OF COMMISSIONER EAT.

AND I'LL JUST SAY AS A COUNTERPOINT TO THAT, THAT, UM, I KNOW PERSONALLY I'M ALREADY PLANNING FOR MY FAMILY'S, UM, VACATION AND DO SO WELL IN ADVANCE.

AND I AM, UH, JUST WANTED TO EXPRESS MY SHARED CONCERN FOR STAFF AND THE NEED FOR THEM TO BE ABLE TO TAKE THE TIME, UH, AWAY, UH, DURING THE SUMMER MONTHS.

AND THAT'S OFTEN THE ONLY TIME THAT YOU CAN FEASIBLY SCHEDULE TIME AWAY GIVEN THE NATURE OF THE JOBS THAT THEY DO.

UM, SO AGAIN, JUST WANTED TO EXPRESS A COUNTERPOINT.

COMMISSIONER GILLETTE, AS SOMEONE NEW TO THE COMMISSION, I JUST WANTED TO ASK, UH, THOSE WHO'VE BEEN HERE MORE MEETINGS THAN MYSELF, HOW OFTEN HAVE THE COMMISSION HAD TO SCHEDULE SPECIAL MEETINGS? TO THE BEST OF MY RECOLLECTION, WE HAVE SCHEDULED SPECIAL MEETINGS.

ONLY WHAT, ONLY WHEN WE HAD ISSUES WHERE WE WANTED TO EITHER HAVE A STUDY SESSION OR, UM, IMPROVED PUBLIC COMMENT, UH, PARTICIPATION.

UM, CAN ANY, CAN YOU REMEMBER A SPECIAL MEETING OTHER THAN THAT? TWO? BUT THAT WAS FOR THE PUBLIC COMMENT, RIGHT? YEAH.

AND FOR THE LOBBY BEING MM-HMM .

WE, UH, WE HAD A SPECIAL MEETING ON, UH, FEBRUARY 12TH, 2025, AND THEN A APRIL 9TH, 2025 OF THIS YEAR AS WELL.

OH, I'M SORRY.

AND, UH, MARCH 12TH.

SO WE HAD THREE CHAIR, AND I BELIEVE, I THINK THE PREVIOUS YEAR, WE MAY HAVE ADDED A SPECIAL MEETING PRIOR TO A REGULAR MEETING WHEN WE MET IN NORTH LONG BEACH.

I, I DON'T REMEMBER EXACTLY, BUT SOMEHOW I BELIEVE WE DID.

I THINK THAT WAS A STUDY SESSION.

OKAY.

OR RETREAT.

OKAY.

WE CALLED IT.

I'M NOT, I THINK WE CALLED IT A RETREAT.

.

WELL, I, I, IT'S HELPFUL.

I PO IT IS VERY HELPFUL.

I POSED THE QUESTION BECAUSE THE, IN LOOKING AT THIS YEAR'S CALENDAR, WHILE, UH, 4TH OF JULY DOES NOT FALL ON OUR WORK WEEK, THE FOLLOWING YEARS, IT WOULD BE, AND I, I DO AGREE WITH COMMISSIONER EATON THAT THAT IS ALSO MY VACATION TIME BECAUSE HE CAN REALLY MAXIMIZE YOUR, YOUR TIME OFF FROM WORK.

UH, SO I THINK JUST ONE THING WE NEED TO KEEP IN MIND, BEING THAT WE'RE A SMALL COMMISSION, IS WOULD WE HAVE QUORUM, UM, FOR JULY? AND IF FOR SOME REASON WE, IF WE, IF WE DECIDE TO, UH, GO DARK IN JULY, AND THERE IS SOMETHING THAT REALLY NEEDS TO BE DISCUSSED, IF THE COMMISSION WOULD BE OPEN TO A SPECIAL SETTING, A SPECIAL MEETING THAT MONTH FOR A LATER TIME THAT MONTH, THAT'S AWAY FROM THE HOLIDAY WEEK.

SO TO COMMISSIONER GILL'S POINT, WE, IT, IT'S KIND OF THE FLIP.

HE WAS SUGGESTING WE NOT CANCEL NOW AND WAIT TILL APRIL.

WHAT YOU'RE SUGGESTING IS WE CANCEL NOW, BELIEVE OPEN THE POSSIBILITY OF ADDING THE IT BACK AT A LATER TIME IN JULY AS A SPECIAL MEETING.

YES.

IF NEEDED.

[00:45:04]

UM, I JUST WANT THE, UH, MY COLLEAGUES JUST TO BE MINDFUL OF THE STAFF.

IT'S NOT, THIS IS NOT PERSONAL, IT'S JUST THE STAFF.

AND IF YOU REALLY THINK ABOUT IT, THE ONLY STAFF MEMBER IN OET RIGHT NOW FULL-TIME IS HEATHER, THE ETHICS OFFICER.

SO BE MINDFUL WHEN YOU'RE CONSIDERING, UH, CASTING YOUR VOTE.

ALSO, IN TERMS OF SEEING HOW JULY LOOKS IN APRIL, THE REASON WHY IT'S IMPORTANT TO ME, AND I THINK TO MANY COMMISSIONS TO BRING IT UP RIGHT NOW AT THE END OF THE YEAR, IS SO THAT WE ALL HAVE A CLEAR CALENDAR OF SCHEDULED MEETINGS FOR 2026.

I DO THINK THAT WE HAVE TALKED ABOUT HOLDING AN EVENING MEETING AT SOME POINT IN 2026.

SO I THINK WE'VE ALREADY AGREED THAT WE'RE GONNA CONTINUE TO LOOK AT THAT POSSIBILITY.

I DOUBT IT WOULD BE JULY, IT WOULD PROBABLY BE TWO MEETINGS IN A MONTH LATER IN THE YEAR, BECAUSE IT WOULD BE TO, UH, ENABLE MORE PUBLIC PARTICIPATION CHAIR.

ONE MORE THING, IF I, IF I MAY, UM, AN ALTERNATIVE WOULD BE DECEMBER OF 2026, IF THE COMMISSION'S NOT COMFORTABLE WITH JULY FOR REASONS THAT HAVE BEEN SHARED.

UM, I BELIEVE STAFF IS ALSO COMFORTABLE WITH DECEMBER, 2026 AS AN ALTERNATE DARK MONTH.

SO I THINK WE NEED AN ACTUAL PROPOSAL TO VOTE ON.

I IF WE VOTE ON THE AGENDA ITEM AS IT STANDS, IT WOULD BE CANCELING ONE MEETING, AND THEN WE WOULD NEED A SEPARATE ITEM, WHICH I THINK WE COULD INCLUDE MILLICENT.

LET ME KNOW AS TO WHETHER IT'S JULY OR DECEMBER.

IF THERE IS A VOTE TO CANCEL ONE MEETING.

I, IF WE VOTE ON THE CURRENT MO MOTION ON THE FLOOR, IT IS TO CANCEL ONE MEETING AND IT'S NOT, UM, TO CANCEL A SPECIFIC MONTH.

AND WE CAN ADD THAT AS AN AGENDA ITEM AT A FUTURE MEETING.

OR WE CAN MAKE A FRIENDLY AMENDMENT AND ACTUALLY CANCEL A SPECIFIC BOND.

YES.

SO TO PIGGYBACK OFF OF MILLICENT, IF, UH, UH, YOU KNOW, COMMISSIONER NORV, AS YOU KNOW, ONE OF THE, UH, UH, UH, YOU CAN MAKE A FRIENDLY IF YOU HAVE A SPECIFIC DATE OR MONTH.

YES.

OKAY, THEN I'LL THROW IT TO YOU.

THANK YOU.

UH, PHIL, UM, I WAS PREPARED JUST IN CASE IT CAME DOWN TO THIS.

SO YES, I'D LIKE TO PROPOSE A FRIENDLY AMENDMENT TO THE PROPOSED 2026 MEETING SCHEDULE THAT THE ETHICS COMMISSION GO DARK FOR ONE MONTH IN 2026, AND THAT THE DARK MONTH BE JULY ALIGNED WITH THE PERIOD WHEN CITY COUNCIL IS ALSO DARK.

ALL OTHER MEETINGS WOULD REMAIN AS SCHEDULED.

THAT'S MY FRIENDLY AMENDMENT MOTION.

FRIENDLY MOTION IF THE, OH, COMMISSIONER GILLETTE, I ACCEPT.

ARE THERE ANY PUBLIC COMMENTS ON THIS ITEM? LET'S MOVE TO A VOTE.

MOTION CARRIES AGENDA ITEM NUMBER FIVE, RECOMMENDATION TO DISCUSS POSSIBLE TOPICS TO BE INCLUDED IN NEXT MONTH'S PRESENTATION FROM THE CITY'S HUMAN RESOURCES DEPARTMENT.

I HAVE A MOTION FROM COMMISSIONER DE BENEDICTUS, SECONDED BY COMMISSIONER GILLETTE.

UM, JUST

[5. 25-57179 Recommendation to discuss possible topics to be included in next month’s presentation from the City’s Human Resources Department.       Suggested Action: Approve recommendation. ]

UH, WE HAVEN'T HAD A PRESENTATION FROM HR IN WELL OVER A YEAR.

UM, PREVIOUSLY WE INCLUDED INVESTIGATIONS OF, UM,

[00:50:01]

UM, WE DO HAVE AN ITEM THAT HAS BEEN DEFERRED ON AN INVESTIGATIONS PROTOCOL, WHICH WOULD BE A PROTOCOL THAT ALL CITY STAFF WHO CONDUCT INVESTIGATIONS WOULD FOLLOW THE PROTOCOL.

UH, THE ETHICS COMMISSION HAS NOT APPROVED A FINAL PROTOCOL.

WE HAD A DRAFT PROTOCOL.

WE RECOMMENDED THAT THE CITY CONSIDER IT, IT WENT THROUGH A REVIEW OF THE CITY ATTORNEY'S OFFICE, THE CITY AUDITOR'S OFFICE, UM, BUT NOT HR.

WE HAVE NOW ASKED FOR INPUT FROM THE HUMAN RESOURCES DEPARTMENT.

UM, SO, UH, I WOULD LIKE THE PRESENTATION TO INCLUDE DISCUSSION OF ANY INVESTIGATIVE PROTOCOL THAT MAY BE USED, UH, BY THE HUMAN RESOURCES DEPARTMENT.

UH, BUT I THOUGHT IT WOULD BE A GOOD IDEA TO HEAR FROM OTHER MEMBERS OF THE COMMISSION AS TO WHAT YOU WOULD LIKE TO HEAR FROM OUR LEAD CITY HR PERSON.

COMMISSIONER EATON.

THANK YOU.

CHAIR P*****K.

UH, I JUST WANNA MAKE SURE I UNDERSTAND THE CURRENT STATE.

SO IT THERE IS A NEW DI DIRECTOR OF HR? YES.

OKAY.

AND WE ARE, UH, THE CALL TO THE, UH, COMMISSIONERS IS FOR TOPICS FOR THAT NEW DIRECTOR OF HR TO PRESENT ON FOR OUR GROUP, INCLUDING THE INVESTIGATIONS PROTOCOL THAT YOU'VE JUST DISCUSSED? YES.

OKAY, THANK YOU.

COMMISSIONER GILLETTE.

IN THE PAST, WHAT WERE THE TOPICS COVERED BY THE HUMAN RESOURCES? VERY TOP, TOP HIGH LEVEL HARASSMENT AND JUST GENERALLY, UH, OVERVIEW OF THE HR DEPARTMENT.

AND OF COURSE THAT WAS IN THE ERA WHEN THERE WAS A CIVIL SERVICE COMMISSION.

AND SO WE DID HEAR A LOT ABOUT THE PROCESS FOR COMPLAINTS AND, UH, THE CIVIL SERVICE PROCESS.

UM, O OBVIOUSLY THERE'S .

I ASSUME THERE'S ALL NEW PROCESSES, BUT WE HAVEN'T, UH, HEARD ABOUT THEM.

COMMISSIONER DE BENEDICTIS.

YEAH, I WOULD AGREE.

WE, WE WAS VERY HIGH LEVEL.

WE BASICALLY GOT AN INTRODUCTION TO THEIR ORG CHART MM-HMM .

UH, WHICH WAS WONDERFUL.

'CAUSE I THINK, UH, AS AN INCOMING PERSON, I DIDN'T REALLY UNDERSTAND.

UM, UH, I, I NEEDED A BETTER PICTURE OF LABOR WHERE, WHAT, WHERE CERTAIN GROUPS ARE, ARE, UH, REPRESENTED WHO ARE NOT EVEN HOW THE DIFFERENT, UH, DEPARTMENTS OPERATE AND HOW THEY WORK THEIR MANAGEMENT STRUCTURE WITH, UM, WHAT I'LL SAY IS THEIR EMPLOYEE RELATIONS KIND OF TYPE OF DEPARTMENT.

UH, I THINK THAT IT'S GONNA BE AN ONGOING DIALOGUE.

I THINK I'D LIKE TO HEAR FROM HUMAN RESOURCES MAYBE TWICE A YEAR, PERHAPS EVEN MORE.

BUT I THINK BASED ON OUR AGENDAS TWICE A YEAR WOULD BE IDEAL, UH, FOR ME AS, UM, FOR REPRESENTING THE AD HOC ON THE POLICIES.

UH, WE'RE ALREADY DIGGING IN ON SOME OF THE OLD ADMINISTRATIVE REGULATIONS.

UM, I'D LIKE TO HEAR A LITTLE BIT ABOUT, UM, BACKGROUND CHECKS, UH, THE APPLICATION PROCESS AND HOW THAT WORKS.

UH, ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE'RE BEEN LOOKING AT IS OBVIOUSLY CONFLICT OF INTEREST, SO OUTSIDE ACTIVITIES AND WHAT'S THEIR CURRENT, UH, VIEW ON NEPOTISM? THE CURRENT ARS ARE VERY NARROW ON, UH, HOW THAT'S ADDRESSED.

UH, AND I'M GONNA GIVE YOU A HANDFUL JUST BECAUSE THERE'S, I THINK THERE'S, IT IS, THERE'S SO MANY TOPICS, BUT THOSE ARE GREAT INTRODUCTORY ONES FOR US BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, STARTING AT THE FRONT DOOR, THESE ARE THE THINGS WE CARE ABOUT.

UH, ABOUT THE, THE QUALITY OF PEOPLE THAT WORK, UH, FOR THE CITY.

AND THEN GETTING DEEPER IN, OBVIOUSLY I'D LIKE TO HEAR MORE ABOUT, UM, CORRECTIVE ACTION OR DISCIPLINE OR HOW THAT WORKS AROUND HERE.