[00:00:11]
[ROLL CALL]
GILLETTE.COMMISSIONER NOVE, VICE CHAIR COLEMAN.
WE NOT GOING TO BE USED IN THE SPRINGS.
UH, WE WILL, UH, WHEN THE PRESENTATIONS, UH, BUT FOR VOTING, WE'LL, WE'LL JUST BE TAKING A MANUAL.
UM, WE'RE GONNA MOVE TO, UH, THE AGENDA SAYS ELECTION OF CHAIR AND VICE CHAIR AS THE NEXT ITEM.
IF, UH, IF WE'RE CALLING THIS MEETING IN ORDER, UH, WE'LL MOVE TO ROLL CALL FIRST.
UH, WE WILL, UH, IF YOU'D LIKE TO MOVE THE ELECTION UNTIL THE REST OF THE COMMISSION HAS A RIDE, WE CAN DO THAT.
I'D LIKE TO MOVE THE ELECTION UNTIL WE HAVE, UM, UH, THE REST OF THE COMMISSION, ALTHOUGH COMMISSIONER NOVA IS EXCUSED.
UH, BUT LET'S, UH, MOVE TO, UH, THE REGULAR AGENDA.
[1. 26-55409 Recommendation to approve the minutes for the Ethics Commission meeting of Wednesday, May 13, 2026. Suggested Action: Approve recommendation. ]
RECOMMENDATION TO APPROVE THE MINUTES FOR THE ETHICS COMMISSION MEETING OF WEDNESDAY, MAY 13TH, 2026.THERE'S A MOTION BY COMMISSIONER DE BENEDICTUS AND A SECOND BY GIL.
AND IS THERE ANY DISCUSSION? IS THERE ANY PUBLIC COMMENT ON THIS AGENDA ITEM? SEEING NONE, LET'S MOVE TO A VOTE.
HI, COMMISSIONER NORBY, VICE CHAIR COLEMAN.
AGENDA ITEM NUMBER TWO, RECOMMENDATION TO RECEIVE AND FILE A RECOMMENDATION TO RECEIVE AND FILE
[2. 26-55439 Recommendation to receive and file a presentation from the Department of Financial Management on the LB Buys Procurement Process. Suggested Action: Approve recommendation. ]
A PRESENTATION FROM THE DEPARTMENT OF FINANCIAL MANAGEMENT ON THE LB BUYS PROCUREMENT PROCESS.DO I HAVE A MOTION? LEMME GO HERE.
THAT WAS A MOTION BY VICE CHAIR COLEMAN.
IS THAT IT? DID I GET IT? OKAY.
DO YOU MIND INTRODUCING YOURSELF FOR THE RECORD? I WILL.
UH, GOOD AFTERNOON, COMMISSIONERS.
I'M THE PURCHASING AGENT WITH THE FINANCIAL MANAGEMENT DEPARTMENT.
UM, AND I'M JOINED TODAY WITH SAMIRA ARIA, WHO IS OUR INCLUSIVE PROCUREMENT OUTREACH COORDINATOR.
THANK YOU AGAIN FOR HAVING ME BACK.
UM, I THINK I VISITED YOU ALL LAST YEAR AROUND FEBRUARY, SO HAPPY TO BE BACK.
UM, TODAY, UM, WE'RE GONNA GO OVER A PROCUREMENT OVERVIEW, TALK ABOUT OUR PURCHASING THRESHOLDS, UM, GO THROUGH NAVIGATING LONG BEACH BUYS, WHICH IS OUR PROCUREMENT SOFTWARE.
TALK ABOUT SOME VENDOR RESOURCES, AND THEN WE'LL HAVE SOME TIME FOR QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS.
FIRST, WE WANNA SHARE THE CORE VALUES THAT GUIDE OUR PROCUREMENT PROCESS.
FIRST, WE AIM TO BE RESULTS DRIVEN.
SECOND, WE WANT TO ENSURE WE ARE GETTING THE BEST VALUE WITH EACH PURCHASE, AND WE ALSO AIM TO BE SERVICE ORIENTED, EFFICIENT, COMPETITIVE, FAIR AND EQUITABLE.
LASTLY, WE WANT TO BE TRANSPARENT, UM, AND WE DO THAT BY CONTINUING TO PROVIDE WEBINARS, OUTREACH, AND PRESENTATIONS LIKE THIS.
UM, SO NOW THAT WE'VE SET THE TONE AND DISCUSSED THE VALUES THAT GUIDE OUR PROCESS, LET'S GET INTO A PROCUREMENT OVERVIEW.
AS YOU KNOW, THE CITY OF LONG BEACH PURCHASES A WIDE RANGE OF GOODS AND SERVICES HERE IN PROCUREMENT SERVICES.
WE SUPPORT 22 CITY MANAGER DEPARTMENTS AND OFFICES, INCLUDING THE AIRPORT, PUBLIC WORKS, HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES, PARKS AND REC, ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT, UM, PD, FIRE, ET CETERA.
[00:05:01]
LAST YEAR ALONE, WE CONDUCTED 255 FORMAL SOLICITATIONS, WHICH EQUALED $709 MILLION.UM, IN CONTRACT SPEND, UM, WE ALSO PROCURED $125 MILLION IN SMALL DOLLAR PURCHASES, WHICH I WILL EXPLAIN IN A BIT.
WE ARE OFTEN ASKED, WHAT DOES THE CITY BUY? UM, THERE ISN'T ENOUGH TIME TODAY TO LIST ALL OF THAT OUT, BUT AT A HIGH LEVEL, WE PURCHASE GOODS AND SERVICES THAT HELP US DELIVER OUR PROGRAMS AND SERVICES, UM, AND KEEP THE CITY RUNNING SMOOTHLY.
UM, WE'VE LISTED A FEW EXAMPLES HERE ON THE SLIDE TO GIVE YOU A BETTER IDEA OF THE RANGE OF OUR PURCHASES.
AS YOU CAN SEE, WE PURCHASED GOODS RANGING FROM AUTO PARTS AND VEHICLES, PRINT GOODS, SUPPLIES FOR CONSTRUCTION, NATURAL RESOURCES, AND OFFICE SUPPLIES.
NON-PRO NON-PROFESSIONAL SERVICES ARE THINGS WITH CLEARLY DEFINED TASKS SUCH AS JANITORIAL WORK, EQUIPMENT, RENTAL, DELIVERY, OR SECURITY SERVICES.
AND LASTLY, WE ALSO PURCHASE PROFESSIONAL SERVICES FOR ALL SORTS OF THINGS, INCLUDING CONSTRUCTION MANAGEMENT, SOCIAL SERVICES, AND SPECIALIZED CONSULTANTS.
UM, A GOOD EXAMPLE OF KIND OF THE WIDE RANGE OF WHAT WE PROCURE IS, I'M SURE YOU'RE ALL FAMILIAR WITH THE AMPHITHEATER THAT JUST OPENED, UM, VERY BIG DEAL, BUT A LOT OF THAT WAS PROCURED THROUGH OUR PROCESS.
SO THE STAGE, THE BLEACHERS, THE ELECTRICAL, THE VENUE MANAGEMENT.
UM, IT'S JUST A REALLY GOOD EXAMPLE OF KIND OF ALL THAT WE PROCURED TO PUT SOMETHING LIKE THAT TOGETHER.
ALL RIGHT, NOW I'M GONNA TALK ABOUT OUR PURCHASING THRESHOLDS.
UM, SO THE CITY HAS TWO TYPES OF PURCHASES, A SMALL DOLLAR PURCHASE, AND A FORMAL SOLICITATION PURCHASES UNDER $40, $40,000.
UM, PURCHASES UNDER $40,000 ARE CONSIDERED A SMALL DOLLAR PURCHASE.
UM, WE UNDERSTAND THIS IS NOT SMALL DOLLAR IN PROBABLY REGULAR LIFE, UM, BUT FOR THE CITY, WE CONSIDER UNDER 40,000 A SMALL DOLLAR PURCHASE.
UM, THAT DOES NOT GO THROUGH THE FORMAL SOLICITATION PROCESS.
INSTEAD, ANYTHING UNDER $40,000, CITY DEPARTMENTS WILL REACH OUT TO VENDORS DIRECTLY AND REQUEST QUOTES.
IN ORDER FOR VENDORS TO BE CONSIDERED FOR THESE SMALL DOLLAR PURCHASES, THEY WOULD REGISTER IN LONG BEACH BUYS AND CHECK A BOX SAYING THAT THEY'RE INTERESTED IN THE SMALL DOLLAR PROCUREMENTS.
UM, WE USE LONG BEACH BUYS AS OUR SOLICITATION PLATFORM, BUT WE ALSO USE IT AS A DIRECTORY FOR, UM, DEPARTMENTS THAT ARE LOOKING TO SOURCE THESE QUOTES.
UM, IN 2024, WE ACTUALLY INCREASED THE SMALL DOLLAR THRESHOLD FROM 25,000 TO 40,000.
UM, A LOT OF INFLATION HAD A LOT TO DO WITH THAT 40,000 MADE A LOT OF SENSE, BUT ALSO THIS WAS, UM, THE ABILITY TO GIVE OUR SMALLER AND LOCAL BUSINESSES, UM, MORE AN ADVAN ADMINISTRATIVE ADVANTAGE, UM, BECAUSE IT WASN'T AS BURDENSOME TO JUST GIVE QUOTES, UM, OVER A FORMAL SOLICITATION.
UM, WE HAD OFTEN HEARD FROM THE SMALL DOLLAR, I MEAN, THE SMALL VENDORS, SMALL BUSINESS OWNERS THAT, YOU KNOW, THEY DIDN'T HAVE TIME TO BID ON A FORMAL SOLICITATION.
YOU KNOW, THEY'RE, THEY'RE WORKING THE CASH REGISTER AND DOING THE BOOKS AND DOING EVERYTHING YOU DO TO OWN A SMALL BUSINESS.
UM, SO IN ORDER TO BE ABLE TO CAPTURE THAT BUSINESS AND MAKE IT EASIER FOR THEM, WE INCREASE THAT DOLLAR THRESHOLD.
UM, NEXT I'M GONNA TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT OUR FORMAL SOLICITATIONS.
SO THESE ARE ANY PURCHASES OVER $40,000.
UM, THEY GO THROUGH A COMPETITIVE PROCUREMENT PROCESS.
THESE OPPORTUNITIES ARE LISTED ON LONG BEACH BUYS AND YOU HAVE TO SUBMIT OR BID OR PROPOSAL TO BE CONSIDERED FOR THE CONTRACT.
UM, WE HAVE THREE TYPES OF FORMAL PROCUREMENTS, UM, AN ITB, WHICH IS AN INVITATION TO BID.
UM, THIS SELECTION IS PRIMARILY BASED ON PRICE AND IS USUALLY FOR WIDGETS, UM, SUCH AS TIRES.
UH, REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS, WHICH WE CALL AN RFP, IS TYPICALLY FOR PURCHASES THAT REQUIRE A BROADER EVALUATION CRITERIA AND IS NOT JUST BASED ON PRICING.
UM, THE LARGE MAJORITY OF OUR SOLICITATIONS FOR THE CITY OF LONG BEACH ARE DONE THROUGH RFPS.
UM, AND LASTLY, WE HAVE A REQUEST FOR QUALIFICATIONS, WHICH IS AN RFQ WHERE VENDORS WILL BE PRE-QUALIFIED FOR FUTURE WORK, UM, OR FOR A FUTURE RFP.
ALRIGHT, NOW I'M GONNA TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT OUR LOCAL PREFERENCE PROGRAM.
SO THE CITY'S LOCAL PREFERENCE PROGRAM IS DESIGNED TO REDUCE BARRIERS FOR LOCAL, LOCAL, AND SMALL BUSINESSES, UM, AND HAS BEEN EXPANDED TO INCLUDE ALL PROCUREMENT METHODS.
UM, FOR OUR ITBS LOCAL PREFERENCE, UM, IS WHERE WE DISCOUNT THEIR BID BY 10% OR EVALUATE AT A PRICE THAT IS 10% LESS THAN WHAT THEY SUBMITTED.
THAT DISCOUNT DOES CAP AT $50,000, UM, SO THAT WE CAN CONTINUE TO BE BUDGET CONSCIOUS AS WELL.
UM, WE DO PAY OUT THE FULL AMOUNT OF THE CONTRACT, SO THE THE BID IS DISCOUNTED IN ORDER TO GIVE THEM AN ADVANTAGE, BUT WE ACTUALLY PAY OUT THE FULL AMOUNT OF THE CONTRACT, WHICH IS WHY WE HAVE THAT $50,000 CAP.
UM, FOR RFPS, THEY'RE EVALUATED ON A HUNDRED POINT RANKING SYSTEM.
AND VENDORS WITH A NON-RESIDENTIAL BRICK AND MORTAR LOCATION IN LONG BEACH WILL RECEIVE AN ADDITIONAL 10% ADDITIONAL 10 PERCENTAGE POINTS OF THEIR OVERALL SCORE.
AND THOSE WHO OWN A HOME-BASED BUSINESS WILL RECEIVE
[00:10:01]
AN ADDITIONAL FIVE PERCENTAGE POINTS ADDED TO THEIR SCORE.WHEN IT COMES TO THE SMALL DOLLAR PURCHASES UNDER 40,000.
LOCAL VENDORS ALSO RECEIVE A 10% PREFERENCE ON THEIR QUOTE PRICE.
TO BE ELIGIBLE FOR THESE PREFERENCES, A BUSINESS MUST HAVE A VALID CITY OF LONG BEACH BUSINESS LICENSE, UM, AND A SELLER'S PERMIT IF THAT IS APPLICABLE WITH A PLACE OF BUSINESS WITHIN CITY LIMITS.
UM, SO IN OTHER WORDS, THEY MUST HAVE A, A LONG BEACH ZIP CODE WHERE THEIR BUSINESS IS REGISTERED.
UM, ONE THING TO NOTE WITH LOCAL PREFERENCE IS, UM, IT DOESN'T APPLY TO EVERY PROCUREMENT THAT WE DO BECAUSE, UM, THERE ARE CERTAIN FUNDING TYPES WHICH RESTRICT, RESTRICT ANY TYPE OF PREFERENCE.
SO THERE ARE SOME FEDERAL DOLLARS, SOME STATE DOLLARS, UM, AND TIDELANDS, FOR EXAMPLE, UM, ARE SOME EXAMPLES OF FUNDING, UM, SOURCE FUNDING TYPES WHERE WE CANNOT APPLY THE PREFERENCE.
AND NEXT, THIS IS JUST, UM, KIND OF A, A SNAPSHOT OF WHAT LOCAL PREFERENCE WOULD LOOK LIKE AND HOW WE WOULD APPLY IT.
UM, SO YOU CAN SEE ON THE TOP WE HAVE THE SMALL DOLLAR PURCHASE AND HOW YOU WOULD, UM, HOW YOU WOULD BE EVALUATED ON YOUR PRICE BASED ON IF YOU'RE A LOCAL VENDOR.
AND THEN FOR THE RFPS, UM, WHICH LIKE I SAID, IS AN EVALUATION CRITERIA, HOW THE PERCENTAGE POINTS ARE ADDED TO YOUR SCORE.
ALRIGHT, AND WITH THAT, I'M GOING TO PASS IT TO SAMIRA, WHO'S GONNA TALK SPECIFICALLY ABOUT LONG BEACH BUYS.
I'M SAMIRA ARIA AND I WILL BE TALKING ABOUT, UH, LONG BEACH BUY.
SO LONG BEACH BUYS IS THE CITY CENTRALIZED PROCUREMENT PORTAL.
THIS IS WHERE WE ARE FACILITATING THE FORMAL SOLICITATION PROCESS.
SO WHEN VENDORS ARE REGISTERING, THEY ARE ABLE TO IDENTIFY THEIR BUSINESS TYPE THROUGH WHAT WE CALL NIGP CODES.
SO THESE ARE COMMODITY CODES, MY, SORRY, GOT EXCITED THERE.
UM, AND SO WHEN THEY SELECT, UM, RELEVANT NIGP CODES, A SYSTEM NOTIFIES THEM OF OPPORTUNITIES THAT ARE RELEVANT TO THEIR BUSINESS.
AND SO, UM, ALL BIT SUBMISSIONS ARE DONE THROUGH THE PORTAL.
AND AGAIN, THIS IS ALL FOR FORMAL S SOLICITATIONS, ANYTHING OVER $40,000.
UM, WE DO USE IT IN A WAY FOR SMALL DOLLAR PURCHASES, AS MICHELLE MENTIONED.
SO DEPARTMENTS ARE ABLE TO GO IN AND SEARCH VENDORS, AND IF THEY SEE A VENDOR THAT MATCHES THEIR NEED, THEY'RE ABLE TO REACH OUT AND REQUEST A QUOTE THAT WAY.
UM, AND SO VENDORS DO GET THE OPTION TO OPT IN TO BE CONTACTED.
SO, UM, THAT'S PART OF THE REGISTRATION PROCESS.
UM, SO WHILE, YOU KNOW, TO ACTUALLY PARTICIPATE IN A PROCUREMENT, YOU DO NEED TO BE REGISTERED, BUT ANYONE FROM OF THE PUBLIC IS ABLE TO GO AND VIEW, YOU KNOW, CURRENT S SOLICITATIONS.
SO IF YOU'RE CURIOUS ABOUT WHAT WE'RE BUYING RIGHT NOW, THAT IS AVAILABLE PUBLICLY, YOU'RE ALSO ABLE TO SEE, UM, INSTRUCTIONS, UM, AND JUST GENERAL, UM, INFORMATION THERE, INCLUDING BID RESULTS, UM, ONCE, UH, PROCUREMENT HAS BEEN, UM, COMPLETED.
SO JUST TO KINDA GIVE YOU AN IDEA OF WHAT THAT PROCESS LOOKS LIKE FOR VENDORS.
UM, THE COUPLE OF SLIDES HERE, UM, TO TALK TO THAT PROCESS.
SO WHEN A BID GOES LIVE, UH, VENDORS ARE ABLE TO VIEW ALL RELEVANT DETAILS AND DETERMINE IF THE NEED ALIGNS WITH THEIR BUSINESS.
SO THAT INCLUDES SCOPE OF WORK, UH, MINIMUM REQUIREMENTS, DETAILS ON INFO SESSIONS OR PRE-BID MEETINGS, UH, WHICH CAN SOMETIMES BE MANDATORY Q AND A TIMELINES AND INSTRUCTIONS, UM, AS WELL AS EVALUATION CRITERIA FOR RFPS.
UM, AND THEN LASTLY, THEY'RE ABLE TO SEE, YOU KNOW, SUBMITTAL INSTRUCTIONS AND ALSO DEADLINE INFORMATION.
SO ONCE VENDORS HAVE SUBMITTED THEIR PROPOSALS AND THE DEADLINE HAS PASSED, THIS IS TIME WHERE THE CITY IS GONNA EVALUATE, UM, THOSE PROPOSALS.
SO WE CALL THIS THE, THE EVALUATION STAGE.
UM, SO DURING THIS STAGE, STAFF WILL REVIEW ALL SUBMITTED PROPOSALS AND DETERMINE WHICH, UH, VENDOR OR VENDORS BEST MEET THE CITY'S NEEDS.
SO THIS IS DONE THROUGH A STANDARD, OPEN, COMPETITIVE, FAIR, AND TRANSPARENT PROCESS.
SO AFTER THE EVALUATION IS COMPLETE, A NOTICE OF INTENT OR WHAT WE CALL AN NOI IS POSTED IN LONG BEACH BUY TO INFORM VENDORS OF THE CITY'S SELECTION.
SO FOLLOWING THE NOI, THE CITY WORKS DIRECTLY WITH THE SELECTED VENDOR TO FINALIZE CONTRACT TERMS, NEGOTIATE AS NEEDED, AND COMPLETE THE CONTRACTING PROCESS.
AND ONCE THAT'S COMPLETE, WHERE IT CAN BEGIN.
SO GONNA PASS IT OVER TO MICHELLE TO BRIEFLY TALK ABOUT THE OLYMPICS AND HOW WE'RE PREPARING VENDORS FOR THOSE OPPORTUNITIES.
I'M JUST GONNA QUICKLY TALK ABOUT THE OLYMPICS.
THERE'S A LOT OF EXCITEMENT AROUND THE OLYMPICS.
UM, I KNOW, UM, TYLER AND JORGE CAN AGREE WITH THAT.
UM, SO AS WE PREPARE FOR THE OLYMPICS AND THE PARALYMPIC GAMES, OUR FOCUS IS ON ENSURING LONG BEACH BUSINESSES ARE AWARE, UM, OF, OF AWARE, AND ARE PREPARED TO COMPETE, UM, FOR RELATED OPPORTUNITIES.
OPPORTUNITIES INCLUDE INFORMATION AND ABOUT WHERE OPPORTUNITIES WILL BE POSTED, INCLUDING RAMP LA UM, LA 28, SUPPLIER REGISTRATION PORTAL, AND LONG BEACH BUY.
SO THEY HAVE A LOT OF DIFFERENT OPPORTUNITIES TO GET INVOLVED.
UM, WE ALSO USE LONG BEACH BUY TO NOTIFY REGISTERED BUSINESSES ABOUT RELEVANT OPPORTUNITIES AND IMPORTANT UPDATES AS THEY, THEY BECOME AVAILABLE.
UM, AND I JUST HAVE SOME QUICK NUMBERS TO SHARE BECAUSE WE HAVE BEEN WORKING WITH THE OFFICE OF GLOBAL ENGAGEMENT, UM, AS THEY WORK VERY CLOSELY WITH LA 28.
[00:15:01]
UM, AND SO WE HAVE TO THIS DATE, WE HAVE SENT OUT 57 OPPORTUNITIES, UM, UM, THAT, UH, RELATE TO THE OLYMPIC GAMES.WE'VE CONTACTED 4,292 VENDORS ABOUT THOSE OPPORTUNITIES.
AND, UM, 1,352 OF THOSE VENDORS ARE LOCAL.
SO WE ARE DOING A REALLY GOOD JOB OF BEING ABLE TO CONNECT THE OPPORTUNITIES THAT ARE HAPPENING IN LA LONG BEACH AND IN THE SURROUNDING CITIES TO OUR VENDORS HERE, UM, IN OUR SYSTEM.
I'M GONNA GIVE IT BACK TO SAMIRA.
UM, SO TO, WE KNOW THAT THE PROCESS CAN, UM, BE A LITTLE INTIMIDATING, ESPECIALLY FOR FIRST TIME AND SMALL, UM, BUSINESSES.
SO WHAT WE'VE DONE IS WE'VE DEVELOPED A COMPREHENSIVE, UM, UH, SORRY, WE'VE, UH, SORRY, COMPREHENSIVE LIBRARY OF GUIDES AND TRAINING MATERIALS THAT ARE AVAILABLE DIRECTLY, UH, FROM THE LONG BEACH BUYS HOMEPAGE.
SO YOU CAN SEE A SNAPSHOT OF THAT HERE.
SO THESE GUIDES ARE AVAILABLE IN PDF AND VIDEO FORMAT AND ARE OFFERED IN SPANISH KAMAI AND VAL VALID.
SO, UM, WE'VE TRIED TO MAKE IT AS INCLUSIVE AND ACCESSIBLE AS POSSIBLE.
UM, AND THESE RESOURCES DO PROVIDE DETAILED GUIDANCE FOR EVERY STAGE OF PARTICIPATION.
SO WHETHER A VENDOR'S LOOKING FOR HELP REGISTERING IN OUR SYSTEM, OR MAYBE UPDATING THEIR NIGP CODES OR, UM, ALL THE WAY THROUGH TO SUBMITTING THEIR PROPOSALS.
SO WHILE OUR ONLINE RESOURCES ARE DESIGNED TO ANSWER ANY COMMON QUESTIONS, WE KNOW THAT SOMETIMES VENDORS DO PREFER TO SPEAK DIRECTLY WITH SOMEONE.
SO THAT'S WHY WE, WE HAVE A DEDICATED VENDOR SUPPORT STAFF WHO CAN ASSIST WITH NAVIGATING LONG BEACH BUYS AND THE PROCUREMENT PROCESS IN GENERAL, INCLUDING LICENSING AND, UH, CERTIFICATIONS.
SO THERE ARE CERTAIN AREAS WHERE PROCUREMENT STAFF MUST REMAIN IMPARTIAL TO ENSURE A FAIR AND COMPETITIVE PROCESS.
UM, SO OUR, OUR ABILITY TO PROVIDE AND VISUALIZE GUIDANCE OR PROPOSAL STRATEGY IS LIMITED.
UM, SO TO HELP FILL THAT GAP THROUGH OUR CITY'S ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT AND OPPORTUNITY, UM, DEPARTMENT, WE PARTNERED WITH RIGHT SOURCE SERVICES TO PROVIDE A MORE COMPREHENSIVE ONE-ON-ONE, UM, APPROACH TO ASSISTANCE.
SO RIGHTSOURCE CAN SUPPORT BUSINESSES WITH, UM, BUSINESS PLANNING, CAPACITY BUILDING, UM, ALL THE WAY THROUGH TO PROPOSAL DEVELOPMENT.
SO THAT HELPS VENDORS BECOME MORE COMPETITIVE AND PREPARED TO PURSUE CITY CONTRACTS.
WE JUST RECENTLY AWARDED A FIRST TIME VENDOR, UM, WHO WAS ABLE TO PARTNER WITH RIGHTSOURCE TO COMPLETE THEIR, UM, SUBMITTAL AND THEY WON AND THEIR LOCAL BUSINESS.
AND THEN, UM, LASTLY, WE WANNA JUST PLUG OUR DOING BUSINESS WITH THE CITY WEBINAR.
THIS IS A WEBINAR WE HOST EVERY SINGLE MONTH.
AND SO THE, UH, WEBINAR PROVIDES AN OVERVIEW ON THE CITY'S PROCUREMENT PROCESS.
IT WALKS VENDORS THROUGH HOW TO REGISTER AND NAVIGATE LONG BEACH BUYS.
WE ALSO, UM, FREQUENTLY, UH, FEATURE GUEST SPEAKERS, INCLUDING CITY DEPARTMENTS WHO ARE ABLE TO SHARE INFORMATION ON UPCOMING, UM, CONTRACTING OPPORTUNITIES.
AND, UM, OTHER TIMES WE DO INVITE RESOURCE PARTNERS WHO PROVIDE, UM, INFORMATION ON KIND OF, UH, THE SERVICES THAT THEY PROVIDE AND, UM, WHO CAN CONTACT THEM.
SO THESE WORKSHOPS, UM, ARE DONE MONTHLY THROUGH ZOOM, BUT WE DO ALSO TAKE PRIDE IN, IN-PERSON OUTREACH.
SO WE OFTENTIMES CONDUCT SIMILAR WORKSHOPS IN PERSON AND, UM, EDUCATE VENDORS ON KIND OF HOW TO NAVIGATE THAT PROCESS THROUGH THAT APPROACH AS WELL.
AND SO LAST YEAR WE WENT TO CLOSE TO 50 DIFFERENT EVENTS WHERE WE PRESENTED THIS MATERIAL AND ALSO MET WITH VENDORS ONE-ON-ONE.
AND THEN LASTLY, BEFORE WE CONCLUDE MY PORTION OF THIS PRESENTATION, JUST WANNA SHARE THAT WE ARE, YOU KNOW, CONTINUING TO LOOK AT WAYS TO INCREASE TRANSPARENCY AROUND THE CITY'S PROCUREMENT ACTIVITIES AND GIVE VENDOR COMMUNITY MORE TIME TO PREPARE.
UM, SO WE BEGAN POSTING FORECASTED OPPORTUNITIES ON THE CITY'S WEBSITE LAST YEAR.
SO EVERY YEAR WE WORK WITH VARIOUS DEPARTMENTS TO KIND OF ASSESS THEIR, UM, AND FORECAST THEIR PURCHASING NEEDS FOR THE YEAR.
UM, TYPICALLY THAT'S BEEN KIND OF KEPT IN-HOUSE AND DONE TO HELP STAFF PREPARE, UM, FOR THOSE SOLICITATIONS.
BUT NOW, UH, JUST TO GIVE VENDORS TIME TO PREPARE, WE'VE STARTED PUBLICIZING THEM.
IT'S ON THE LONG BEACH.GOV, UM, WEBSITE.
UM, IT ALSO HELPS US IDENTIFY VENDORS.
SO PART OF MY JOB IS TO DO MATCHMAKING.
AND SO WHEN I AM OUT TALKING TO VENDORS, I, I AM ABLE TO KIND OF THINK ABOUT WHAT WE HAVE COMING DOWN THE PIPELINE AND, AND HELP, UH, GET VENDORS PREPARED IN THAT WAY.
AND WHAT THAT LOOKS LIKE IS SOMETIMES SENDING THEM OVER TO LIKE THE SMALL BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT CENTER TO KIND OF BEGIN THAT CAPACITY BUILDING, UM, PROCESS.
SO AGAIN, THAT CAN BE VIEWED ON OUR LONG BEACH.GOV WEBSITE.
SO IT'S LONG BEACH.GOV/UPCOMING CONTRACTS, AND THAT QR CODE IS INCLUDED ON THE SLIDE.
SO THAT CONCLUDES, UM, OUR PRESENTATION FOR TODAY.
WE'LL OPEN IT UP FOR OUR DISCUSSION AND QUESTIONS.
THANK YOU VERY, VERY MUCH FOR COMING AND GIVING US THAT PRESENTATION.
I DID HAVE A COUPLE OF QUESTIONS.
ONE IS FOR SMALL BUSINESS ENTERPRISES, DO THEY GET SOME TYPE OF, UM, A PERCENTAGE, UM, ADVANTAGE ALSO?
[00:20:02]
UM, WE DO HAVE A LONG BEACH SMALL BUSINESS ENTERPRISE PROGRAM, UM, AND THERE IS A GOAL THAT IS ASSIGNED TO CERTAIN, UM, CONSTRUCTION PROJECTS THAT WE HAVE WITHIN THE CITY.SO THERE IS A 10% GOAL THAT IS APPLIED TO THOSE, UM, CONSTRUCTION PROJECTS.
AND THEN, UH, ANOTHER QUESTION IS, UH, WHAT'S THE CURRENT, UM, NUMBER THAT A CONTRACT'S LARGER THAN NEED TO BE APPROVED BY THE CITY COUNCIL? UM, CURRENTLY, IF IT IS OVER, IT'S KIND OF A COMPLICATED ANSWER.
IF IT'S OVER 200,000, IT NEEDS TO GO GET COUNCIL APPROVAL.
UM, THERE IS SOME, UH, THERE IS SOME THAT HAVE TO GO AFTER A HUNDRED THOUSAND.
IF WE DID NOT GET AT LEAST THREE BIDS AND THERE WAS A PROTEST, THEN WE WILL TAKE IT, UM, AFTER A HUNDRED THOUSAND.
UM, HOWEVER, WE ARE DOING SO WELL WITH OUR COMPETITION LATELY.
UM, WE, WE DEFINITELY DON'T GET LESS THAN THREE BIDS FOR ANYTHING ANYMORE.
HEATHER, UH, COMMISSIONER DE BENEDICTUS.
THANK YOU FOR THE PRESENTATION.
I REMEMBER WHEN YOU CAME BEFORE AND IT WAS, UH, VERY GOOD.
AND, UH, I CAN SEE SOME OF THE NEW INFORMATION THAT YOU'VE PROVIDED, UH, ESPECIALLY THE OLYMPIC INFORMATION.
YOU MENTIONED THAT THERE ARE 22 DEPARTMENTS THAT DO NOT, UM, ASCRIBE TO THE CITY PROCESS.
UH, CAN YOU TELL ME WHAT, UH, AMONG THE TOP, THE LARGEST ONES THAT DO NOT, ARE NOT NECESSARILY FOLLOWING THE PROCUREMENT PROCESS? NO, THOSE 22 DO FALL UNDER, UNDER US.
SO THE 22 FALL UNDER CITY MANAGER'S AUTHORITY.
SO THOSE FALL UNDER OUR PROCUREMENT PROCESS.
UM, THERE IS UTILITIES, THE HARBOR, UM, THE ELECTEDS, YOU KNOW, THEY'RE OUTSIDE OF OUR, IN THE ELECTED PURVIEW.
HOWEVER, UM, WE ALWAYS ENCOURAGE EVERYONE TO KIND OF FOLLOW THE SAME, UH, THE HARBOR'S A LITTLE DIFFERENT.
UTILITIES, THEY HAVE THEIR OWN COMMISSIONS, BUT, UM, UH, AS FAR AS LIKE THE ELECTEDS, THEY ALL KIND OF COME TO US FOR GUIDANCE.
AND TYPICALLY I WOULD HOPE SO.
'CAUSE I KNOW THAT WE'VE HAD A COUPLE OF CASES WHERE WE'VE BEEN ASKED TO, YOU KNOW, GIVE OUR, OUR THOUGHTS AND, UM, THE MORE THAT THE CITY ASCRIBES TO A A PUBLISHED PROCESS, A PUBLIC PROCESS, IT'S BETTER.
UM, AND I KNOW THAT YOU DO HAVE SOME PEOPLE THAT, UH, DO COME TO YOU.
UM, HAVE YOU BROUGHT ANY NEW ONES INTO THE FOLD OR ARE THERE ANY PLANS THAT ANY OTHERS WOULD ADOPT? UM, OF THE NON-CITY MANAGER DEPARTMENTS? CORRECT.
I MEAN, WE, WE DEFINITELY, WE CAN'T BRING UTILITIES AND HARBOR INTO THE FOLD NECESSARILY.
HOWEVER, WE ARE, UM, DEVELOPING A COMPREHENSIVE PROCUREMENT POLICY.
UM, AND BOTH HAVE ASKED TO KIND OF READ IT AND LOOK AT IT SO THAT WE CAN ALL KIND OF ALIGN.
UM, AND THEN AS FAR AS THE, THE OTHER ONES BESIDES THOSE TWO, UM, YES, WE'RE ALSO IN, IN THE POLICY GOING TO TRY TO POINT TO, YOU KNOW, BEST GUIDANCE IS TO FOLLOW THIS, THIS SAME POLICY.
THAT'S WHAT I'M HOPEFUL FOR IS ALIGNMENT.
I THINK THERE SHOULD BE A CERTAIN COMMONALITY THAT, YOU KNOW, UH, ALONG THE LINE OF COMPLIANCE, ET CETERA, UH, AND THE STANDARDS, YOU KNOW.
UM, YOU GUYS SHOULD BE SHARING BEST PRACTICES.
UM, I NOTICED, UH, SO EVERYTHING UNDER 25,000, DOES IT GO THROUGH LIKE A, A PURCHASE CARD OR A RAPID PROCUREMENT? WHAT KIND OF A, HOW DO YOU HANDLE THE, THE SMALLER, UM, PURCHASES? UM, THE SMALLER PURCHASES.
SO ANYTHING UNDER 40,000, UM, IS DONE WITH, UH, A PURCHASE ORDER.
SO USUALLY THEY SORT, THE DEPARTMENTS ARE ASKED TO SOURCE THREE QUOTES.
UM, THEY CAN DO MORE, BUT THREE QUOTES IS KIND OF THE, THE BASELINE THAT WE ASK FOR.
UM, AND THEN, UH, THEY SELECT BASED ON THOSE QUOTES.
AND THEN THERE IS A PURCHASE ORDER THAT'S PUT IN PLACE.
WE DO HAVE A PCARD PROGRAM AS WELL.
UM, SO WE DO HAVE, UH, PCARD PURCHASES THAT HAPPEN.
THOSE ARE TYPICALLY SMALLER, YOU KNOW, LIKE UNDER 5,000.
UM, AND IT'S WHAT WE DON'T HAVE CONTRACTS FOR.
AND THEY HAVE TO BE VERY SPECIFIC.
IT, IT, IT CAN'T BE SERVICES BECAUSE OF INSURANCE AND THOSE KINDS OF THINGS.
UM, AND THEN I NOTICED YOU DO A LOT WITH THAT, WITH THAT SMALL TEAM.
UH, SO HOW DO YOU HANDLE COMPLIANCE INTERNALLY, UH, TO THE TOP DOUBLE CHECK, UH, TERMS AND CONDITIONS, ET CETERA? SO EVERY, EVERY, I'LL JUST SAY BUYER IS IN CHARGE OF ALL THAT, OR DO YOU RELY ON THE CITY STAFF, OR DO YOU HAVE A COMPLIANCE PROCESS IN INTERNALLY? UM, WE ACTUALLY STOOD UP A COMPLIANCE DIVISION MM-HMM
UM, TWO YEARS AGO, THREE YEARS AGO.
UM, KIND OF FOR THAT EXACT REASON.
UM, BECAUSE WHILE WE HAVE ALL THE ANALYSTS OR BUYERS, UM, DOING ALL OF THE PROCUREMENT WORK, WE NEED TO ALSO ENSURE THERE'S SOME COMPLIANCE HAPPENING ALSO.
SO WE ACTUALLY HAVE A DIVISION OF TWO, A MIGHTY DIVISION OF TWO.
TWO PEOPLE CAN DO A LOT 'CAUSE UH, THEY REALLY CAN.
AND IF YOU KNEW THESE TWO, YOU WOULD REALLY SEE HOW MUCH THEY CAN DO.
UM, UH, DON'T STEP AWAY FROM THAT IF IT'S POSSIBLE, BECAUSE, UH, THEY'RE NOT GONNA BE AS CLOSE AS THE CITY AUDITOR WOULD EVER BE, UH, TO KNOWING WHAT YOU, WHAT YOU SEE IN AND OUT.
UM, UH, ONE CURIOUS, UH, QUESTION MODIFICATIONS AND EXTENSIONS, ET CETERA.
DO THEY GO THROUGH THE SAME RIGOR OVER AGAIN? OR DO THEY, UM, YOU KNOW, DO
[00:25:01]
YOU GUYS HAVE A OUTSIDE? 'CAUSE I REMEMBER ONE CASE WAS BROUGHT BEFORE US, UH, IT WASN'T SOMETHING THAT, UM, WAS, UM, MANAGED BY THE CITY, BUT IT WAS AN EXAMPLE OF LIKE 10 EXTENSIONS.IT WAS JUST, UH, WITH REALLY NO OVERSIGHT.
HOW DO YOU HANDLE THAT TYPE OF THING TO MONITOR? UH, THE MAJORITY OF OUR CONTRACTS, WE DON'T GO PAST FIVE YEARS.
WE HAVE A THREE YEAR CONTRACT WITH TWO YEAR RENEWAL OPTIONS.
UM, TYPICALLY AFTER THAT, IF IT, THEY, IF THERE'S AN EXTENSION, UM, THAT WE FEEL LIKE THERE CAN'T BE A BID THAT'S DONE, UM, IN THAT MOMENT, WE WILL ALLOW THE EXTENSION FOR A SHORT PERIOD OF TIME, MAYBE SIX MONTHS TO A YEAR WHILE THE PROCUREMENT PROCESS IS UNDERWAY.
UM, THERE ARE SOME EXCEPTIONS, LIKE SOFTWARE AND VEHICLES.
LIKE THERE'S SOME THINGS YOU, YOU NEED A LITTLE LONGER THAT MAKE SENSE THAT WAY.
UM, BUT THAT'S PART OF WHAT OUR COMPLIANCE DIVISION DOES, IS THEY KIND OF SCRUTINIZE THOSE.
WE, WE SEE ALL THE COUNCIL LETTERS, SO WE SEE ALL THE EXTENSIONS.
UM, SO WE'RE ABLE, AND THE FORECAST MEETINGS ALSO HELP.
SO WE FORECAST OUT, WE SAY, HEY, YOUR, YOUR CONTRACT'S GONNA BE UP IN TWO YEARS, LET'S START THINKING ABOUT A PROCUREMENT.
YEAH, THAT'S, I CAN JUST ADD TO THAT.
SO MY NAME IS SARAH MORTENSON AND I'M THE BUSINESS SERVICES BUREAU MANAGER.
ALL OF THIS FUND IS WITHIN OUR BUREAU.
UM, THERE'S ALSO A WORKFLOW FOR THE CITY.
SO IN ORDER FOR A, UM, A PAYMENT TO BE MADE, THERE HAS TO BE A PURCHASE ORDER.
AND THE PURCHASE ORDERS ARE GETTING, UM, APPROVED ALL BY OUR, UM, OUR PROCUREMENT COMPLIANCE, UM, OFFICER.
SO SHE SEES EVERYTHING THAT'S COMING THROUGH, UM, THAT'S OVER $25,000.
SO SHE'S SEEING, UM, WHETHER THEY ARE DOING, YOU KNOW, SO IT MIGHT BE IN THAT 25 TO 40 WHERE IT'S NOT GOING TO THE CITY MANAGER, BUT IT'S IN THAT 25 SPACE.
AND THEN THEY'RE TRYING TO DO LIKE LOTS OF WHAT YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT.
SHE'LL SEE ALL OF THAT AND GO BACK TO THE DEPARTMENT AND BE LIKE, WHOA, WHOA, WHOA, HANG ON A SECOND.
YOU SHOULD REALLY BE DOING THIS.
SO SHE'S PUSHING THEM INTO BEST PRACTICES, BUT ALSO PUSHING THEM INTO, UM, YOU KNOW, LIKE MAKING SURE THEY'RE COMPLIANT, BUT THEN ALSO JUST PUSHING BEST PRACTICES AS WELL.
YOU, YOU NEED ALMOST EVERYBODY IN THE, IN THE WHOLE CHAIN TO BE WORK WORKING THE ISSUE FOR YOU.
UM, ONE LAST, UH, I'LL JUST SAY SUGGESTION IS THE, UM, VENDOR CODE OF CONDUCT, YOU KNOW, THAT IS SOMETHING THAT WE WORKED ON.
UH, BUT WHEREVER YOU CAN EMBRACE THAT, IF YOU FIND, FIND VALUE, UM, EITHER IN DOING BUSINESS WITH THE CITY, UM, OR UH, JUST DISTRIBUTION WHEREVER.
I'M NOT SURE IF, UH, IF THAT'S SOMETHING THAT YOU GUYS HAVE THOUGHT ABOUT USING MORE OR NOT.
IT'S ACTUALLY I'M HAPPY TO REPORT, UM, SINCE THE LAST MEETING, UH, WE DID HAVE IT IN OUR SOLICITATIONS, IT IS EMBEDDED IN OUR SOLICITATIONS.
BUT SINCE THE LAST MEETING, WE'VE ACTUALLY EMBEDDED INTO OUR PURCHASE ORDERS AS WELL.
SO WE WEREN'T CAPTURING THOSE SMALLER DOLLARS.
NO, I THINK, UH, YOU'RE PROBABLY ONE OF THE MOST IMPORTANT ORGANIZATIONS IF YOU HAVEN'T BEEN TOLD THAT IT'S A VERY IMPORTANT ORGANIZATION FOR THE CITY.
I'M COMMISSIONER EATON, UH, ONE OF THE NEWEST MEMBERS OF THE COMMISSION.
REALLY APPRECIATED HEARING MORE ABOUT YOUR ORGANIZATION.
UM, I HAVE SOME FAMILIARITY IN MY PROFESSIONAL LIFE DEALING WITH PROCUREMENT OPERATIONS AND LARGE, UM, UH, ENTITIES.
AND SO I UNDERSTAND HOW DIFFICULT THE ROLE CAN BE, THE ROLES CAN BE.
UM, I DID HAVE A QUESTION RELATED TO, UM, UH, A REFERENCE YOU MADE TO THE DEVELOPMENT OF PROCUREMENT POLICY.
SO THERE IS NOT CURRENTLY A POLICY THAT GOVERNS PROCUREMENT SERVICES WITHIN THE CITY.
SHE'S, SHE, SHE START, SHE WAS ME BEFORE ME.
UM, BUT THERE'S A LOT OF ADMINISTRATIVE REGULATIONS, SO ARS, SO WE HAVE LOTS OF ARS THAT GUIDE OUR, UM, PRACTICES AND POLICIES.
SO, SO WE DO HAVE POLICIES IN PLACE, IT'S JUST NOT ONE COMPREHENSIVE DOCUMENT.
SO WE'VE TAKEN ALL OF THOSE AND PUT IT INTO ONE DOCUMENT.
UM, TO THAT END, UH, INCLUDED WITHIN THERS, ARE THERE EXPRESS DELEGATIONS OF AUTHORITY TO, UM, THE UNITS, FOR EXAMPLE? AND COULD YOU JUST, UM, DESCRIBE A LITTLE BIT ABOUT HOW THOSE DELEGATIONS WORK? SO THAT'S THE THRESHOLDS.
AND SO THAT'S THE THRESHOLD WHEN WE TALK ABOUT, YOU KNOW, 25,000, 40,000, A HUNDRED THOUSAND, 200,000, AND THERE IS ONE AT 500,000 FOR HOMELAND SECURITY GRANTS AS WELL.
SO, UM, THERE'S A, A SET OF AUTHORITIES ASSOCIATED WITH THE CITY CHARTER.
THERE'S A SET THAT'S, UM, WITHIN OUR MUNICIPAL CODE, AND THEN THERE'S A SET THAT'S, UM, CREATED FROM POLICIES.
AND THEN OUR NEW POLICY, WHICH WILL BE, UM, DEBUTING THIS YEAR, UH, UH, FINGERS CROSSED.
UM, 'CAUSE IT IS, UM, IT'S DRAFTED AND IN THE REVIEW PHASE, UM, AND IT SHOULD BE, UM, ABLE TO BE LAUNCHED THIS YEAR.
THAT'LL HAVE LIKE COMPREHENSIVELY FROM END TO END ALL OF THE INFORMATION IN ONE PLACE, WHICH WILL BE CONVENIENT.
AND THEN, UM, THE MOST IMPORTANT PART OF YOUR QUESTION IS HOW THEN
[00:30:01]
DO WE IMPLEMENT THOSE AUTHORITIES AND HOW DO WE HAVE THE INTERNAL CONTROLS ACTUALLY ROLLED OUT WITHIN THE CITY? AND SO THAT'S ALL EMBEDDED INTO THE FINANCIAL SYSTEM.SO AS I SAID, YOU CAN'T MAKE A, A PAYMENT TO A VENDOR WITHOUT HAVING THE PURCHASE ORDER AND THE PURCHASE ORDER CAN'T GET THROUGH THE SYSTEM WITHOUT GOING THROUGH THE WORKFLOWS.
AND THAT SET OF THRESHOLD IS BUILT INTO THE WORKFLOWS.
AND THEN, UM, UH, WE DO HAVE AN ANNUAL REVIEW OF EVERYONE WHO IS APPROVING EACH OF THE LEVELS.
IN FACT, WE JUST COMPLETED THAT.
AND THOSE INDIVIDUALS, UH, HAVE, UH, FILL OUT, UH, FORM SEVEN HUNDREDS AND HAVE THE APPROPRIATE TRAINING.
UM, I CAN'T TELL YOU WHO HAS THE FORM 700 AND WHO DOESN'T, UM, THAT'S NOT IN MY, UM, IN MY LANE.
BUT, UM, THOSE MANAGERS AND EVERYONE ELSE THAT'S, THAT'S PRESCRIBED BY CITY, UM, AND HOW THAT ALL WORKS, UM, IS ALREADY HAPPENING.
I KNOW THAT BECAUSE I HAVE TO DO IT MYSELF.
UM, SO I KNOW THAT HAPPENS THROUGHOUT THE CITY AND IT IS A FUNCTION OF THE CITY CLERK'S OFFICE, UM, HOW NECESSARILY THEY'RE, UM, SETTING THAT UP FOR WHAT THEIR APPROVAL PATHS ARE.
I CAN SAY THAT WE DO, UM, CITYWIDE PROCUREMENT TRAINING.
UM, ONE OF THE SLIDES SHOWED KIND OF LIKE ALL OF THE DIFFERENT GUIDES WE HAVE FOR THE PUBLIC, WELL, WE HAVE ALL THAT ON THE PRIVATE SIDE.
WE CALL IT, UM, PROCUREMENT UNIVERSITY.
AND SO MICHELLE HAS CREATED, UM, YOU KNOW, LEVEL 1 0 1, 1 0 2, 1 0 3, 1 0 4.
SO WE HAVE ALL OF THAT TRAINING THAT GOES THROUGH AND, UM, WE TALK ABOUT WHAT IS APPROPRIATE AND WHAT ISN'T AND HOW YOU OBTAIN EVERYTHING.
AND SO, UM, TRAINING AND COMMUNICATION IS THE NUMBER ONE THING WE CAN DO TO MAKE SURE THAT APPROVALS ARE HAPPENING APPROPRIATELY.
UM, AND MY QUESTIONS WILL BE JUST, UM, WE WILL SEE IF YOU THINK SO, BUT SMALLER
SO HOW IS IT, YOU KNOW, IS THAT THESE VENDORS GET THAT CALL FROM THAT CITY DEPARTMENT YOU WANNA SPEAK TO THAT? I CAN.
SO, UM, THEY ARE ENCOURAGED TO SHOP LOCAL.
IT'S EMBEDDED INTO OUR TRAININGS.
AND IF THEY EXHAUSTED ALL THEIR OPTIONS, THERE'S NO VENDOR IN LONG BEACH BUY, THEY CAN REACH OUT TO ME AND I WILL DO THAT ADDITIONAL RESEARCH AND CONNECT THEM TO VENDORS.
UM, AND THEN CONTINUING ON MY CO UH, UH, MY COLLEAGUE'S QUESTION ON THE COMPLIANCE BIT OF IT.
UM, I KNOW THAT IF THERE ISN'T A, NECESSARILY A BRICK AND MORTAR LOCATION AND THEY HAVE, YOU KNOW, SELECTED THAT THEY HAVE AN ADDRESS IN LONG BEACH, YOU KNOW, IS THERE A PROCESS THAT THOSE INSTANCES, YOU KNOW, GET AT LEAST SPOT CHECKED OR REVIEWED TO MAKE SURE THAT THEY'RE NOT JUST USING AN ADDRESS FROM A FRIEND OF THEIRS, BUT THAT IT'S ACTUALLY TRULY A, A LOCAL LONG BEACH RESIDENT? YES.
SO WE, UM, WE'RE PROCUREMENT SERVICES AND THE OTHER SIDE OF TERRACE BUREAU IS BUSINESS LICENSING.
WE ACTUALLY CHECK WITH BUSINESS LICENSE TO MAKE SURE THEY HAVE A VALID BUSINESS LICENSE, WHAT TYPE OF BUSINESS IT IS, IF IT'S A BRICK AND MORTAR, IF IT'S AN OFFICE FRONT, WHATEVER THE CASE MAY BE, IF IT'S A HOME.
UM, YES, WE HAVE ALL OF THAT THAT WE, WE VERIFY.
AND THEN MY LAST QUESTION, UM, AND I, I THINK THE, UH, YOU KNOW, THE ONLINE RESOURCES ARE TRULY FANTASTIC, THE FACT THAT YOU HAVE BOTH WRITTEN AND, UM, YOU KNOW, VIDEO CONTENT FOR PEOPLE WHO LEARN DIFFERENTLY, THAT YOU HAVE, UH, A HOTLINE THAT THEY CAN CALL, UM, THAT YOU CAN ASK QUESTIONS LIVE.
UM, AND, AND MAYBE I MISSED THIS PART, BUT WHEN HAVE Y'ALL EXPLORED DOING IN-PERSON, UM, YOU KNOW, THE DOING BUSINESS WITH THE CITY, UM, PROGRAMS TO, YOU KNOW, TRY TO GET MORE, UH, LOCAL BUSINESSES OR JUST FOLKS TO, IT'S SUCH AN EXCITING THING THAT YOU'RE BRINGING UP.
IT'S SO EXCITING AND IT'S DEFINITELY SOMETHING THAT IS A MAYOR INITIATIVE.
THE MAYOR IS VERY, VERY INTERESTED IN MAKING SURE THAT LOCAL BUSINESSES ARE AWARE OF HOW TO DO THIS.
SO TWO YEARS AGO HE CAME TO US AND SAID, HEY, HOW DO WE GET, HOW DO WE HELP? HOW DO WE DO ALL THAT? AND THAT'S LIKE THE FOUNDATION OF SAMIR'S POSITION.
IT WAS A MAYOR DRIVEN POSITION TO MAKE SURE WE HAD THAT COORDINATOR TO BE ABLE TO DO IT.
AND SO, UM, TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT ALL OF THE, THE AMAZING WORK YOU'RE DOING.
THIS IS HER FAVORITE THING IS TO TALK ABOUT OURSELF, OF COURSE,
BUT THE WORK, THE WORK HAS JUST BEEN AMAZING.
SO WE DO HAVE A VERY COMPREHENSIVE IN-PERSON OUTREACH STRATEGY.
AND SO THAT IS A COMBINATION OF WORKSHOPS THAT WE HOST.
WE ACTUALLY HOSTED OUR FIRST DOING BUSINESS WITH THE CITY, UM, EXPO, WHICH WAS AN IN-PERSON EVENT WHERE VENDORS
[00:35:01]
GOT TO COME AND LEARN MORE ABOUT HOW TO DO BUSINESS WITH US.SO THERE WAS SEVERAL PRESENTATIONS.
WE HAD THE OLYMPICS TEAM COME AND TALK ABOUT THOSE OPPORTUNITIES.
THOSE VENDORS ALSO GOT TO MEET WITH CITY DEPARTMENTS, LEARN MORE ABOUT THOSE SMALL DOLLAR PURCHASES THAT ARE NOT GONNA BE ADVERTISED ON LONG BEACH BUYS.
WE ALSO, UM, SPEND A LOT OF TIME WORKING WITH OUR, UM, LOCAL ORGANIZATIONS LIKE SCORE, LIKE THE CHAMBER OF COMMERCE, SO THAT WE'RE PARTNERING WITH THEM AND KIND OF MEETING BUSINESSES WHERE THEY ALREADY ARE.
AND THEN SOMETIMES WE GO TO FUN EVENTS OR WE JUST RUN INTO SOME BUSINESSES.
SO, UM, WE WANNA MAKE SURE THAT VENDORS KNOW THEY CAN COME TO US.
UM, WE'VE BUILT A LOT OF RELATIONSHIPS AND THAT'S KIND OF HOW I DO SOME OF THAT MESH MAKING TOO.
AND SO YES, IT'S SOMETHING WE, WE SPEND A LOT OF TIME ON.
UM, AND LAST YEAR, LIKE I MENTIONED EARLIER, WE, WE ATTENDED CLOSE TO 50 EVENTS.
SO, UM, SOME THAT WERE HOSTED BY US, AGAIN, SOME THAT WERE WORKSHOPS, SOME EVENTS WHERE WE WERE JUST TABLING AND KIND OF SHARING INFORMATION AND LETTING PEOPLE JUST MEET US SO THAT WHEN IT DOES COME TIME FOR THEM TO SUBMIT A PROPOSAL, THEY'RE KIND OF ALREADY FAMILIAR WITH US.
SO ONE OF THE THINGS THAT THE GROUP IS DOING, UM, WHICH, UH, MANY OF YOU WILL SEE THEM OUT AT, IS AT COMMUNITY EVENTS.
AND SO YOU GO TO CONCERTS IN THE PARK, UM, MOVIES IN THE PARK, UM, MUNI BAND CONCERTS, AND YOU'LL SEE OUR TEAM, YOU'LL SEE TABLING THAT'S HAPPENING THERE.
YOU'LL SEE 'EM AT JAZZ FEST, YOU'LL SEE 'EM AT, UM, UH, ALL OF THE DIFFERENT EVENTS THAT ARE HAPPENING AROUND THE CITY.
UM, WE CHECK IN WITH THE COUNCIL OFFICES TO FIND OUT, YOU KNOW, WHERE WOULD THEY LIKE US TO BE? AND SO WHEN MAR, WHEN SAMIRA SAYS 50 EVENTS, THE BULK OF THOSE EVENTS ARE RIGHT HERE IN THE COMMUNITY AND AT LOCAL STOP.
THAT'S ONE OF THE THINGS THAT MICHELLE STARTED WHEN SHE CAME INTO THE PURCHASING AGENT, UM, ROLE, WAS TO MAKE SURE THAT WE WERE REALLY IN THE COMMUNITY AND BEING ABLE TO MEET THEM IN LOTS OF DIFFERENT SPACES.
SO WE HAVE ACT LIKE COMMERCIAL FOCUSED EVENTS, THE DOING BUSINESS WITH THE CITY, UM, WEBINAR AS WELL AS THE EXPO AND OTHER MEETINGS WITH THE CHAMBER AND EVERYTHING.
BUT ALSO THE OTHER STUFF, YOU KNOW, WHEN YOU'RE OUT WITH YOUR FAMILY, YOU JUST GET AN OPPORTUNITY TO BE LIKE, OH WAIT, THIS MIGHT BE GOOD.
AND, UM, WE GET A LOT OF SIGNUPS FROM THOSE.
THERE'S ENGAGEMENT FROM, YOU KNOW, ANYWHERE FROM 50 TO A HUNDRED FOLKS ABOUT THEIR BUSINESSES THAT ARE IN THE COMMUNITY WHERE THEY MAY NOT HAVE EVER, UM, HAD THAT ENGAGEMENT WITH US.
AND THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR BEING HERE.
UM, YOU KNOW, WE'RE NOT ON CITY COUNCIL GROUND, SO I APPRECIATE Y'ALL ALL TAKING THE DRIVE, UM, AND THIS INFORMATION AND ALL THE WORK THAT YOU'RE DOING, I, I WENT TO TO AMPHITHEATER THIS WEEKEND AND IT WAS WONDERFUL.
SO I ALSO WANNA THANK YOU FOR ALL THE WORK THAT Y'ALL DID TO HELP THAT, UH, VISION REALLY GROW.
WE DON'T GET THE GLORY FOR THE AMPHITHEATER, SO I HAD TO MAKE SURE
UM, I, I WENT TO YOUR WEBSITE AND YOU'VE DONE A LOT OF WORK TO, WITH THE OUTREACH ON THE WEBSITE AND ALL OF THE INFORMATION THAT'S ON THE WEBSITE.
I REALLY, AND, AND, UM, I, I HAVE A COUPLE OF QUESTIONS, BUT I HAD TO PICK ONE RFP TO SORT OF WALK THROUGH THE WHOLE THING.
AND, UM, THE VIP RECORDS RESTORATION PROJECT WAS VERY INTERESTING TO WALK THROUGH.
UM, SO I DO HAVE A COUPLE QUESTIONS, JUST THEY'RE GENERIC, BUT, UM, SO, UH, YOU'VE GOT THE RFP AND IT'S A FAIRLY COMPLEX RFPI MEAN, IT'S NOT HUGE CONSTRUCTION OR ANYTHING, BUT THERE'S A NUMBER OF STEPS AND, AND STAGES.
UM, SO FOR EXAMPLE, THEY'RE, THEY'RE GONNA PREPARE DRAWINGS WHO WILL THEN REVIEW THE DRAWINGS.
SO FOR EACH OF OUR RFPS, WE HAVE AN EVALUATION PANEL.
AND SO THAT'S TYPICALLY MADE UP OF DEPARTMENT FOLKS, SUBJECT MATTER EXPERTS.
SOMETIMES WE HAVE THE COMMUNITY AS PART OF THAT TOO.
UM, SO TYPICALLY THERE'S A PANEL OF THREE TO FIVE FOLKS, UM, THAT WILL EVALUATE ALL OF THE PIECES OF THE RFP.
SO YOU'LL BE WORKING WITH THE PEOPLE IN EACH OF THE DEPARTMENTS WHO ARE MOST KNOWLEDGEABLE ABOUT WHAT THE NEED IS.
UM, AND SO, UH, ARE, DO THOSE PEOPLE ALSO GO THROUGH YOUR TRAINING TO UNDERSTAND THE COMPLIANCE PROCESS AND, UH, WHAT THEY NEED TO SEE TO BE SURE THAT THEY'RE NOT APPROVING A DRAWING, FOR EXAMPLE, THAT DOESN'T MEET YOUR RFP REQUIREMENTS? YEAH.
EACH OF OUR PANELS GOES THROUGH A LITTLE, UH, QUICK KIND OF DEBRIEF ABOUT THE EVALUATION PROCESS.
WE DO A WHOLE TRAINING ABOUT IT, AND WE HAVE A TOOLKIT ALSO THAT KIND OF GUIDES THEM ABOUT HOW THEY CAN EVALUATE EACH OF THE PIECES THAT ARE IN THE CRITERIA.
UM, BUT YES, THAT TRAINING INCLUDES THAT SPECIFICALLY HOW YOU EVALUATE HAS TO POINT TO EXACTLY WHAT WE'VE ASKED THE VENDORS TO SUPPLY US.
UH, BUT THIS IS ALSO IN, DURING PERFORMANCE.
SO THEY, WHO, WHO WILL OVERSEE THE PERFORMANCE? THERE'S STEPS IN THE PERFORMANCE OF THE CONTRACT.
OH, ONCE THE CONTRACT IS AWARDED.
I THOUGHT YOU WERE TALKING ABOUT THE EVALUATION.
[00:40:01]
STEP ONE, STEP ONE EVALUATION, UM, STEP ONE, ACTUALLY WRITE THE REQUIREMENTS.I MAY ASSUME THAT THE PEOPLE WHO KNOW THE SUBJECT MATTER ARE WRITING A LOT OF THE REQUIREMENTS.
THEN YOU GUYS MANAGE THE SOLICITATION, THE COMPETITION, YOU'VE GOT A PANEL THAT THEN WORKS ON THE SELECTION.
NOW YOU'VE AWARDED A CONTRACT, AND NOW THERE'S, BEFORE YOU PAY BILLS, THERE'S MORE EVALUATION THAT NEEDS TO BE DONE.
DID THIS, DID THIS CONTRACTOR MEET THE REQUIREMENTS FOR THESE DRAWINGS? PREPARE 60%, 90%, AND A HUNDRED PERCENT READY TO PERMIT CONSTRUCTION DOCUMENTS.
SO SOMEBODY WITH A CONSTRUCTION KNOWLEDGE IS HAVING TO LOOK AT, IS IT 60%, 90%? RIGHT.
HOW DOES THAT HAPPEN? OKAY, SO THE EVALUATION PANEL WOULD BE KIND OF THE SMES.
UM, ONCE THAT CONTRACT IS AWARDED, THEN IT WOULD BE PASSED TO THE DEPARTMENT, WHOEVER'S RUNNING THE SOLICITATION.
SO IN THAT CASE IT'S PROBABLY PUBLIC WORKS WOULD BE THE LEAD, I'M ASSUMING.
UM, AND SO YOU, THERE WOULD BE DEFINITELY THE ENGINEERS AND THE CONSTRUCTION FOLKS IN THAT DEPARTMENT THAT WOULD OVERSEE THE CONTRACT MANAGEMENT AND ASSURE THAT THEY'RE IN LINE WITH WHAT'S IN THE RFP AND, AND ALL OF THE RULES, WHICH YOU'RE VERY CLEAR ON IN YOUR WEBSITE.
FOR YOU GUYS, WILL THOSE APPLY TO THE PEOPLE WHO ARE THEN OVERSEEING PERFORMANCE IN THE, SAY PUBLIC WORKS? SO DOES PUBLIC WORKS KNOW THEY CAN'T ACCEPT LUNCH? YES.
DINNER AT, I THINK ONE OF YOUR EXAMPLES WAS DINNER AT 5, 5 5, OR, YES.
ALL, ALL OF THE CITY EMPLOYEES GO THROUGH THE PROCUREMENT TRAINING UHHUH.
UM, SO YES, THEY ALL GET THE SAME INFORMATION.
SO YEAH, THEY'LL TURN AROUND, THEY COULD BE EVALUATORS, THEY COULD BE CONTRACT MANAGERS, THEY COULD BE THE ONE COMING UP WITH THE SOLICITATION.
THEY ALL RECEIVE THE SAME TRAINING AND THEY'RE REMINDED AT WHEN THEY ACTUALLY ARE ENGAGED IN, UH, CONTRACT PERFORMANCE OVERSIGHT.
AND I THINK PROBABLY HEATHER CAN HELP A LITTLE BIT ON WHAT, BECAUSE WE ALL HAVE TO GO THROUGH SOME ETHICS TRAINING.
AND SO SOME OF WHAT YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT IS THE ETHICS TRAINING THAT I'VE RECENTLY GONE TO.
SO YOU MIGHT BE ABLE TO, UM, ANSWER THAT BETTER THAN WE CAN REPEAT THE QUESTION.
IT'S JUST ABOUT, UM, IT'S OKAY.
SO ONCE THE CITY STAFF ARE THEN, UM, IN THE, THE PROCESS OF ACTUALLY ADMINISTERING THE CONTRACT, ARE THEY AWARE OF ALL OF THE THINGS THAT THEY SHOULD BE DOING ETHICALLY, UM, WHEN THEY GO AHEAD TO DO IT? AND MY OPINION ON THAT IS, UM, YES, BECAUSE WE'RE ALL REQUIRED TO GO FOR YOUR ETHICS TRAINING.
SO JUST WANTED TO GIVE YOU AN OPPORTUNITY TO TELL THAT THAT'S A GOOD IDEA THOUGH TOO, BECAUSE WE'RE STARTING INTO MICRO TRAINING.
HEATHER, COULD YOU USE THE MICROPHONE? SORRY, OVER, OVER, YOU KNOW, I'M THINKING OF OVERSIGHT OF DO YOU NEED ME TO REPEAT CONTRACT PERFORMANCE
SO THEN THERE WAS JUST SOMETHING ELSE I WANTED TO ADD.
UM, WHEN YOU WERE ASKING ABOUT THE SELECTION COMMITTEE, I WANTED TO MAKE SURE TO LET YOU KNOW THAT THERE IS, UM, A CONFLICT OF INTEREST FORM THAT EACH MEMBER OF THE SELECTION COMMITTEE DOES HAVE TO SIGN, UM, WHICH GOES THROUGH EVERYTHING AS WELL, SO THAT THAT SELECTION COMMITTEE RIGHT FROM THE START IS MAKING SURE, WE'RE MAKING SURE RIGHT THERE THAT THERE'S NO CONFLICT OF INTEREST ASSOCIATED WITH THEM, YOU KNOW, POTENTIALLY AWARDING TO THEIR, YOU KNOW, THEIR BROTHER A CONTRACT OR THEIR, THEIR WIFE OR THEIR CHILD OR SOMETHING ELSE.
SO, UM, AND WHAT CONFLICT OF INTEREST LOOKS LIKE, AND THOSE ARE COLLECTED AND KEPT ASSOCIATED WITH THE RFB.
AND THAT'S REALLY THE POINT THAT I WAS TRYING TO MAKE, IS TRYING TO ENSURE THAT THERE'S CONFLICT OF INTEREST TRAINING AND THAT FORM SEVEN HUNDREDS IF THEY HAVE ANY KIND OF FINANCIAL OR FISCAL, UM, RESPONSIBILITY IN AWARDING CONTRACTS OR IN, UM, UH, SIGNING CONTRACTS, ET CETERA.
UM, AND THEN IN TERMS OF THE JURISDICTION THAT YOU GUYS HAVE, ONE FINAL QUESTION.
SO I KNOW PORT AND UTILITIES ARE NOT SUBJECT TO YOUR PROCESSES, UM, ELECTEDS AND THEN ALSO POLICE AND FIRE.
DO THEY, DO YOU BUY FOR POLICE AND FIRE? YES, WE DO.
OH, WAIT, COMMISSIONER GILL HAS QUESTIONS.
I JUST WANTED TO CLOSE THE LOOP.
SO I KNOW THAT HAVING BEEN A FORMER HARBOR DEPARTMENT EMPLOYEE THAT THEY STILL USE PLANET BIDS.
UH, DOES UTILITIES ALSO USE PLANET BIDS OR DO THEY USE SOMETHING ELSE? NO.
UTILITIES USE LONG BEACH BUYS.
OH, DIDN'T, SO UTILITIES USES LONG BEACH BUYS.
I'M SORRY, I THOUGHT YOU, I THOUGHT IT WAS SAID THAT HARBOR UTILITIES AND ELECTED DIDN'T USE IT.
NO, THEY DON'T FALL UNDER OUR JURISDICTION.
THEY DON'T FALL UNDER JURISDICTION.
SO THEY DON'T FALL UNDER OUR OKAY.
[00:45:01]
BUT THEY USE, UH, UTILITIES DOES USE THE SAME SYSTEM.SO UTILITIES USE AS LONG BEACH BUYS.
UH, HARBOR IS STILL USING PLANET BIDS.
WHICH IS WHAT THE CITY USED TO USE.
AND DO WE HAVE ANY MORE COMMENTS FROM THE COMMISSION? AND IS THERE ANY INPUT FROM THE PUBLIC ON THIS AGENDA ITEM? THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
GREAT PRESENTATION, AND IT WAS GREAT TO HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY OR JUST THE LITTLE PUSH TO GO BACK AND LOOK AT YOUR WEBSITE AGAIN.
WOULD YOU LIKE TO MOVE TO A VOTE NOW CHAIR? PARDON? WOULD YOU LIKE TO MOVE TO A VOTE NOW ON THE ITEM? UM, WHAT IS OUR HOPE OF EVER SEEING JESSICA? WHEN DID SHE LEAVE? CITY HALL? SORRY.
UH, NOT FOR THE ELECTION, BUT FOR THIS ITEM ON ITEM TWO, WE STILL NEED TO TAKE A, UH, VOTE TO RECEIVE.
SORRY FOR THE CONFUSION THAT THAT'S, I, I I'M THE ONE WHO, WHO WAS CONFUSED.
COMMISSIONER NOVE, VICE CHAIR COLEMAN.
AGENDA ITEM NUMBER THREE, RECOMMENDATION
[3. 26-55440 Recommendation to receive and file the biannual update on the Office of Ethics and Transparency’s 5-Year Strategic Roadmap. Suggested Action: Approve recommendation. ]
TO RECEIVE AND FILE THE BIANNUAL UPDATE ON THE OFFICE OF ETHICS AND TRANSPARENCIES, FIVE YEAR STRATEGIC ROADMAP.I HAVE A MOTION FROM COMMISSIONER D BENEDICTUS, SECONDED BY COMMISSIONER GILL AND HEATHER, YOU'RE UP.
JUST YOU GUYS CAN ACTUALLY ZOOM ZOOMED OUT AT HOME.
THERE'S ONLY SO MUCH I CAN DO WITH ADOBE.
I COULD ACTUALLY READ THIS WITHOUT MY SPECS.
UNFORTUNATELY, I TOOK NOTES ON THE ONE THAT WAS ON.
SO I PUT EVERYTHING ON A POWERPOINT, BUT I THINK IT'S BETTER IF WE JUST LOOK AT, UM, THE SLIDE OR THE, WHAT YOU HAVE IN FRONT OF YOU, THE PAPER.
UH, BEFORE WE GET INTO IT, JUST A REMINDER FOR OUR NEWER COMMISSIONERS, UM, THE ROADMAP IS BASED ON HAS FIVE OVERARCHING PRIORITIES, THE CULTURE OF ETHICS, SOLID COMMUNICATIONS, EDUCATION AND TRAINING, AND THEN ORGANIZATIONAL ALIGNMENT.
AND THEN WE ALSO CONSIDER, UH, THE ORIGINAL ACTION PLAN FOR THE COMMISSION AS OUR FIFTH PRIORITY.
AND YOU GUYS WILL GET MORE INTO THAT LATER ON TODAY.
SO SINCE JANUARY, UM, THERE ARE A FEW UPDATES.
I, I THINK THE ETHICS OFFICER REPORT EACH MONTH KIND OF ADDRESSES A LOT OF THIS, MOST OF THE TIME THINGS WE'RE WORKING ON, ET CETERA.
UM, SO JUST THE CULTURE OF ETHICS AND CITY OF LONG BEACH.
UM, JUST WANTED TO LET YOU KNOW THAT THE FRAMEWORK CONTINUES TO BE INTEGRATED INTO BOTH EXISTING AND NEW TRAININGS THAT WE'RE DOING.
AND, UH, I'M CURRENTLY WORKING ON A MICRO SERIES THAT'S GONNA LIVE AND LEARN, UM, OTHER NEW TRAININGS THAT WE'RE DOING.
UM, I THINK THAT WAS ALL ON THIS ONE.
AND THEN YOU GUYS ARE FREE TO ASK QUESTIONS AS WE GO.
SO A LOT OF, UM, A LOT OF THIS IN THE GREEN, THE ESTABLISHING ETHICS PROGRAM, OPERATIONAL PROCEDURES.
I THINK A LOT OF THIS WILL BE ADDRESSED
[00:50:01]
IN THE FAIR ACT.UM, WE'RE ALSO, WE HAVE A SURVEY THAT'S BEEN READY TO GO FOR SINCE FEBRUARY.
UM, WE COLLECTIVELY DECIDED TO PUSH IT TO THE END OF THIS SUMMER, SO THAT IS STILL WAITING TO GO OUT.
UM, SO WE'LL BE EXCITED TO PROVIDE AN UPDATE ON THAT, UM, IN A COUPLE MONTHS.
BUT THE MOST OF OUR WORK CONTINUES TO REALLY FOCUS ON, UM, YOU KNOW, THE INTERNAL COMMUNICATIONS PLAN AND THE TRAINING AND EDUCATION.
UM, SO OVER THE LAST SIX MONTHS, UM, WE HAVE STARTED A JOURNEY OF A PRA TRAINING SERIES.
SO EACH MONTH DURING OUR OFFICE HOURS, WE DO ONE STOP.
I THINK THERE'S A 10, WHICH IS VERY POPULAR GOING WELL.
UM, WE'RE DOING A LOT OF TARGETED TRAININGS.
AND OVER THE LAST COUPLE MONTHS, UH, FOR MANAGERS AND EXECUTIVE LEADERSHIP, UM, WE DID A BIG AO FORUM.
UM, WE'VE GOT SOMETHING SCHEDULED WITH LONG BEACH FIRE EXECUTIVE LEADERSHIP, HR EXECUTIVE LEADERSHIP.
UH, WE HAVE BEEN DOING AND HAVE SEVERAL MORE SCHEDULED, UH, PRA PRESENTATIONS.
THE ROAD SHOW, UH, THOSE VISITS SEEM TO HAVE GONE UP THIS YEAR.
LAST WEEK I DID FOUR THREE OF THOSE IN ONE DAY, UH, COMMUNICATIONS CALENDAR.
SO, UH, THAT IS STILL OUR GUIDE.
UM, WE ARE STARTING TO WORK MORE WITH TOM MOCA ON DIFFERENT, UM, COMMUNICATION PATHWAYS.
I'VE TALKED HIM INTO DOING A VIDEO OR TWO ON THE IPHONE, SO THAT'S EXCITING.
UM, AND THEN NEW RESOURCES, AS I'VE SHARED WITH YOU IN PARTNERSHIP WITH THE AUDITOR AND EEO AND THEN, UH, THE POLICY UPDATES THAT THE ROADMAPS SUGGESTS, WHICH ARE SEVERAL.
UM, A LOT OF THAT, AGAIN, WILL BE ADDRESSED IN THE FAIR ACT.
SO WITH THAT, I WON'T GO TOO MUCH MORE INTO IT, BUT IF THERE'S SPECIFIC QUESTIONS THAT YOU NEED MORE EXCLAMATION OR I HAVEN'T ADDRESSED SOMETHING, WE CAN DO THAT NOW.
AND AGAIN, YOU GUYS WILL, THIS WILL BE PART OF YOUR STUDY SESSION TOO TODAY.
UH, I HAVE A COUPLE OF QUESTIONS.
UM, THE, UH, 1.1 0.4 TRAIN ON THE FRAMEWORK FOR ETHICAL DECISION MAKING.
ISN'T THAT DONE? YES, I NOTICED THAT, THAT THAT HAS NOT BEEN UPDATED.
UM, CAN YOU TELL ME HOW YOU'RE COMMUNICATING THE STATUS OF ETHICS HELPLINE? ETHICS RELATED HOTLINE REPORTS TO THE PUBLIC.
THAT'S IN OUR ANNUAL REPORT, WHICH IS AVAILABLE TO THE PUBLIC.
NOT EVERY MONTH, BUT, AND I GUESS SOME THINGS, UH, WE'LL TALK ABOUT, UH, DURING THE STUDY SESSION.
UH, AGAIN, I THOUGHT YOU HAD A CALENDAR OF TOPICS AND COMMUNICATIONS.
I DO, BUT NOT FOR SUBMISSION TO LOCAL MEDIA.
WHICH THAT ONE'S STILL KIND OF THROWS ME OFF, BUT WE DEFINITELY HAVE A CALENDAR OF COMMUNICATIONS.
JUST I THOUGHT I'D REMEMBERED.
NOT THAT WE USE FOR THE MEDIA.
WELL, IF YOU REPORT IT TO US,
UH, I THINK THE REST IS OF MY THOUGHTS ARE, ARE STUDY SESSION THINGS.
ANYONE ELSE? CHAIR BEFORE WE GO ON? I DO.
UM, AND THIS YOU CAN PROBABLY ADDRESS IN THIS STUDY SESSION.
UM, BUT I DID WANNA POINT OUT, UM, THAT IT'S,
[00:55:01]
THAT I RECOMMEND, AND I KNOW THERE'S BEEN DISCUSSION WITH DIFFERENT COMMISSIONERS, UM, THAT THE COMMISSION START THINKING ABOUT UPDATES TO THE CODE OF CONDUCT THAT'S TYPICALLY DONE EVERY FIVE YEARS, TWO TO FIVE YEARS OR SO.SO JUST WANNA, WE'VE MADE FIVE YEARS.
I THINK ALMOST DEFINITELY TWO, BUT I THINK I RECOMMENDED 2027.
SO THAT'LL BE THE FIFTH YEAR
A AND, AND, UM, I, I WAS, I, I SHOULD SAY THAT THE VENDOR CODE OF CONDUCT IS ALL OVER THE WEBSITE AND THE RFPS.
I THOUGHT IT WAS INTERESTING THAT SHE DID NOT SHOW IT OR PUNCTUATE IT, BUT I KNOW SHE HAD DONE THAT AT THE PREVIOUS, UH, SESSION.
UH, BUT THAT'S A GOOD, UM, RECOMMENDATION.
IF YOU, IF WE CAN BE OF ANY ASSISTANCE TO YOU IN THAT, ON THE CO ON REFRESHING THE CODE OF CONDUCT.
ACTIVITY WASN'T AWARE OF THAT.
BUT I THINK IT WOULD BE A GREAT PROJECT TO COLLABORATE ON.
ANY OTHER INPUT FROM THE COMMISSION ON THIS ITEM? IS THERE ANY PUBLIC COMMENT ON THIS ITEM? SEEING NONE, LET'S MOVE TO A VOTE.
COMMISSIONER GILLETTE, I WILL ABSTAIN SINCE I WASN'T ABLE TO HEAR THE ENTIRE PRESENTATION.
COMMISSIONER E AYE DI AYE COMMISSIONER NOR FULL AYE.
MOTION CARRIES, UH, TO THE ELECTION.
[ELECTION OF CHAIR AND VICE CHAIR]
UM, UH, FOLLOWING THE ELECTION.UM, I WILL CONTINUE TO CHAIR THE MEETING AND THE CHAIR ELECT AND VICE CHAIR ELECT TERMS WILL BEGIN AT THE NEXT MEETING.
FOR VICE CHAIR, I'D LIKE TO OPEN THE NOMINATIONS.
I NOW DECLARE THE NOMINATIONS OPEN FOR THE VICE CHAIR OF THE ETHICS COMMISSION.
EACH MEMBER MAY NOMINATE ONE PERSON FOR VICE CHAIR, INCLUDING YOURSELF.
THESE NOMINATIONS DO NOT REQUIRE A SECOND.
ARE THERE ANY NOMINATIONS FOR VICE CHAIR? CHAIR? I WOULD LIKE TO NOMINATE COMMISSIONER EATON FOR ROLE AS VICE CHAIR.
ARE THERE ANY OTHER NOMINATIONS FOR VICE CHAIR? THERE? BEING NO FURTHER NOMINATIONS.
I DECLARE THE NOMINATIONS CLOSED FOR VICE CHAIR.
COMMISSIONER EATON, I INVITE YOU TO BRIEFLY SHARE WHY YOU WOULD LIKE TO BE ELECTED VICE CHAIR.
I DEFINITELY APPRECIATE THAT MY TENURE ON THE COMMISSION, UH, HAS BEEN BRIEF TO DATE, BUT I'M EXCITED TO TAKE ON THIS LEADERSHIP ROLE, UM, AND TO HELP CONTINUE IN THE GROWTH OF THE COMMISSION, UH, AND TO, UM, HAVE A, HAVE THIS ROLE IN THE IMPORTANT WORK THAT WE DO.
ALL THOSE IN FAVOR OF COMMISSIONER EATON? FOR VICE CHAIR, PLEASE CAST YOUR VOTE.
SO COMMISSIONER GILLETTE? YES.
COMMISSIONER NOVE, VICE CHAIR COLEMAN.
AND COMMISSIONER EATON, WOULD YOU LIKE TO MAKE ANY COMMENTS? NO.
UM, FOR CHAIR, UH, I AM OPENING THE NOMINATIONS.
I NOW DECLARE THE NOMINATIONS OPEN FOR THE CHAIR OF THE ETHICS COMMISSION.
EACH MEMBER MAY NOMINATE ONE PERSON FOR CHAIR, INCLUDING YOURSELF.
THESE NOMINATIONS DO NOT REQUIRE A SECOND.
[01:00:05]
I WOULD LIKE TO NOMINATE VICE CHAIR COLEMAN.ARE THERE ANY ADDITIONAL NOMINATIONS THERE? BEING NO FURTHER NOMINATIONS? I DECLARE THE NOMINATIONS CLOSED FOR CHAIR.
I INVITE VICE CHAIR COLEMAN TO BRIEFLY SHARE WHY YOU WOULD LIKE TO BE ELECTED CHAIR.
UH, JUST OVER TWO YEARS AGO, I WAS REALLY HONORED TO APPLY AND ULTIMATELY RECEIVE, UM, BE CHOSEN FOR A ROLE AS A COMMISSIONER.
UM, LITTLE DID I KNOW WHAT I SIGNED UP FOR.
THIS HAS BEEN, UH, REALLY A WONDERFUL GROUP.
UM, I THINK THAT THE WORK THAT WE DO IS INCREDIBLY IMPORTANT.
UM, AND WE, I IF YOU KNOW, GIVEN THIS ROLE, I WOULD STAND ON REALLY THE SHOULDERS OF GIANTS SUCH AS, UM, CHAIR P*****K AND FORMER CHAIR MORALES.
UM, AND I HOPE TO CONTINUE THAT WORK AND TO ENSURE THAT, UM, THIS CITY IS ETHICAL, UM, AND THAT I'M WORKING PROPERLY WITH THE CITY STAFF.
UM, TO FURTHER THAT GOAL, I AM GOING TO CALL FOR A VOTE FOR CHAIR OF THE ETHICS COMMISSION.
ALL THOSE IN FAVOR OF CHIEF COLEMAN FOR CHAIR, PLEASE CAST YOUR VOTE.
COMMISSIONER NORWAY, VICE CHAIR COLEMAN.
WOULD YOU LIKE TO SAY ANYTHING MORE? UM, I JUST BRIEFLY, UM, CHAIR P*****K, IN THE LAST TWO YEARS, YOU HAVE DONE A FANTASTIC JOB OF LEADING THIS COMMISSION.
UM, TRULY, UM, I HAVE ENORMOUS SHOES TO FILL AND I AM JUST SO THANKFUL FOR ALL THAT YOU HAVE TAUGHT ME ALL THAT YOU HAVE DONE FOR THIS COMMISSION.
I KNOW THAT YOU'RE NOT GOING ANYWHERE, UM, AND THAT I REALLY, UH, YOU KNOW, WILL APPRECIATE ALL THE SUPPORT, SUPPORT AND GUIDANCE AS I MOVE FORWARD HERE.
BUT I THINK ALL, EVERYONE IN THIS COMMISSION REALLY THANK YOU FOR THE WORK THAT YOU HAVE DONE.
AND I WILL SAY THAT ONE ADVANTAGE OF NOT BEING CHAIR IS THAT I CAN NOW BE A LITTLE LOUDER,
[4. 26-55441 Recommendation to receive and file a presentation from the Office of the City Clerk and Office of the City Manager on the permitted use of candidate accounts and District Priority Funding (Divide-by-Nine) by Long Beach elected officials. Suggested Action: Approve recommendation. ]
AND FILE A PRESENTATION FROM THE OFFICE OF THE CITY CLERK AND OFFICE OF THE CITY MANAGER ON THE PERMITTED USE OF CANDIDATE ACCOUNTS AND DISTRICT PRIORITY FUNDING, DIVIDE BY NINE BY LONG BEACH ELECTED OFFICIALS.COULD WE HAVE A MOTION AND A SECOND? SO MOVED.
THAT WAS A MOTION BY, UH, UH, VICE CHAIR COLEMAN, A SECOND BY COMMISSIONER GILLETTE.
THANK YOU, UM, COMMISSION FOR HAVING US AGAIN.
UM, FOR THOSE THAT AREN'T AWARE OF THIS PRESENTATION, WE'VE GIVEN THIS BACK, UH, I BELIEVE IN 2024, BUT HAPPY TO PRESENT AGAIN.
UM, NOT MUCH HAS CHANGED, YOU KNOW, CAMPAIGN RULES OR CAMPAIGN RULES.
UM, I BELIEVE WE HAVE, UH, GAUCHER FROM THE CITY MANAGER'S OFFICE.
SO WE'VE KIND OF BROKEN IT UP INTO TWO SECTIONS TODAY.
UH, WE'LL BE HANDLING, UH, THE CITY CLERK'S OFFICE WILL TAKE CARE OF THE CAMPAIGN STUFF, AND THEN THE DIVIDE BY NINES, UH, WILL BE TAKEN BY THE CITY MANAGER'S OFFICE.
UH, WE'LL BE GOING OVER THE FOLLOWING TODAY.
UH, JUST DISCUSSING, YOU KNOW, UH, VARIOUS TYPES OF ACCOUNTS, UM, UH, THE, THOSE, THOSE PRO UH, PROHIBITIONS, THE SOURCES OVER, UH, THE OVERVIEW OF THE DISCRETIONARY ACCOUNTS, AS I MENTIONED, YOU KNOW, PUBLIC REVIEW.
AND THEN I ALSO INCLUDE SOME HELPFUL LINKS IN THE, UH, PRESENTATION.
SO, CAMPAIGN ACCOUNTS, UH, TYPICALLY ARE BROKEN UP INTO TWO TYPES OF CAMPAIGN ACCOUNTS, UH, THAT ARE, UH, THE ELECTEDS WILL UTILIZE WHEN SPENDING CAMPAIGN FUNDS.
THAT'S THE CANDIDATE ACCOUNTS, AND THEN THAT'S THE OFFICE HOLDER ACCOUNTS.
UH, BOTH OF THESE, UH, PULL MONEY FROM OUR, OUR POLITICAL GROUPS THAT, YOU KNOW, CONDUCT ACTIVITY HERE IN LONG BEACH, AS WELL AS PRIVATE INDIVIDUALS.
THEY BOTH HAVE SIMILAR RESTRICTIONS ON THE USE OF THOSE FUNDS,
[01:05:01]
AND THIS IS SET BY THE FPPC.UH, THEY ARE RESPONSIBLE FOR FILING, UH, REGULARLY SCHEDULED REPORTS.
AND IN THE NEXT SLIDE, I'LL BREAK DOWN THOSE PROHIBITIONS.
SO, FOR CANDIDATE ACCOUNTS, UH, THEY ARE SUBJECT TO, UH, CONTRIBUTION LIMITS.
ANY FUNDS OVER THIS LIMIT ARE SUBJECT TO IMMEDIATE RETURN.
UH, YOU HAVE TO GIVE THEM BACK TO THE INDIVIDUAL OR THE GROUP THAT IS DONATING.
THESE FUNDS MUST BE USED FOR SPECIFIC PURPOSES.
SO THINK, YOU KNOW, POLITICAL ACTIVITIES, UH, GOVERNMENT PURPOSES.
UM, THESE ARE ALL SET FORTH BY THE FPPC IN THEIR RESTRICTIONS, LOANS AND DONATIONS MADE FROM A CAN ACCOUNT MUST BE DONE, DONE SO IN A BONAFIDE TO A BONAFIDE CHARITABLE GROUP.
SO YOU HAVE TO MAKE SURE THAT YOU'RE NOT JUST GIVING OUT DONATIONS TO WHATEVER, UH, PARTIES YOU DEEM NECESSARY.
THEY HAVE TO BE RELATED TO POLITICAL PURPOSES.
IT ALSO HAS TO HAVE NO PERSONAL BENEFIT TO THE CANDIDATE, UH, THAT IS GIVING THE LOAN.
UH, FUNDS ARE NOT ALLOWED TO BE USED FOR FINES OR JUDGMENTS OR OTHER SETTLEMENTS THAT ARE RELATED TO IMPROPER CAMPAIGN SPENDING, UH, PROHIBITIONS ON OFFICE HOLDER ACCOUNTS.
THE SLIDE HERE, I JUST REALIZED I'M NOT KEEPING UP.
UH, THESE ARE SIMILAR TO THE CANDIDATE ACCOUNTS.
UH, AN OFFICE HOLDER ACCOUNT HAS LIMITATIONS MAINLY WHEN THEY CAN ACCEPT AND HOW MUCH THEY CAN ACCEPT.
SO THESE HAVE TO BE IN CONNECTION WITH ELECTION CYCLES AND ONLY SET AMOUNTS THROUGH THE YEAR.
UH, THEY ALSO HAVE TO BE USED, UH, WITH DIRECTED INTENT, UH, RELATED TOWARDS EXPENSES ASSOCIATED WITH HOLDING OFFICE.
SO OFTENTIMES WE SEE, UM, OUR, UH, OFFICE HOLDER ACCOUNTS USED FOR EVENTS THROUGHOUT THEIR COMMUNITY, UH, MAYBE PROJECTS THAT THEY WOULD LIKE TO SEE COMPLETED, UH, SOONER.
UM, AS LONG AS THEY ARE HITTING THOSE THRESHOLD, THEY CAN USE THOSE FUNDS IN THAT ORDER.
UH, THEY ALSO ARE TREATED AS SUB-ACCOUNTS.
SO THEY HAVE THEIR CANDIDATE ACCOUNTS, AND THEN THEY HAVE THEIR OFFICE HOLDER ACCOUNTS.
THEY ARE COMPLETELY SEPARATE, EVEN THOUGH THEY ARE A SUBACCOUNT, UH, THEY HAVE TO BE CLEARLY REPORTED THAT NONE OF THOSE MONIES ARE BEING MOVED BACK AND FORTH.
IF SO, YOU HAVE TO, UH, UH, ADHERE TO, UH, ALL RULES AND, AND REGULATIONS.
THEY ALSO ADHERE TO A SIMILAR FILING SCHEDULE AND MUST REPORT OUT, UH, ACCORDINGLY.
ULTIMATELY, THEY ARE THE TRUE CUSTODIAN OF THE DOCUMENTS, UH, RELATED TO ANY SPENDING, AND THE ONUS IS ON THEM TO KEEP ACCURATE REPORTING.
SO AT THIS TIME, I'M GONNA SWITCH IT OVER TO THE DISCRETIONARY COUNCILS IF YOU WANNA GO AHEAD.
I'M WITH THE OFFICE OF THE CITY MANAGER.
I'M THE ASSISTANT TO THE CITY MANAGER, AND I OVERSEE ALL OF THE FINANCIAL, UM, OPERATIONS FOR THE CITY DEPARTMENT OR FOR THE OFFICE OF THE CITY MANAGER'S DEPARTMENT.
UM, AND THAT DOES INCLUDE SOME OF THE DISCRETIONARY ACCOUNTS FOR THE, UM, COUNCIL MEMBERS.
SO, UH, THERE ARE TWO TYPES OF ACCOUNTS THAT WE'LL BE LOOKING AT, WHICH IS THE OFFICE OPERATING BUDGET, AND THEN HOW THAT TRANSLATES INTO THE DISTRICT.
UM, PRIORITY FUNDS, OTHERWISE KNOWN AS THE DIVIDE BY NINE FUNDS.
UM, SO THE OFFICE OPERATING BUDGET, UM, THAT'S THE SORT OF SOURCE OF FUNDS IS FROM THE GENERAL FUND.
AND EACH DISTRICT'S ANNUAL OPERATING BUDGET APPROPRIATION IS EQUAL.
UM, SO THEY ARE ESSENTIALLY DIVIDED BY NINE.
UM, MAYOR AND LEGISLATIVE DEPARTMENT, ADMINISTRATIVE BUDGETS ARE SEPARATE, AND THEY'RE USED FOR NORMAL COST TO THE OFFICE OPERATIONS, INCLUDING STAFF MATERIALS AND OVERHEAD, AND PROVIDING DISTRICT RELATED INFORMATION.
UM, SO THAT COMES IN FROM THE APP, THE ADOPTED BUDGET APPROPRIATION FROM GENERAL FUNDS.
UM, AND THEN HOW THAT TRANSLATES INTO THE DIS THE DIVIDE BY NINE FUNDS IS THE PRIOR YEAR OPERATING SAVING BUDGETS FROM THE GENERAL FUND OF THEIR OFFICE.
OPERATING BUDGET WILL ROLL OVER INTO THEIR DIVIDE BY NINE BUCKET.
UM, SO THERE ARE THREE SOURCES, FOUR SOURCES THAT COME INTO THE DIVIDE BY NINE, UM, WHICH IS THEIR PRIOR YEAR SAVINGS.
THEIR, UM, A ADOPTED BUDGET IF THERE ARE ANY SEPARATE FUNDS CALLED OUT FOR THE DIVIDE BY NINE, UM, YOUTH SPECIFIC FUNDS.
UM, AND THEN SAT FUND APPROPRIATION AS WELL.
UM, AND THOSE ARE ALL AS PART OF THE ADOPTED BUDGET.
SO, UM, THESE ARE USED FOR SUPPLEMENTING EXISTING CITY PROJECTS, PROGRAMS AND ACTIVITIES, CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT PROJECTS, CITY CONDUCTED SPECIAL EVENTS AND CONTRIBUTIONS TO ORGANIZATIONS WITH A DEFINED PUBLIC BENEFIT OR PURPOSE OF THE ANNUAL STATE OF THE CITY AND DISTRICT EVENTS.
UM, SO OF COURSE THESE ALSO HAVE THE PROHIBITIONS.
UM, SO THE OFFICE OPERATING ACCOUNTS EXPENDITURES MADE BY COUNCIL DISTRICTS RELATED TO THEIR PARTICIPATION IN PARADES BEYOND THE FLOAT ENTRY FEE OR RENTAL OF A CITY VEHICLE FOR PARADE USE.
UM, SPECIAL EVENTS HOSTED BY THE CITY COUNCIL THAT
[01:10:01]
REQUIRE COORDINATION THROUGH SPECIAL EVENTS AND FILMING JUST CONCERTS, BLOCK PARTIES AND COMMUNITY EVENTS CONDUCTED ON PUBLIC PROPERTY PUBLIC RIGHT AWAY.UM, THESE MUST BE FUNDED THROUGH THE COUNCIL DISTRICT PRIORITY FUNDING OR COUNCIL DISTRICT'S OFFICE HOLDER ACCOUNT, UM, AND THEN CONTRIBUTIONS TO 5 0 1 C OR EVENT PROMOTERS, INCLUDING EXPENDITURES MADE BY COUNCIL DISTRICT FOR REIMBURSEMENT FOR DONATION TO SUCH GROUPS, AND THEN ALSO PERSONAL, POLITICAL OR ELECTION RELATED PURPOSES.
AND THEN THIS IS A LITTLE OVERVIEW OF THE DISTRICT PRIORITY FUND PROCESS.
SO COUNCIL, COUNCIL DISTRICTS DO NOT GO DIRECTLY MANAGE THESE FUNDS.
THESE USES MUST BE APPRO APPROVED BY COUNCIL AND MANAGEMENT OF THE FUNDS IS OVERSEEN BY THE CITY MANAGER AND FINANCIAL MANAGEMENT DEPARTMENTS.
UM, FOR NEW USES OF THE DIVIDE BY NINE PRIORITY FUNDS, COUNCIL DISTRICT MUST BRING FORWARD A STANDALONE ITEM TO BE APPROVED BY THE FULL CITY COUNCIL.
ITEMS MUST BE PLACED ON THE CONSENT AGENDA IF REVIEWED AND SIGNED OFF BY FINANCIAL MANAGEMENT.
IF NOT, COUNCIL DISTRICTS MUST INCLUDE LANGUAGE STATING THAT NO FM REVIEW WAS CONDUCTED, AND THE LETTER WILL BE PLACED ON THE REGULAR AGENDA.
UH, FOR CONTRIBUTIONS TO EXISTING CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT PROJECTS AND CITY CONDUCTED SPECIAL EVENTS, COUNCIL DISTRICTS MAY REQUEST FOR THESE ITEMS TO BE APPROVED ON AN, UH, APPROVED PROJECT LIST, WHICH IS CONSIDERED AN A PL, UM, WHO'S BROUGHT TO COUNCIL FOR APPROVAL BY FINANCIAL MANAGEMENT ON A SEMI-ANNUAL BASIS.
UM, LITTLE BACKGROUND ON THAT.
WE'LL DO THAT AROUND TWICE A YEAR.
AND IT'S CONSIDERED A BUDGET AMENDMENT BECAUSE, UH, WE ARE ESSENTIALLY BRINGING FUNDS FROM A CITY ENTITY TO A CITY ENTITY.
UM, SO THOSE ARE, THOSE LIVE AND ARE APPROVED BY, ARE SENT THROUGH FINANCIAL MANAGEMENT TO CITY COUNCIL.
THE LEVINE ACT FORM, UM, REQUIRED FOR CONTRIBUTIONS OVER $500 AND CONTRACTS VALUED AT $50,000 RECIPIENTS MUST EITHER RECUSE OR RETURN FUNDS.
THOSE ARE FURTHER REVIEWED BY THE CITY CLERK STAFF.
AND THEN THIS IS OUR FUND PROCESS INTERNALLY, HOW WE HANDLE, UM, A STEP-BY-STEP.
UM, FIRST, THIS COUNCIL DISTRICT SUBMITS THE LETTER REQUESTING AUTHORITY TO TRANSFER THE FUNDS FOR PROPO PROPOSED ELIGIBLE USE.
UM, AND THAT LETTER IS THEN CONFIRMED BY THE CITY MANAGERS AND THE FINANCIAL MANAGEMENT DEPARTMENT.
SO, UH, FM WILL REVIEW THE LETTER, UM, CHECK THE VALIDITY OF THE RECIPIENT THROUGH THE CITY MANAGER'S OFFICE, UM, MAKE SURE IT IS A LEGITIMATE USE AND A LEGITIMATE ENTITY THAT THE MONEY'S GOING TO, UM, CONFIRMED THAT THE PROPOSED USE OF THE FUNDS COMPLIES WITH THE RESTRICTIONS.
UM, AND THEN IT'LL GO TO CITY COUNCIL FOR APPROVING RECOMMENDATION TO TRANSFER THE FUNDS.
SO THE IMPLEMENTING DEPARTMENT, UM, AND THE IMPLEMENTING DEPARTMENT IS, UM, CITY MANAGER'S OFFICE.
SO THE IMPLEMENTING DEPARTMENT WILL RECEIVE THE BUDGET APPROPRIATION AND EXPEND THE FUNDS IN ACCORDANCE WITH ALL CITY POLICIES AND PROCEDURES.
UM, AND THEN THESE ARE THE PROHIBITIONS FOR THE DIVIDE BY NINE FUNDS.
UM, COUNCIL DISTRICT OPERATIONS THAT SHOULD BE FUNDED FROM AN OFFICE OPERATING BUDGET, UM, SUCH AS EMPLOYEE COSTS OR OVERHEAD, UM, REIMBURSEMENT OR EXPENDITURES MADE BY COUNCIL DISTRICTS FOR SPECIAL EVENTS, EXPENDITURES MADE BY COUNCIL DISTRICTS RELATED TO THEIR PARTICIPATION IN PARADES, UM, POLITICAL, PERSONAL OR ELECTION RELATED PURPOSES.
THOSE ARE ALL PROHIBITED? YES.
OH, AND THEN DO YOU WANNA GO BACK? SO JUST WRAPPING UP HERE, UM, THE C CLERK'S OFFICE.
THE C CLERK'S OFFICE, UM, HAS RESOURCES AVAILABLE FOR THE CAMPAIGN SIDE, UM, TO ALLOW THE PUBLIC TO LOOK 24 7.
THEY CAN PULL UP, UH, ANY REPORT THAT'S SUBMITTED WITH OUR OFFICE.
OUR, UH, WE TRY TO GET THESE UP AS SOON AS POSSIBLE.
I MEAN, UH, AS, UH, VICE CHAIR COLEMAN CAN ATTEST, HE, HE PULLS THESE RECORDS, UH, PRETTY FREQUENTLY.
UM, SO YEAH, WE TRY TO MAKE THESE AVAILABLE JUST SO THE INFORMATION IS OUT THERE THAT THE, THE PUBLIC IS DOING THEIR PART FOR TRANSPARENCY.
UM, BUT WE, WE ALSO ARE THERE TO HELP THE, THE PUBLIC.
WE ARE ALSO THERE TO HELP THE CANDIDATES, THE OFFICE HOLDERS, UH, TO HELP THEIR TREASURERS AND ADVISE THEM ON THE NSS OUT INS AND OUTS OF THE FPPC.
I'VE INCLUDED THESE HELPFUL LINKS HERE JUST TO THE, UH, THE LONG BEACH, UH, CAMPAIGN REFORM ACT, THE FPPC CAMPAIGN MANUALS THAT, UH, DICTATE ALL THE RULES AS WELL AS THE FPPC REGULATIONS.
SO, AS YOU CAN SEE, THE CAMPAIGN SIDE AND THE DISCRETIONARY SIDE, WHILE THEY DO HAVE SIMILAR USES FOR THEIR FUNDS, THEY DO NOT CO-MINGLE.
THEY'RE SEPARATE, UH, AS, UH, SAM'S OFFICE WAS SAYING, THEY ARE, UH, THROUGH A VERY STRINGENT PROCESS, UH, YOU HAVE TO ON AND ON THE CAMPAIGN SIDE, YOU HAVE TO, UH, MAINTAIN THOSE AND ADHERE TO THE FPPC REGULATIONS.
SO, UH, THAT BEING SAID, I'LL QUIT RAMBLING AND THROW THIS OVER TO THE COMMISSION IF YOU GUYS HAVE ANY, UH, QUESTIONS.
UH, I AM JUST CURIOUS ON THE DIVIDE BY NINE FUNDS, UH, AND THE BUDGET SAVINGS,
[01:15:01]
ARE THOSE, UM, DO THOSE BUDGET SAVINGS GO BACK TO EACH, UM, COUNCIL OFFICE, OR ARE THEY POOLED? YEAH, SO THAT'S A GOOD QUESTION.SO BASICALLY WE KEEP TRACK OF THE OPERATIONAL SAVINGS OF EACH COUNCIL DISTRICT ITSELF.
UM, AND THEN WE'LL GO TO, WHEN WE DO THE FIRST CITYWIDE, UM, BUDGET AMENDMENT, UM, FINANCIAL MANAGEMENT WILL PRESENT THAT TO CITY COUNCIL TO SAY, THESE ARE THE SAVINGS, UM, PER COUNCIL DISTRICT, AND THE ROLLOVER AMOUNT WILL GO BACK TO THAT SPECIFIC COUNCIL INTO THEIR DIVIDE BY NINE.
ANY OTHER INPUT FROM THE COMMISSIONERS? UM, I HAVE A QUESTION.
SO, IF I AM AN, UH, IF, IF I HAVE A CAMPAIGN FUND AND I'M ELECTED, UM, CAN I THEN USE A PORTION OF MY CAMPAIGN FUND TO MAKE A DONATION TO SOMEONE ELSE'S CAMPAIGN? YES.
SO THAT IS CONSIDERED ONE OF THE POLITICAL ACTIVITIES.
SO, UM, DONATING TO OTHER CANDIDATES, OTHER POLITICAL GROUPS, AS LONG AS IT HAS THAT POLITICAL, YOU KNOW, ERROR AROUND IT IS PERMISSIBLE, GENERALLY SPEAKING.
AND, AND THE ONLY WAY I CAN USE ONE OF THESE CATEGORIES OF FUNDS AS OPPOSED TO MY PRIVATE CHECKBOOK, IS THROUGH THE CAMPAIGN ACCOUNTS, NOT THROUGH THE OFFICE ACCOUNTS.
UH, THE OFFICE HOLDER ACCOUNTS CAN GIVE CONTRIBUTIONS.
THEY, IT'S JUST THE SIMILAR RESTRICTIONS THAT THEY HAVE TO BE USED AND, YOU KNOW, IN CONNECTION WITH EITHER, UH, UH, DISTRICT SPECIFIC BUSINESS OR POLITICAL RELATED ACTIVITIES.
'CAUSE RIGHT NOW WE'VE GOT SOME CAMPAIGNS THAT ARE OVER BECAUSE THE, THE COUNCIL MEMBERS, UH, GARNERED OVER 50% OF THE VOTE.
AND THEN WE HAVE OTHER CAMPAIGNS THAT WILL BE CONTINUING.
AND SO WHAT YOU'LL SEE RIGHT NOW, UM, UH, WE CALL THIS THE, AFTER THE ELECTION ACTIVITIES,
UM, SO YOU'LL SEE MO UH, MONEY MOVING AROUND.
UH, PEOPLE WILL BE PAYING, UH, GENERALLY WE ADVISE PAY OFF YOUR DEBTS, UH, TRY TO CLOSE YOUR ACCOUNTS OFF FIRST.
UM, THAT BEING SAID, WE'LL, YOU'RE, I'LL HAVE TO DO WHATEVER YOU WANT TO DO WITHIN THOSE FPC RULES ANYWAY.
UM, THEY'LL BE PAYING THEIR DEBTS OFF, THEY'LL BE MOVING MONEY AROUND.
THEY'LL BE GIVING OUT CONTRIBUTIONS TO ALLIES TO OTHER GROUPS THAT THEY ARE ALIGNED WITH.
UM, AND THEN FOR THOSE CONTINUING ON TO THE OFFICE, THEY, UH, HAVE THE OPTION TO ROLL OVER SOME OF THOSE FUNDS.
AGAIN, THERE'S A RESTRICTION TO THAT.
UH, BUT THEY CAN PUT THAT INTO THEIR OFFICE OF ACCOUNTS FOR FUTURE BUSINESS RELATED TO EITHER THE DISTRICT ACTIVITIES OR OTHER POLITICAL ACTIVITIES.
COMMISSIONER GILLETTE, IS THERE AN EXPIRATION DATE ON THAT?
UH, IT'S TYPICALLY A FEW MONTHS AFTER THE CLOSE OF THE ELECTION CYCLE.
SO THE ELECTION CYCLE IS THE, THE JANUARY 1ST ODD NUMBER YEAR, AND THEN THE DECEMBER 31ST OF THE EVEN YEAR.
SO WE'RE COMING INTO THE EVEN YEAR, WE'LL BE CLOSING OUT 31ST THREE MONTHS FROM NOW.
WE'LL BE, UH, CLOSING THAT, UH, THAT SURPLUS WINDOW.
AND WE, WE ADVISED ALL OF OUR, OUR MEMBERS THAT THIS APPLIES TO, TO, YOU KNOW, MAKE THAT MONEY MOVE AND, AND GET IT TAKEN CARE OF.
OTHERWISE, IT DOES ROLL OVER INTO SURPLUS FUNDS.
AND THEN THAT'S A WHOLE OTHER THING THAT WE HAVE TO HANDLE.
ANY OTHER IN, UH, COM VICE CHAIR COLEMAN? UM, ACTUALLY SOMETHING HERE WAS NEW TO ME.
SO THE OFFICE HOLDER ACCOUNTS NOT EXCEEDING 30 K.
SO I JUST FOR CLARIFICATION, UM, 'CAUSE IT'S PROBABLY CLEAR TO OTHERS, BUT NOT ENTIRELY CLEAR TO ME.
UM, SAY THIS ELECTION HAS ENDED, PEOPLE PUT THE 30 K INTO THEIR NOW OFFICE HOLDER ACCOUNT.
IF THEY SPEND, LET'S SAY, $12,000 FOR AN ARTS FESTIVAL WITHIN THEIR DISTRICT, UM, AND SOMEONE WANTS TO MAKE A DONATION TO SET OFFICEHOLDER ACCOUNT SO THAT ANOTHER ARTS, YOU KNOW, EXHIBIT CAN BE DONE, IT, WOULD THAT NOT BE ALLOWED BECAUSE THAT 30 K HAS ALREADY BEEN, UM, EXCEEDED, OR THAT 30 K HAS ALREADY, UH, UH, THAT AMOUNT HAS CANNOT BE EXCEEDED FOR THAT CALENDAR YEAR.
SO EXACTLY AS YOU MENTIONED, THE CALENDAR YEAR LIMITATIONS.
SO THE MOVEMENT OF MONEY IS RESTRICTED TO A SET AMOUNT FOR THAT YEAR.
DEPENDING ON WHEN THEY MOVE IT.
THEY CAN EITHER THEY'LL HIT THEIR LIMIT OR THEY CAN CONTINUE.
ANY OTHER INPUT FROM THE COMMISSION? IS THERE ANY PUBLIC COMMENT ON THIS AGENDA ITEM? SEEING NO PUBLIC COMMENT, LET'S MOVE TO A VOTE.
[01:20:05]
MR. GILLETTE? YES.UH, COMMISSIONER NORBET, VICE CHAIR COLEMAN.
[5. 26-55442 Recommendation to receive and discuss feedback provided by the City Attorney’s Office, the City Auditor’s Office, and the Department of Human Resources on the Ethics Commission’s 2023 Investigations Protocol draft recommendation. Suggested Action: Approve recommendation. ]
THANK YOU VERY MUCH.UH, RECOMMENDATION TO RECEIVE AND DISCUSS FEEDBACK PROVIDED BY THE CITY ATTORNEY'S OFFICE, THE CITY AUDITOR'S OFFICE, AND THE DEPARTMENT OF HUMAN RESOURCES ON THE ETHICS COMMISSION'S 2023 INVESTIGATIONS PROTOCOL DRAFT RECOMMENDATION.
DO I HAVE A MOTION? COMMISSIONER GILL.
SECONDED BY COMMISSIONER DE BENEDICTUS.
UM, FOR THOSE WHO ARE NEW TO THE COMMISSION, A LITTLE BIT OF HISTORY, I GUESS.
UM, EARLY ON IN THE COMMISSION'S EXISTENCE, UM, ONE OF THE ITEMS IN THE EXTERNAL AUDIT THAT WAS OBTAINED, UH, WAS THE FACT THAT, UM, INVESTIGATIONS OF, UH, ALLEGATIONS OF IMPROPRIETY WERE INVESTIGATED IN NUMEROUS DIFFERENT DEPARTMENTS IN DIFFERENT WAYS.
THERE WAS NO CASE MANAGEMENT SYSTEM, THERE WAS NO, UH, COLLECTION OF DATA.
THERE WAS NO MINIMUM STANDARDS, UH, FOR INVESTIGATION.
THE ETHICS COMMISSION FORMED AN AD HOC, THE AD HOC PREPARED A DRAFT INVESTIGATIONS PROTOCOL.
UH, THE COMMISSION OBTAINED INPUT FROM THE CITY AUDITOR, FROM THE CITY ATTORNEY'S OFFICE AND FROM THE HR DEPARTMENT.
UM, THERE WAS A FAIR AMOUNT OF CONTROVERSY OVER A COUPLE OF ISSUES.
UM, IT'S MY RECOLLECTION, ALTHOUGH I DIDN'T SEE IT IN THE PAPERWORK, BUT IT'S MY RECOLLECTION THAT FROM THE START, WE HAD EXCLUDED POLICE DEPARTMENT AND FIRE DEPARTMENT FROM, UH, THE SCOPE OF WHAT WE WERE LOOKING AT.
UM, AND I DON'T THINK THAT THAT HAS CHANGED.
UM, IN ADDITION, UM, WE, UH, THE COMMI, THE FULL COMMISSION, MADE THE DECISION THAT WE WERE NOT GOING TO RECOMMEND CENTRALIZATION OF THE INVESTIGATION'S FUNCTION, WHICH WAS, WHICH DID GET A LOT OF DISCUSSION.
BUT, UM, BUT THE DECISION WAS MADE THAT, THAT WOULD CREATE A GREAT DEAL OF, THAT WOULD BE, WOULD NEED A GREAT DEAL OF CHANGE IN THE CITY TO HAVE A CENTRALIZED INVESTIGATIVE FUNCTION.
AND THE COMMISSION WAS NOT AT THAT TIME PREPARED TO BURDEN THE RECOMMENDATION OF PUTTING INTO PLACE A PROTOCOL WITH THE ORGANIZATIONAL ISSUES THAT WOULD COME UP RECOMMENDING A CENTRALIZED INVESTIGATIVE FUNCTION.
I WANT THE, THE COMMISSIONERS WHO WERE NOT ON THE COMMISSION AT THE TIME TO UNDERSTAND, WE DID LOOK AT IT AND IT JUST WAS TOO, TOO TALL A HILL AT THE TIME.
UM, SO IT WASN'T THAT WE DIDN'T THINK THAT MIGHT BE BENEFICIAL, BUT IT WAS SOMETHING THAT WE DECIDED NOT TO TAKE ON AT THE TIME.
AFTER WE GOT THE INPUT, THERE WERE A NUMBER OF PRIORITIES THAT THE COMMISSION HAD, INCLUDING THE VENDOR CODE OF CONDUCT, UM, AND, UM, AND, UH, SOME OTHER PRIORITIES.
UH, AND WE DECIDED TO TABLE THE INVESTIGATION'S PROTOCOL FOR THE TIME BEING, BUT NEVER DROPPED IT.
UM, AND, UH, THEN, UH, THE HR DEPARTMENT UNDERWENT SIGNIFICANT CHANGE, UM, AND WE FELT IT WAS APPROPRIATE TO, UNTIL, UM, BRYCE TYLER GOT, UH, INTO THE JOB AND SAW WHAT WAS ON HIS PLATE.
SINCE A LOT OF THE INVESTIGATIONS THAT ARE NOT ALREADY CONDUCTED BY THE CITY AUDITOR OR BY THE CITY ATTORNEY'S OFFICE ARE CONDUCTED BY THE HR ORGANIZATION.
UM, SO WE WAITED AND WE HAVE, AND, AND AS YOU CAN SEE IN THIS PACKAGE, WE DID RECEIVE SOME FEEDBACK FROM MR. TYLER.
[01:25:01]
UM, AND SO NOW IT'S BACK.I PERSONALLY BELIEVE THIS IS SOMETHING WE REALLY NEED TO, UM, TO, UH, MOVE UP ON THE PRIORITY LIST.
UM, I WILL RESPOND TO SOME OF THE FEEDBACK IN DUE TIME, BUT I'D LIKE TO HEAR INPUT FROM OTHERS FIRST.
SO, UH, ANY INPUT FROM THE COMMISSION, VICE CHAIR COLEMAN? YES, THANK YOU.
UM, WHILE I UNDERSTAND THE FEEDBACK THAT WAS PROVIDED BY, UM, YOU KNOW, THE DIRECTOR OF HUMAN RESOURCES, UM, I AGREE, I WOULD AGREE THAT THIS SHOULD BE A PRIORITY.
UM, THERE WAS A NUMBER OF MONTHS THAT WERE TAKEN TO PROVIDE FOR ADEQUATE FEEDBACK.
AND YOU KNOW, I, WHILE I UNDERSTAND ABSOLUTELY THAT WE SHOULD HAVE THE UNIONS, UM, TO MEET AND CONFER WITH THE UNIONS POSSIBLY ON A PROTOCOL, YOU KNOW, I, I THINK THAT A PATH FORWARD, YOU KNOW, THAT WOULD FURTHER DELAY.
UM, AND WHEN I MEAN BY FURTHER DELAY IS YEARS, NOT MONTHS, ANY PROTOCOL, UM, SHOULD BE LOOKED AT WITH A CLOSE EYE.
UM, AND YOU KNOW, WHAT I WOULD SAY HERE ON THE, ON THE FEEDBACK IS THAT, UM, YOU KNOW, I, WE HAVE, UM, WE HAVE, UH, THE COMMISSION HAS PUT TIME AND EFFORT INTO THIS.
AND I THINK THAT WHILE WE CAN OBVIOUSLY GET AN AD HOC TOGETHER, UM, I DO BELIEVE THAT THE CITY SHOULD MOVE FORWARD WITH SOME OF OUR RECOMMENDATIONS, UM, AND NOT LOOK AT THIS IN RESTRAINT, IS HOW I WILL PUT IT CURRENTLY.
ANY OTHER INPUT FROM THE COMMISSIONERS? SURE.
UH, BEING YOU AND I HAVE BEEN ON HERE A LONG TIME, AND WE'VE BEEN LISTENING TO ALL OF THIS.
CURRENTLY SOMEBODY IS DOING INVESTIGATIONS AND THEY'RE ALL FOLLOWING SOME PROCEDURES OF WHETHER FURTHER DEPARTMENT, HR, AUDIT, YOU KNOW, UH, THE ATTORNEY'S OFFICE.
THEY'RE ALL DOING SOMETHING, AND THEY MUST BE FOLLOWING SOME PROTOCOL.
AT A MINIMUM, WE SHOULD BE LOOKING AT WHAT THE INTERIM IS, UH, MAKE KNOWN WHAT ARE THE PROCESSES SO THAT WE CAN UNDERSTAND THEM AND MAKE SURE THAT THEY ARE, UM, WE MAY FIND THAT THERE'S MORE COMMONALITY THAN DIFFERENCES.
I NOTICED THAT THEIR COMMENTS INDICATE A CONCERN ABOUT LACK OF TRAINING THAT INDIVIDUALS MAY NOT BE, THAT ARE CONDUCTING INVESTIGATIONS, MAY NOT MEET, BE MEETING STANDARDS.
YOU CAN SEE THAT THERE IS A, A DIFFERENCE OF OPINION EVEN AMONG THE DIFFERENT DEPARTMENTS.
SO, UM, THEY NEED TO BE LOOKING FOR COMMONALITY FIRST.
AND YET, I ALSO NOTICED THAT SOME OF THE TICKS ARE VERY SMALL, YOU KNOW, ON ADVISING, ON STATUS.
THESE ARE SMALL THINGS THAT COULD BE NEGOTIATED, REMOVED, WORK TOGETHER, UH, CROSS-FUNCTIONALLY, UH, TO DECIDE WHAT IS BEST FOR THE CITY.
UH, BUT, UM, I WOULD DRAW IF, IF THERE IS NO MOVEMENT FORWARD, UM, DRAW UPON WHAT IS EXISTING AND MAKE IT KNOWN AT LEAST THAT IS THE INTERIM STANDARD, SO THAT WE CAN UNDERSTAND WHAT IS BEING DONE.
UM, AND THERE MAY BE GREAT STUFF THAT TO BE, COULD BE SHARED AMONG THE DEPARTMENTS, BUT, UM, I DO THINK THERE ALSO NEEDS TO BE A CENTRALIZED FUNCTION OR BODY THAT DOES SEE THE OUTCOMES OF DIFFERENT ORGANIZATIONS AND INVESTIGATIONS.
UH, AND THAT ALSO CAN BE DONE, UH, WITHOUT CREATING TOO MUCH MORE WORK, BUT, UH, CROSS-FUNCTIONAL LEADERSHIP TEAM THAT WOULD SEE TO MAKE SURE THAT THEY ARE EVERYBODY IS DOING WHAT THEY SAY THEY'RE DOING.
UM, AND THEN FIND THAT COMMON GROUND.
BUT, UH, STATUS QUO AND SAYING, WE'RE GOING BACK TO THE DRAWING BOARD.
YEAH, I, I, SORRY, I, I, I HAVE TO SAY, UH, I, I FEEL LIKE I COULD TAKE THE CITY
[01:30:01]
ATTORNEY'S COMMENTS AND THE CITY AUDITOR'S COMMENTS AND, UH, PREPARE ANOTHER DRAFT THAT WOULD INCORPORATE MOST OF THEIR COMMENTS, IF NOT ALL.UH, THERE MIGHT HAVE BEEN A KNIT HERE OR THERE THAT I WOULD PERSONALLY DISAGREE WITH, BUT THAT COULD COME BACK TO THE COMMISSION.
UM, IT WOULDN'T TAKE VERY LONG TO PREPARE THAT DOCUMENT.
UM, I, I AM NOT AN EXPERT ON MEET AND CONFER, BUT TO YOUR POINT, I ASSUME MOST OF THIS, IF NOT ALL OF THIS IS ALREADY BEING DONE BY SOMEONE.
SOMEONE IS FOLLOWING A PROTOCOL LIKE THIS.
WHEN WE HAVE THE CITY AUDITOR PRESENT TO US, THEY CLEARLY HAVE A PROTOCOL.
I THINK THEIR PROTOCOL IS MUCH, IS, IS EVEN MORE ROBUST THAN WHAT'S HERE, BECAUSE WHAT'S HERE IS A VERY TOP LEVEL OUTLINE OF SOME KEY POINTS.
COMMISSIONER EATON, UH, TO THE POINT ON MEET AND CONFER IT, UH, AS I UNDERSTAND IT, AND BASED ON MY EXPERIENCE MEAN AND CONFER, WE WOULD BE OBLIGATED TO ENGAGE IN THAT PROCESS IF THERE WAS AN ACTUAL CHANGE, RIGHT? TO THE TERMS AND CONDITIONS OF THEIR EMPLOYMENT.
AND SO, TO YOUR POINT, IF NONE OF THIS REPRESENTS A CHANGE TO THEIR CURRENT TERMS AND CONDITIONS, THEN WE SHOULDN'T HAVE TO MEET AND CONFER.
BUT WHAT I WAS CONCERNED ABOUT IN THE FEEDBACK PROVIDED BY THE DIRECTOR OF HR IS THAT THERE WAS NO ASSESSMENT RELATED TO THAT PIECE OF IT.
IT DOES NOT APPEAR THAT HE LOOKED AT THE SUBSTANCE OF THE PROTOCOL IN ANY REAL WAY, UH, TO DETERMINE WHETHER WE NEED TO MEET AND CONFER, ACT.
UH, HE JUST CALLS THE QUESTION.
SO I THOUGHT THAT WAS UNFORTUNATE.
UM, I ALSO DON'T BELIEVE THAT IT WOULD BE HELPFUL AT THIS POINT IN TIME TO CONVENE YET ANOTHER WORK GROUP OR TASK FORCE TO ASSESS THIS.
BUT RATHER, I WOULD LIKE TO PUT OUT THERE THE QUESTION ABOUT WHO, WHO WOULD OWN THIS? WHAT WOULD BE THE NEXT STEPS FOR US? WE WOULD PUT TOGETHER A SORT OF FINAL DRAFT.
AND THEN WHERE WOULD IT GO FROM HERE? UH, AND I THINK THAT'S A GOOD QUESTION.
WHERE WOULD IT GO FROM HERE? I DO THINK THE CITY STAFF WILL HAVE TO OWN IT IN THE END.
AND THE PROBLEM THAT WE ENCOUNTERED IS, YOU KNOW, HR CONDUCTING A BUNCH OF INVESTIGATIONS.
THE AOS DON'T ACTUALLY REPORT TO HR.
THEY REPORT TO THE INDIVIDUAL DEPARTMENTS THAT THEY SUPPORT.
SO IT'S, EVERY DEPARTMENT HAS AN AO WHO MIGHT CONDUCT AN INVESTIGATION.
UM, SO AS FAR AS AN OWNER IS CONCERNED, THAT'S A GOOD QUESTION.
IT WOULD BE GREAT TO HAVE AN OWNER WHO COULD THEN WORK WITH, YOU KNOW, AS I SAY, I, I, I COULD SIT DOWN AND, AND INCORPORATE THE CITY AUDITOR AND THE CITY ATTORNEYS COMMENTS PRETTY QUICKLY.
UM, WE'D HAVE A DRAFT AND THEN WE WOULD HAVE TO GET BUY-IN FROM CITY STAFF AND PERHAPS AN OWNER.
AND, AND THE OTHER ISSUE THAT I THINK IS IMPORTANT IS THAT WE HAD, WE DON'T HAVE A UNIVERSAL CASE MANAGEMENT SYSTEM.
UM, AND I'VE, I'VE JOKED WITH TYLER ON A NUMBER OF OCCASIONS THAT IF I ASK, AND I KEEP THREATENING TO, UM, HOW MANY ALLEGATIONS WERE RECEIVED LAST YEAR OF IMPROPER CHARGING, OKAY, IMPRO, YOU KNOW, IMPROPER TIMECARD CHARGING IN THE CITY, THE CITY MANAGER'S OFFICE WOULD HAVE TO REACH OUT TO 10, 15, 20 MANAGERS OF DEPARTMENTS WHO WOULD THEN HAVE TO REACH OUT TO 15 OR 20 OF THEIR PEOPLE TO FIND OUT DID YOU, UM, HAVE ANY ALLEGATIONS OF IMPROPER CHARGING? AND THEN, YOU KNOW, ARE THERE ALLEGATIONS THAT AREN'T FULLY INVESTIGATED BECAUSE THE BOSS KNOWS THE ANSWER? BUT STILL, IF WE'RE COUNTING ALLEGATIONS, THEY SHOULD BE DOCUMENTED AND THEN DOCUMENTED AS UNSUBSTANTIATED.
UM, SO I, I DO THINK A CASE MANAGEMENT SYSTEM HAS TO RESIDE SOMEWHERE, AND IT WOULD BE A, IT, IT SEEMS TO ME MAKE SENSE TO BE A SINGLE PROCUREMENT THAT EACH OF THE DEPARTMENTS COULD THEN USE.
UM, AND THERE ARE CASE MANAGEMENT SYSTEMS THAT HAVE ACCESS CONTROLS.
SO THE PORT WOULD NOT HAVE ACCESS TO ALLEGATIONS OF IMPROPRIETY IN THE CITY MANAGER'S OFFICE AND VICE VERSA.
BUT THEY'D BE USING A SINGLE CASE MANAGEMENT SYSTEM THAT COULD THEN PREPARE A REPORT TO, UM, THE ETHICS OFFICER WHO REALLY OUGHT TO OWN THIS, BUT
UM, SO, UH, SO NEXT STEPS, UH, COMMISSIONER
[01:35:01]
GILL.WELL, I, I THINK I'D ALSO COMMENT THAT IN MY THOUGHTS THAT IT WOULD BE VERY DIFFICULT TO HAVE COMMONALITY IN A LOT OF THE PROCESSES AND TRAINING BECAUSE OF THE DIFFERENT TYPES.
UM, SOMETHING THAT'S MORE HR RELATED, SOMETHING THAT IS MORE FINANCIAL RELATED, SOMETHING THAT'S WHATEVER.
BUT I WOULD ABSOLUTELY AGREE THAT A CASE MANAGEMENT SYSTEM WOULD SEEM TO BE THE MINIMUM REQUIREMENT OVERALL BECAUSE JUST BECAUSE THE AUDITOR'S OFFICE PEOPLE HAVE NO TRAINING AND DON'T NEED TO HAVE TRAINING IN HOW AN HR INVESTIGATION GOES, DOESN'T MEAN THAT IT SHOULDN'T BE INTO A COMMONALITY OF A, OF A CASE MANAGEMENT SYSTEM.
BUT THIS IS VERY HIGH LEVEL, RIGHT? I MEAN, ANY INVESTIGATION, WHETHER YOU'RE INVESTIGATING A FINANCIAL IMPROPRIETY OR AN HR IMPROPRIETY, GET THE ORG CHART, GET THE FACT WITNESSES.
UM, YOU KNOW, THERE, THERE WAS, UM, A GOOD POINT HERE OF ARE THERE MITIGATING CIRCUMSTANCES? AND ONE OF THE, UH, PEOPLE WHO COMMENTED, I CAN'T REMEMBER IF IT WAS THE AUDITOR OR THE CITY ATTORNEY, SAID, YOU DON'T LOOK TO MITIGATION UNTIL YOU'VE DETERMINED THAT THERE IS A VIOLATION AND YOU ONLY LOOK TO MITIGATION WHEN YOU'RE DETERMINING THE CONSEQUENCES OF THE VIOLATION.
AND THAT'S UNIVERSAL, WHETHER IT, REGARDLESS OF THE TYPE OF ALLEGATION INVOLVED.
YEAH, I, I WOULD AGREE THAT AT YES, THE, THE, THE CORE AND, AND THINGS, UH, WHEN YOU START GETTING INTO THE DETAILS, THAT'S WHEN THERE MIGHT NOT BE OVERLAPS.
A A AND, YOU KNOW, BUT THAT DOESN'T MEAN THAT THEY STILL SHOULDN'T BE IN A COMMON COMMON SYSTEM.
AND, AND, AND THERE WAS ONE QUESTION, AND THIS MAY GIVE RISE TO MEET AND CONFER, I DON'T KNOW.
BUT I, I THINK IN ONE OF THE NOTES, THE AD HOC PUT A QUESTION OF, YOU KNOW, DOES THE CITY HAVE A, UH, WALK OR TALK, UH, TALKER WALK PHILOSOPHY? UM, AND THAT IS, YOU ARE OBLIGATED TO PARTICIPATE IN AN INVESTIGATION AND TO PROVIDE INPUT IF YOU ARE ASKED FOR INPUT ON AN INVESTIGATION.
AND IF YOU REFUSE TO COOPERATE WITH AN INVESTIGATION, YOUR, YOUR EMPLOYMENT IS TERMINATED.
UM, I'M NOT TELLING THE CITY YOU SHOULD HAVE A TALK OR WALK.
I, I'M JUST SAYING, I STILL HAVEN'T FOUND ANYBODY WHO CAN ANSWER WHETHER THEY DO HAVE A TALK OR WALK.
UM, IF THEY DON'T, AND THE RECOMMENDATION WAS THAT THEY SHOULD, THAT WOULD BE A MEET AND CONFER.
BUT I, I HAVEN'T FOUND OUT IF THE CITY HAS SUCH A POLICY YET.
UM, SO, AND, AND IT IS A POLICY THAT THE CITY CAN LOOK AT.
UM, BUT, UH, I, I DON'T THINK THIS PROTOCOL TAKES A POSITION ON IT.
IT JUST SAYS IS THAT THE, THE, THE POLICY AND OBVIOUSLY EVERYONE CONDUCTING AN INVESTIGATION NEEDS TO KNOW IF EMPLOYEES ARE OBLIGATED TO COOPERATE WITH AN INVESTIGATION AS PART OF THEIR EMPLOYMENT.
UM, WOULD YOU LIKE ME TO TAKE THE DOCUMENT AND BEFORE THE AUGUST MEETING, TRY TO INCORPORATE AS MANY COMMENTS FROM THE CITY AUDITOR AND CITY ATTORNEY AS I CAN, AND PRESENT ANOTHER DOCUMENT THAT EITHER INCORPORATES ALL OF THEIR COMMENTS OR PROVIDES A NOTE SAYING, I DIDN'T INCORPORATE THIS ONE, AND LET'S TALK ABOUT IT.
I THINK THERE MAY BE A COUPLE OF PLACES WHERE THERE'S ACTUALLY A DISAGREEMENT BETWEEN THE AUDITOR'S APPROACH AND THE CITY ATTORNEY'S APPROACH.
I THINK HAVING A CONSOLIDATED DOCUMENT WOULD BE HELPFUL.
UM, BUT THEN I DO THINK PRETTY QUICKLY, UM, CONFERRING AMONGST OURSELVES ABOUT WHERE THIS SHOULD GO.
I MEAN, JUST AS WE'VE BEEN SITTING HERE AND, AND IN THE LEAD UP TO THIS DISCUSSION AND THE CITY MANAGER SEEMS LIKE THAT'S THE APPROPRIATE OWNER OF THIS PARTICULAR PROTOCOL, BUT, UM, PERHAPS A CONVERSATION WITH THE CITY ATTORNEY ABOUT WHAT WE'RE LOOKING AT HERE AND, AND WHAT MIGHT BE THE APPROPRIATE SORT OF GOVERNANCE RELATED.
I DON'T, I DON'T KNOW IF THAT'S CITY ATTORNEY DISCUSSION OR HEATHER DISCUSSION WITH YOU, BUT SORT OF WHAT'S THE GOVERNANCE AROUND THIS SORT OF THING? IT WOULD START WITH THE CITY MANAGER.
ANY RECOMMENDATION THAT YOU MAKE ON THIS WOULD GO TO TOM.
OF COURSE, AT SOME POINT THE CITY ATTORNEY WOULD WEIGH IN.
OKAY, WELL, I WILL PREPARE A CONSOLIDATED DOCUMENT AND BRING IT BACK IN AUGUST.
ANY MORE COMMENTS FROM THE COMMISSION? UH, IF YOU LIKE MY ASSISTANCE, I'LL HELP YOU.
IF YOU NEED ANY HELP,
[01:40:01]
OF US, WE SHOULD BE ABLE TO DO SOMETHING.ANY MORE INPUT? UH, I'M, I GUESS MY INPUT WOULD BE, I'M GLAD TO HEAR THAT EVERYBODY IS, WE'RE ALL, WE'RE ALL ON THE SAME PAGE THAT I THINK WE ALL COME FROM DIFFERENT WALKS OF LIFE THAT KNOW THAT THIS IS A GREAT RISK AREA AND IT'S IMPORTANT TO GET UNDERSTANDING, AND AT LEAST FOR ME, EVEN FOR THE STAFF, UH, TRANSPARENCY AROUND WHAT IS DONE AND, UH, NOT TO, UM, CRITICIZE WHAT CURRENTLY IS BEING DONE.
'CAUSE WE'RE NOT SURE, WE DON'T REALLY HAVE ANY STANDARDS OR GUIDANCE OR POLICIES AROUND THIS.
SO SETTING UP SOME STANDARDS AND EXPECTATIONS AROUND, UM, THE WHOLE PROCESS, INCLUDING OUTCOMES AND WHERE THE INFORMATION GOES, I THINK PROTECTS THE CITY, PROTECTS US ALL.
AND IS THERE ANY PUBLIC COMMENT ON THIS AGENDA ITEM? LET'S MOVE TO A VOTE.
UH, COMMISSIONER GILLETTE? YES.
COMMISSIONER NORBET, VICE CHAIR COLEMAN.
[6. 26-55443 Recommendation to discuss and approve next steps for the Ethics Commission's advocacy for City Council approval of the FAIR Act ordinance. Suggested Action: Approve recommendation. ]
RECOMMENDATION TO DISCUSS AND APPROVE NEXT STEPS FOR THE ETHICS COMMISSION'S ADVOCACY FOR CITY COUNCIL APPROVAL OF THE FAIR ACT ORDINANCE.DO I HAVE A MOTION? SO SECOND.
YOU GOT THAT, PHILLIP, JUST FOR THE RECORD, THAT WAS, UH, UH, UH, MOTION BY, UH, VICE CHAIR COLEMAN AND A SECOND BY, UH, COMMISSIONER OT BEES.
UM, SO, UH, I REPORTED AT THE LAST MEETING ON WHERE THINGS WERE RELATIVE TO THE FAIR ACT.
UM, I WANNA RESTATE A LITTLE BIT OF THE HISTORY AND THEN TALK ABOUT, UH, NEXT AND, AND THEN GET INPUT FOR NEXT STEPS.
SO, UM, WHEN THE ETHICS COMMISSION PROPOSED WHAT WE CALLED THE EGA ETHICS IN GOOD GOVERNANCE ACT, THAT WENT TO THE CITY MANAGER'S OFFICE, THE CITY MANAGER DID A MARKUP OF EGA AND SENT THAT TO THE CITY COUNCIL.
WHEN THE MAYOR PUT THE ITEM ON THE AGENDA, IT HAD BEEN RENAMED THE FAIR ACT.
UM, AND THE WAY THAT THE MAYOR PUT IT ON THE AGENDA WAS THE EGA AS MARKED UP BY THE CITY MANAGER.
AND THEN THE MAYOR IN HIS COVER MEMO PROPOSED A FEW ADDITIONAL CHANGES.
THE ETHICS COMMISSION NEVER TOOK A POSITION ON THE CITY MANAGER'S MARKUP, ALTHOUGH WE ALL RECEIVED A COPY OF IT.
WE DID NOT DISCUSS THE CITY MANAGER'S MARKUP AND TAKE A VOTE ON WHETHER OR NOT THERE WAS ANYTHING IN THE CITY MANAGER'S MARKUP THAT WE WERE OPPOSED TO.
THERE WERE A COUPLE OF CHANGES THAT THE MAYOR HAD PROPOSED THAT WERE INCONSISTENT WITH EGA THAT WE DID, UM, TAKE ISSUE WITH.
ONE WAS, UM, THE MAYOR WAS RENAMING WHAT HAD BEEN ENTERPRISE LOBBYING, WHAT THE ETHICS COMMISSION RENAMED TO BE GRASSROOTS LOBBYING.
THE MAYOR WANTED THE MAYOR'S PROPOSAL, JUST CALLED IT LOBBYING.
AND WE SAID, THAT JUST DOESN'T WORK BECAUSE THERE'S MULTIPLE KINDS OF LOBBYING.
AND SO I DON'T THINK THAT'S A VERY CONTROVERSIAL ISSUE.
AND THEN ALSO, THE MAYOR HAD PROPOSED THAT THE LOBBYIST REPORTING MOVE FROM SIX MONTHS IN CURRENT LAW TO QUARTERLY, ALTHOUGH THE ETHICS COMMISSION HAD PROPOSED MONTHLY.
UM, THE ETHICS COMMISSION CONCERN WITH MONTHLY WAS BECAUSE OTHERWISE AN AGENDA ITEM WILL HAVE ALREADY BEEN CONSIDERED BY THE CITY COUNCIL BEFORE THE LOBBYIST REPORT HAD TO BE FILED.
SO WE DID, UH, RECOMMEND CONTINUED, UH, USE OF A MONTHLY FILING REQUIREMENT RATHER THAN QUARTERLY, UM, THE MAYOR.
SO THEN THE CITY COUNCIL REFERRED THE FAIR ACT TO THE GOVERNMENT OPERATIONS AND EFFICIENCY COMMITTEE.
THE GOVERNMENT OPERATIONS AND EFFICIENCY COMMITTEE RECOMMENDED ADOPTION OF CALENDAR DISCLOSURE, UM, AND OTHERWISE, BECAUSE THEY REALIZED THAT THE FOCUS HAD BEEN PRIMARILY ON LOBBYING, BUT THERE WERE, I THINK, EIGHT OR NINE TOTAL SECTIONS TO THE FAIR ACT
[01:45:01]
THAT THEY REALLY HADN'T LOOKED AT THE OTHER SECTIONS.SO THEY WERE PROPOSING THAT THIS COME BACK TO THE CITY COUNCIL FOR A STUDY SESSION SO THAT THE FULL CITY COUNCIL WOULD, UH, HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO BETTER UNDERSTAND ALL OF THE PROVISIONS, NOT JUST THE LOBBYING PROVISIONS.
UM, ON MAY 7TH, PRIOR TO THE LAST MEETING, I MET WITH, UM, CHRISTINA DUGGAN, WHO IS THE CHAIR OF THE GOVERNMENT OPERATIONS AND EFFICIENCY COMMITTEE.
I PROVIDED HER, I APPOINTED HER TO THE CITY MANAGER MARKUP AND A SUMMARY OF THE, UH, AGA THAT HAD BEEN PREPARED, UH, BY THE AD HOC THAT WORKED ON, ON EGA, UM, TO HELP HER PREPARE FOR THE STUDY SESSION.
UM, MY ROLE IN DOING THAT IN APPEARING BEFORE THE CITY COUNCIL AND THEN APPEARING BEFORE THE GO E COMMITTEE, AND THEN APPEARING, UM, IN A MEETING WITH, UM, WITH, UM, COUNCIL, UH, WOMAN, UH, DUGGAN, UH, WAS BASED ON MY PARTICIPATION IN THE AD HOC ON LOBBYING, AND ALSO CARRIED A BIT, I GUESS BY THE FACT THAT I WAS CHAIR OF THE COMMISSION.
I AM NO LONGER GOING TO BE CHAIR OF THE COMMISSION.
UM, THE FOCUS OF THE CITY COUNCIL WILL PROBABLY, THERE WILL PROBABLY CONTINUE TO BE SOME FOCUS ON LOBBYING, BUT THERE WILL ALSO BE FOCUS IN THE STUDY SESSION ON THE OTHER SECTIONS OF THE FAIR ACT.
UM, I AM FAMILIAR WITH THE ENTIRE DOCUMENT.
UH, COMMISSIONER D BENEDICTUS IS THE ONLY REMAINING MEMBER OF THE AD HOC, UM, POLICIES THAT WORKED ON EGA PLUS.
WE HAVE FORMER COMMISSIONERS, UH, SHOTWELL AND, UH, MORALES AND WISE WHO ARE FAMILIAR WITH EGA, AND THEY HAVE FOLLOWED THROUGH, UH, WITH THE FAIR ACT, AND THEY ARE, UM, MORE THAN WILLING TO HELP IF WE ASK FOR THEIR HELP.
SO WE HAVE, I THINK, TWO ROLES GOING FORWARD, UM, TO REALLY PUSH THE FAIR ACT FORWARD.
BEFORE THE CITY COUNCIL, UM, UH, THE FIRST TIME THE FAIR ACT CAME TO THE CITY COUNCIL, I WAS ABLE TO WORK WITH CITY STAFF AND A PEER, UH, AS A, AS A MEMBER OF THE TEAM.
UM, I WOULD HOPE THAT THAT ROLE COULD CONTINUE FOR ME OR FOR WHOMEVER, UH, ELSE MIGHT BE INVOLVED IN ADVOCATING FOR PASSAGE OF THE FAIR ACT.
AND THEN SECOND, I THINK WE NEED TO THINK THROUGH HOW WE WILL RESPOND ON BEHALF OF THE ETHICS COMMISSION TO PROPOSED CHANGES TO THE FAIR ACT THAT MIGHT COME UNDER DISCUSSION IN A, IN A CITY COUNCIL MEETING OR IN A, OR, OR AS A RESULT OF A CITY COUNCIL MEETING.
AND I'M OPEN TO WHATEVER ROLE THIS BODY THINKS I SHOULD CONTINUE TO HAVE.
AND ALSO I WOULD LIKE INPUT ON WHETHER WE WANT TO ENGAGE SOME OF THE FORMER COMMISSIONERS OR OTHER COMMISSIONERS WHO WOULD PRESENTLY SIT ON THE, ON THE, ON THE BODY.
AND WITH THAT, I'LL STOP TALKING.
CAN I JUST ASK A CLARIFYING QUESTION THERE? WHEN YOU SAY CHANGES TO THE FAIR ACT, YOU MEAN IF THE, UH, SUB BODY, THE, I FORGET THE O, IS IT OG? GO E, YEAH.
GOVERNMENT OPERATIONS AND EFFICIENCY COMMITTEE.
UM, IF GO E CHANGES THE FAIR ACT, THE BODY OR, YOU KNOW, AD HOC OR WHATEVER MECHANISM THAT YOU'RE PROPOSING WOULD ADDRESS THOSE CHANGES OR COMMUNICATE OR BRING THEM TO THE COMMISSION.
BUT, UH, YOU KNOW, I DON'T KNOW HOW TO DO THAT.
UH, THE EGA AND THE FAIR ACT BOTH INDICATE THAT A, A LOBBYIST, WHETHER THEY ARE IN-HOUSE OR EXTERNAL, UM, AFTER CERTAIN NUMBER OF CONTACTS, LET'S SAY IT'S THREE CONTACTS, UM, WITH CITY LEADERSHIP, THEN THEY HAVE TO REGISTER.
UM, WHAT IF THE CITY COUNCIL SAYS, OH, THAT'S, LET'S MAKE IT ONE
[01:50:01]
CONTACT, OR LET'S MAKE IT SIX CONTACTS.THE COMMISSION MAY NOT CARE, OR THE COMMISSION MIGHT THINK THAT'S A REALLY SIGNIFICANT CHANGE AND IMPACTS TRANSPARENCY.
HOW DO WE GET IT TO THE COMMISSION? WHO, WHO'S RESPONSIBLE FOR SAYING, OH, I WAS AT THIS MEETING AND THIS HAPPENED AND WE NEED TO GET IT TO THE COMMISSION FAST.
AND WHEN YOU, SORRY, ANOTHER CLARIFYING QUESTION.
WHEN YOU SAY FAST THERE, DO YOU MEAN LIKE IT WOULD BE IN AN EMAIL SENT TO ALL COMMISSION MEETINGS OR AT THE NEXT WELL, I THINK THAT, UM, OUR LEGAL COUNSEL WILL TELL US WE HAVE TO HAVE IT AT A, WE HAVE TO DO IT AT A MEETING.
UM, WE CAN SCHEDULE A SPECIAL MEETING WITH WHAT NOTICE DO WE HAVE TO GIVE FOR A SPECIAL MEETING? FOUR HOURS? FOUR HOURS, 24, 24 HOURS,
SO WE COULD, YOU KNOW, WE COULD SCHEDULE A SPECIAL MEETING ON A SINGLE TOPIC, UM, BUT WE'D HAVE TO GIVE PUBLIC NOTICE AND ALL THAT.
UM, BUT, UM, OBVIOUSLY, UM, WE CAN'T AS A BODY RESPOND RIGHT THEN AND THERE.
WE CAN'T DEVELOP A RESPONSE RIGHT THEN AND THERE.
BUT, UH, WITH A 24 HOUR ABILITY TO SET UP A SPECIAL MEETING IN A 24 HOUR TIME PERIOD, WE COULD GET A A POSITION PRETTY QUICKLY.
I MEAN, THE NEXT TIME THE CITY COUNCIL CONSIDERS THIS, IT'LL BE A STUDY SESSION.
SO I DON'T THINK A VOTE WILL RESULT AT THE TIME OF THE STUDY SESSION.
BUT, YOU KNOW, WHOEVER IS DESIGNATED BY THIS COMMISSION TO ATTEND CAN WRITE THINGS UP AND CALL A SPECIAL MEETING OR INITIATE THE PROCESS FOR A SPECIAL MEETING.
OH, UH, I THINK WE HAVE SOME TIME AND OUR NEW LEADERSHIP CAN TAKE IT UNDER ADVISEMENT.
UH, BUT I DO THINK, UM, YOU, YOU'RE A CRITICAL, UH, LEADER IN THAT AND WHERE IT HAS COME AND YOU'VE BEEN BEFORE THE CITY COUNCIL AND COMMUNICATING MUCH OF THIS.
I THINK WE NEED THE EXPERTISE AS, ESPECIALLY ON THE LOBBYING PIECE OF THE PEOPLE WHO DID THE DEEP DIVE.
'CAUSE I KNOW I'M WAS NOT PART OF THE, I'LL JUST SAY THE HISTORY, THE NEGOTIATION, THE, THE PUBLIC FEEDBACK THAT WE RECEIVED, WHICH WAS CONSIDERABLE, UM, TO KNOW TO, TO JUST TO, TO WAX ELOQUENTLY ABOUT WHERE WE ARE AND WHY IT'S WHERE IT IS THE CURRENT DRAFT.
UM, BUT I, I THINK THAT THERE'S ENOUGH WORK TO GO AROUND THAT WE'RE GONNA NEED, UH, UM, IT WOULD BE MY RECOMMENDATION THAT WE HAVE A LITTLE SUBGROUP THAT HANDLES THIS.
UM, AND THEN THE TECHNICAL PART, I DON'T, I DON'T KNOW.
CITY ATTORNEY WILL TELL US WHAT WE CAN AND CAN'T DO.
UH, BUT I THINK WE NEED TO DRAW UPON ALL THOSE EXPERTS.
IS THERE AN EXPECTATION THAT AFTER THE STUDY SESSION THERE WOULD BE A RAPID VOTE ON EDGAR HOPE SPRINGS ETERNAL
WELL, WE HAVE RECESS, UM, OBVIOUSLY AFTER NEXT WEEK UNTIL JULY 21ST.
AND THEN
UM, SO WHEN WE COME BACK AND HONESTLY IT'LL BE BUDGET AND THAT'S, YOU KNOW, GONNA BE THE FOCUS OF ALL THE PRE COUNCILS MEETINGS WILL BE MAINLY THE BUDGET OVERSIGHT COMMITTEE.
UM, AND THAT REALLY GOES THROUGH AUGUST AND THEN IT'S PRETTY MUCH EARLY SEPTEMBER, HOPEFULLY WHEN THE COUNCIL WILL BE ABLE TO BE READY TO ADOPT THE BUDGET.
SO, I MEAN, IT'S POSSIBLE TO DO A STUDY SESSION AHEAD OF COUNCIL SOMETIME IN AUGUST, BUT IT'S GONNA BE CHALLENGING JUST BASED ON THE BUDGET OVERSIGHT COMMITTEE SCHEDULE.
AND IT'S PRETTY, IT'S A PRETTY AGGRESSIVE SCHEDULE THAT THEY'RE LOOKING AT THIS YEAR AGAIN.
SO MY GUESS IS THAT WE WOULD HAVE MORE FLEXIBILITY AND OPTIONS IN SEPTEMBER TO DO A LARGER STUDY SESSION AHEAD OF COUNCIL.
UM, AND THEN BASICALLY ONCE WE HAVE THE STUDY SESSION, IDEALLY THEY WOULD JUST BE THE ONE AND THEN WE'D BE ABLE TO CONTINUE MOVING FORWARD WITH THE WORK.
SO YEAH, THEY WOULDN'T TAKE A VOTE OUT
[01:55:01]
OF STUDY SESSION THOUGH.THEY'D HAVE HAVE THE STUDY SESSION AND THEN PUT IT UP TO A VOTE THE NEXT TIME.
NO, THE STUDY SESSION BASICALLY, BASICALLY WOULD BE WHAT WE ORIGINALLY THOUGHT THE COUNCIL ACTION WAS, UH, WHICH IS TO GET DIRECTION FROM COUNCIL ON HOW THEY WANT US TO PROCEED WITH ALL THE STAFF WORK THAT STILL NEEDS TO TAKE PLACE.
SO WE'VE DONE A LOT OF STAFF WORK, OBVIOUSLY THE COMMISSION'S DONE A LOT OF WORK, BUT WE NEED CLARITY ON A NUMBER OF DIFFERENT DECISION POINTS.
IF THEY WANT TO CHANGE ANYTHING, IF THEY SAY, OKAY, LIKE THEY ALREADY DID, UM, THEY WANT TO CONTINUE MOVING ON WITH THE FULL PACKAGE, THE WAY THAT IT'S WRITTEN WITH STAFF RECOMMENDATIONS, THEN WE HAVE DIRECTION WE CAN MOVE FORWARD.
UM, AND THAT WOULD NOT NEED TO GO BACK TO COUNCIL BEFORE WE START THE WORK ESSENTIALLY.
SO IT WOULD JUST BE THE ONE ACTION, UNLESS FOR SOME REASON I DON'T ANTICIPATE THIS, BUT THAT, THAT THEY WANT MORE CONVERSATION, THEY WANT TO BRING IT BACK TO THE GOE OR SOMETHING ELSE.
I DON'T THINK THAT THAT'S THE CASE ANYMORE.
UM, AND IDEALLY THIS WOULD BE THE ONE STOP AT THIS POINT WHERE WE CAN WALK THEM THROUGH THE WHOLE THING, GET CLARITY ON ANYTHING, UM, ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS THEY MAY HAVE.
AND THEN THAT WOULD ALLOW US TO CONTINUE THE STAFF PROCESS.
THEN WE WOULD GO THROUGH THAT WHOLE PROCESS, THE MEET AND CONFER, DRAFTING OF THE ORDINANCE, ALL OF THAT.
THEN IT WOULD COME BACK TO COUNCIL FOR AN ACTUAL VOTE ON THE ORDINANCE ITSELF.
SO STUDY SESSION, THEN ANOTHER MEETING SHORTLY THEREAFTER WHERE THEY'LL ACTUALLY VOTE TO SEND IT TO BE DRAFTED AND WELL, THE STUDY SESSION WOULD BE THE WOULD BE THAT, YES.
SO IT'S ONE MEETING, THEY HAVE THE STUDY SESSION AND THEN THEY SAY, OKAY, GO AHEAD AND DRAFT IT.
I MEAN, UNLESS THEY CHANGE, YOU KNOW, DIRECTION.
BUT THAT'S MY SENSE IS LIKE, IT WOULD JUST BE THE ONE ACTION, RIGHT? OR WHAT DO YOU THINK? SO IT'S BASICALLY STA I'LL BE HAPPY TO GO TO THAT.
I HOPE THAT OTHERS WOULD PARTICIPATE AS WELL.
I DON'T KNOW IF YOU'D WANT, UH, FORMER COMMISSIONERS TO PARTICIPATE OR COMMISSIONER DE BENEDICTUS WHO WAS ON THE POLICY COMMITTEE, UM, TO GO TO THE STUDY SESSION.
AND THEN IF THERE'S SOMETHING TO BRING BACK, UH, WE'D BRING IT BACK TO THE COMMISSION.
BUT IT SOUNDS LIKE THEY MAY JUST AT THE STUDY SESSION, SAY, GO WITH THE FAIR ACT.
THERE ARE THE COUPLE OF THINGS THE MAYOR HAD RECOMMENDED.
HOPEFULLY, UM, UH, UH, HE HEARD THE COMMENTS THAT WERE MADE ON THOSE COUPLE OF ISSUES, I JUST, UH, REVIEWED.
I MEAN, I WOULDN'T MIND SEPTEMBER, BUT IF THAT'S THE END OF THE ROAD BEFORE DRAFTING AND IT'S 90% DRAFTED.
YEAH, I, I HAVE A BETTER UNDERSTANDING.
UH, MY QUESTION WAS, I, I THOUGHT IT WAS MOVING FASTER THAN I THOUGHT IT WOULD BECAUSE OF RECESS AND BUDGET TIME.
SO I WAS JUST TRYING TO GATHER MYSELF, BUT OKAY, I UNDERSTAND
SO YES, IT WOULD, IT WOULD BE THE STUDY SESSION AND THEN MY OFFICE HAS TO GET AUTHORIZATION TO DRAFT IT.
AND THEN WE WOULD ALSO HAVE TO MEET AND CONFER, AND THEN WE HAVE A FIRST AND SECOND READING.
UM, IF THEY HAVE CHANGES AT THE FIRST READING, YOU HAVE TO GO BACK AGAIN.
SO IT IS, UM, UH, A FEW STEPS TO GET THERE.
SO NOT DURING MY TENURE AS CHAIR, BUT MAYBE DURING MY TENURE ON THE COMMISSION.
WOULD THIS, WE WOULD NEED TO LIKELY FORM AN AD HOC, BUT THEN HOW WOULD WE GET THE FORMER MEMBERS' AUTHORITY THERE? YEAH, I DON'T, I DON'T KNOW IF WE'RE ALLOWED TO GIVE THEM AUTHORITY TO APPEAR ON OUR BEHALF.
UM, CERTAINLY COMMISSIONER WISE DID APPEAR ON HER OWN BEHALF IN HER PERSONAL CAPACITY, UM, AT THE CITY COUNCIL MEETING.
UM, WE COULD GIVE THE AUTHORITY OF THE AD HOC TO WORK WITH FORMER MEMBERS OF THE COMMISSION.
SHOULD, DO YOU WANNA FORM AN AD HOC? THAT WOULD BE ANOTHER AGENDA ITEM, BUT YEAH, I THINK IT WOULD MAKE SENSE.
[02:00:05]
WHEN IS THE, DID YOU SAY THE DATE OF THE STUDY SESSION? NO, I THINK TYLER'S THINKING MAYBE SEPTEMBER.AND WE HAVE TIME LIKELY SEPTEMBER.
MAYBE AUGUST LIKELY SEPTEMBER.
NO, WE DON'T HAVE, WE DON'T HAVE, WE DON'T HAVE AD HOC FORMING ON THE AGENDA THIS TIME.
WE DO NOT HAVE AD HOC FORMING ON THE AGENDA.
BUT WE DO HAVE, WHAT STEPS DO WE WANNA TAKE? SO MILLICENT WILL TELL ME WHETHER, WHEN WE SAY RECOMMENDATION TO DISCUSS AND APPROVE NEXT STEPS, COULD THAT INCLUDE FORMING AN AD HOC MILLICENT? JUST MAKE AN AMENDED MOTION SO WE COULD AMEND THE MOTION AT THE NE THE NEXT STEP WOULD BE FORMATION OF AN AD HOC.
AND WHO MADE THE MOTION HERE? UH, THIS WAS, UH, VICE CHAIR COLEMAN.
SO VICE CHAIR COLEMAN, DO YOU WANNA AME A FRIENDLY AMENDMENT OF YOUR, UH, MOTION TO, UH, APPROVE NEXT, TO APPROVE A FORMATION OF AN AD HOC FOR THE ETHICS COMMISSION'S ADVOCACY FOR CITY COUNCIL APPROVAL OF THE FAIR ACT ORDINANCE? I WOULD WELCOME THE FRIENDLY AMENDMENT
AND IT WAS SECONDED BY, UH, UH, THAT WAS COMMISSIONER DE BENEDICTUS.
DO YOU AGREE WITH THE FRIENDLY AMENDMENT? I, I DO.
SO WE NEED TO APPOINT MEMBERS TO THE, THE, YEAH, I WAS GOING TO GO THERE NEXT.
AND THAT AD HOC, DO I HAVE ANY VOLUNTEERS TO PARTICIPATE IN THE AD HOC COMMISSIONER DI BENEDICTUS
A ANY OTHER MEMBERS? IS THERE ANYONE ELSE INTERESTED IN PARTICIPATING IN THIS AD HOC? I, I'D BE HAPPY TO JOIN THE AD HOC.
THREE IS THE MAX AND YOU, RIGHT? YEAH.
'CAUSE I'M, I I, I THINK WHERE THE MEAT AND WHAT WE REALLY NEED TO BE TO UNDERSTAND IS THAT HISTORY THAT THAT LOBBYING AD HOC, UH, WENT THROUGH THE WORK THAT THEY DID FOR OVER A YEAR, RIGHT? RIGHT.
UH, SO EITHER IF THEY APPEAR AS INDIVIDUALS OR, UH, SUBMIT WRITTEN COMMENTARY OR SOMETHING, I THINK THAT WOULD BE BEST.
SO THE LOBBYING AD HOC WAS COMMISSIONER MORALES AND COMMISSIONER WISE, IN ADDITION TO ME AND THE POLICY AD HOC, WHICH DID THE OTHER SECTIONS, WAS YOU AND COMMISSIONER SHOTWELL.
UM, ANY OTHER INPUT ON THIS AGENDA ITEM? IS THERE ANY PUBLIC COMMENT ON THIS AGENDA ITEM? LET'S MOVE TO A VOTE.
COMMISSIONER NOVE, VICE COLEMAN.
[7. 26-55444 Recommendation to receive and file monthly update from the Ad Hoc Committee on Social Media and Campaign Activity. Suggested Action: Approve recommendation. ]
RECOMMENDATION TO RECEIVE AND FILE A MONTHLY UPDATE FROM THE AD HOC COMMITTEE ON SOCIAL MEDIA AND CAMPAIGN ACTIVITY.DO I HAVE A MOTION? I MOVE SECOND COM.
MOVED, SECONDED BY COMMISSIONER DE BENEDICTUS.
UM, WERE YOU GONNA DO THE REPORT? SURE.
UM, SO THE CHAIR MET WITH THE, THE, THE HOPE INITIALLY WAS TO HAVE A, UH, UH, REPORT THAT WE COULD HAVE CIRCULATED TO THE COMMISSION.
THE CHAIR MET WITH THE CITY ATTORNEY'S OFFICE AND IT CAME TO OUR ATTENTION THAT WE HAD NOT ADEQUATELY CONSIDERED, UM, AS A PART OF THE SOCIAL MEDIA AD HOC, THE MAILING LIST THAT, UM, YOU KNOW, ELECTEDS MAY MAINTAIN PRIOR DURING ELECTION CYCLES, BUT THEN USED IN THEIR CAPACITY AS AN ELECTED OFFICIAL.
UM, SO WE WILL BE GOING BACK TO THE DRAWING BOARD
[02:05:01]
TO SEE IF THERE ARE, UM, WAYS TO INCORPORATE THAT.UM, THE CHAIR ALSO DID, UM, WITH FEEDBACK FROM COMMISSIONER GILL, UM, INCORPORATE COMMISSIONER NOVA'S, UM, FEEDBACK INTO THE, UH, INTO THE REPORT.
AND SO THE HOPE IS THAT WE CAN MEET IN, YOU KNOW, BETWEEN NOW AND AUGUST AND FIGURE OUT HOW WE WILL INCORPORATE THE MINIMALIST, UM, AND, YOU KNOW, THEN HAVE SOMETHING THAT WE CAN REPORT TO CITY COUNCIL, UM, OR APPROVE AND THEN, YOU KNOW, THEN REPORT TO CITY COUNCIL.
UM, REALLY THE HOPE HERE IS THAT THERE WILL AT LEAST BE ONE TRANSITION OF MATERIALS.
SO WITH FINGER CROSSED AND HIGH HOPES, UM, YOU KNOW, THIS WOULD BE AN EASY ASK OF THE CITY COUNCIL JUST TO MAKE SURE THAT PUBLIC INFORMATION, INFORMATION THAT CAN BE PROVIDED TO THE PUBLIC THROUGH MEANS OF SOCIAL MEDIA, MAILING LISTS, ANY DISTRIBUTION MATERIALS, UM, THAT ACCESS CAN BE MAINTAINED, EVEN IF THERE IS ANOTHER PERSON ON THE DAIS IN THE SEA, AND, YOU KNOW, UM, ON THE FLOOR.
UM, SO WE WILL REPORT BACK IN AUGUST WITH HOPEFULLY A FINAL REPORT TO BE APPROVED.
ANYTHING ELSE FROM MY COLLEAGUES ON THE AD HOC? YEAH, I, UM, YEAH, I GUESS MAYBE WE'VE FORGOTTEN IN WRITING ABOUT WHEN THE CAMPAIGN LIST MOVES INTO CITY DOMAIN.
'CAUSE WE CERTAINLY HAD THAT AS A, WE DISCUSSED THAT, BUT YEAH.
BUT I THINK OTHER THAN THAT IT WOULD BE GREAT, AS YOU NOTED, IF ESPECIALLY SINCE, UH, THERE WON'T BE ANY CHANGE, UH, TO ANYONE UNTIL, I MEAN, EVEN IF PEOPLE HAD LOST THE ELECTION, THERE WOULD BE NO CHANGE UNTIL JANUARY OR EVEN AFTER, IT'D BE LIKE JANUARY.
SO HOPEFULLY WE CAN GET THIS IN
EVEN IF THERE WERE NEW COUNCIL MEMBERS.
OH, IS IT DECEMBER 15TH WAS THE OFFICIAL CHANGEOVER.
SO WE WANT THE, UH, TO BRING A FINAL REPORT IN AUGUST YEAH.
FOR THE COMMISSION TO APPROVE.
AND THERE'S CURRENTLY ONLY ONE SEAT THAT WOULD TURN OVER.
WELL, AS THE, AS THE VOTES ARE LOOKING RIGHT NOW.
IT DIDN'T RUN FOR REELECTION SO, RIGHT.
UM, BUT ZENDAY HAS, DID SHE GO GET OVER 50%? IT'S CURRENTLY AT 50 POINT.
A LITTLE BIT OVER AND OF LAST NIGHT.
AS OF LAST NIGHT THERE WERE 23,000 BALLAST ACCOUNTS, COUNTYWIDE
SO NOT MANY LIVE FOR LONG BEACH.
UM, SO YEAH, IF, UH, THAT WOULD BE GREAT IF WE COULD GET THAT GOING EITHER AUGUST, CERTAINLY NO LATER THAN SEPTEMBER.
UH, WE CAN MAYBE PUSH THIS THROUGH.
THERE'S SUPPORT ON THE COUNCIL AT LEAST.
ANYTHING ELSE FROM THE COMMISSION ON THIS AGENDA ITEM? IS THERE ANY COMMENT FROM THE PUBLIC ON THIS AGENDA ITEM? SEEING NONE, LET'S MOVE TO A VOTE.
COMMISSIONER NORWAY, VICE CHAIR COLEMAN.
AGENDA ITEM NUMBER EIGHT, RECOMMENDATION
[8. 26-55445 Recommendation to receive and file monthly update from the Ad Hoc Committee on the Primary Nominating Election Candidate Filings. Suggested Action: Approve recommendation. ]
TO RECEIVE AND FILE MONTHLY UPDATE FROM THE AD HOC COMMITTEE ON THE PRIMARY NOMINATING ELECTION CANDIDATE FILINGS.DO I HAVE A MOTION? SO MOVE COMMISSIONER DE BENEDICTUS MOVES.
SECONDED BY COMMISSIONER EATON.
SO THIS IS THE LAST OF THE PRIMARY NOMINATING ELECTION REPORTS.
UM, COMMISSIONER NOVE IS NOT WITH US, BUT TODAY, BUT WITH THANK YOU DIDN'T FOR THAT CLARIFICATION.
YEAH, I DIDN'T LIKE THE WAY THAT
UM, BUT, UH, WE WILL BE ABLE TO PROCEED WITH ALL OF THE, UM, REPORTS.
UM, STARTING WITH THE CITY ATTORNEY.
AS WAS STATED AT THE LAST MEETING, UM, SHE HAD NO PRIMARY CHALLENGERS AND SO SHE DID, UH, UH, UH, CITY ATTORNEY MC MCINTOSH DID FILE HER FOUR 60, UM, IN, I BELIEVE IT WAS JANUARY.
UM, UH, AMENDMENTS WAS NECESSARY BECAUSE THERE WAS NO, UM, YOU KNOW, INDICATION THAT, UH, SHE NEEDED TO
[02:10:01]
FUNDRAISE AS THERE WAS NO ONE CHALLENGING FOR THE CITY PROSECUTOR.UM, DOUG HARBERT, THE SAME THING.
UM, THE, IT WAS FILED AND THERE WAS NO FURTHER ADDITIONS AS THERE WAS NO PRIMARY CHALLENGER FOR THE ELECTION OF THE AUDITOR.
BOTH JENNY GONZALEZ AND LAURA DOWD, UM, DID FILL OUT THEIR FOUR SIXTIES.
UM, AND, UH, YOU KNOW, THE, TO THE EXTENT THAT PACS, SUCH AS THE LAMBER OF CHAMBERS DID EVENTUALLY SPEND MONEY, UM, FOR ANY, ANY PERSON RUNNING, THOSE REPORTS WERE FILED TIMELY AS WELL.
MOVING ON TO DISTRICT ONE, UH, MARY'S AND DEJAS, UH, MARRIED AND DEJAS IN THE 2 20 20 26, UM, CAMPAIGN DID FILE TIMELY.
HER OFFICE ORDER ACCOUNT ALSO FILED TIMELY.
UM, DEB, UH, UH, KAHU KELLY DID ALSO FILE TIMELY.
BROCK GOLDMAN ALSO FILED TIMELY.
UH, BROCK HAS, UH, MR. GOLDMAN HAS ALSO, UM, TERMINATED HIS ACCOUNT AS OF JUNE 5TH, UM, WHICH AS WE JUST RECEIVED A FANTASTIC REPORT, IS, WAS THE NEXT STEP.
UM, ANTHONY BRYSON HAS ALSO FILED TIMELY THE CAMPAIGN FOR, UH, TAM MEET.
UH, TAMIKA WAGNER ALSO ALSO FILED TIMELY.
AND LASTLY, IN DISTRICT ONE, THE CAMPAIGN FOR LORI, LORI LOGAN ALSO FILED TIMELY.
MOVING ON TO DISTRICT THREE, UH, COUNCIL MEMBER DUGGAN AND THE OFFICE ORDER ACCOUNT DID FILE TIMELY.
UM, RONALD SAMPSON ALSO FILED TIMELY.
REBECCA HINDERER ALSO FOUND TIMELY.
AND THEN, UH, FOR ANYONE WHO WILL GO TO THE WEBSITE AND OR LISTEN TO THIS RECORDING, IT WILL APPEAR AS THOUGH BRIAN COCHRAN DID NOT FOUL TIMELY.
AND THAT IS DUE TO A CLERICAL ERROR THAT ONLY ALLOWED, UM, MEMBERS AND CITY CLERK, PLEASE CORRECT ME IF I GET ANY OF THIS WRONG, BUT ONLY ALLOWED MEMBERS TO FILE WHAT APPEAR TO BE A FOUR 60.
AND AS A REMINDER, THE FOUR 60 FORM IS FOR ANY CANDIDATE WHO EXPECTS TO RAISE OVER $2,000.
HOWEVER, UM, MR. COCHRANE DID FILE, UH, DID INTEND TO FILE THE FOUR 70, WHICH IS THAT THEY WILL, THAT, UH, THE CAMPAIGN WILL NOT EXCEED THAT ACCOUNT AND THUS NOT NEED TO FILE ANY OTHER DOCUMENTS.
UM, AND SO ALTHOUGH ONLINE IT WILL APPEAR THAT, UH, HE, THE CAN, THAT CAMPAIGN DID NOT FILE TIMELY.
UM, HE INDEED DID DO SO, UM, BY THE FOUNDING OF THE FOUR 70.
UM, MOVING, PLEASE KEEP THAT IN MIND AS THAT WILL COME UP AGAIN AND I DON'T FEEL LIKE REPEATING THAT
UM, SO FOR DISTRICT FIVE, UM, THE CAMPAIGN FOR MAKING KERR ALSO FILED TIMELY.
THE CAMPAIGN FOR, UH, TARA RIGLEY ALSO, UM, DID FILE A TIMELY AS ALSO THE CAMPAIGN FOR TARA WRIGLEY DID ALSO FILE AN AMENDMENT, AND THAT WAS COMPLETED ON JUNE 6TH FOR DISTRICT SEVEN VIVIAN, UM, MA MALU, OH MY GOODNESS, HONOLULU, UH, I STILL DID NOT GET THAT RIGHT, BUT SHE ALSO, THAT CAMPAIGN ALSO FELT TIMELY.
DAMON GORDON ALL, UH, HAD THE SAME, UM, INSTANCE WHERE, UM, THEY DID NOT, THAT CAMPAIGN DID NOT ANTICIPATE FILING OVER $2,000 AND FILED TIMELY BY FILING THE FOUR 70 IN APRIL.
UM, AS WELL AS JAMES, THE CAMPAIGN FOR JAMES SHAFFORD ALSO FILED, UH, A TENANT TO FOUL A FOUR 70 FOR THE, ANY PAC SUCH AS A LABOR OF, UH, THE CHAMBER.
THE LONG BEACH CHAMBER OF COMMERCE, WHO, UH, ENTERED TO PARTICIPATE IN THAT RACE ALSO FILED TIMELY FOR DISTRICT NINE.
THE CAMPAIGN FOR JODY RICKS OTI.
UM, AND THE OFFICE ORDER ACCOUNT FILED TIMELY.
THE CAMPAIGN FOR, UH, KORA, UH, NEFF ALSO FILED TIMELY THE CHAMBER OF COMMERCE TO THE EXTENT THAT PARTICIPATED IN THAT ELECTION, ALSO FILED TIMELY FOR, UM, MAYOR.
THE CAMPAIGN ACCOUNT FOR MAYOR RICHARD RICHARDSON OF 2026 FILED TIMELY.
THE OFFICE HOLDER ACCOUNT ASSOCIATED WITH MAYOR RICH RICHARDSON ALSO FILED TIMELY THE CAMPAIGN, THE CAMPAIGN ACCOUNT FOR MAYOR RICH RICHARDSON OF 2020, UM, TO ALSO FILE TIMELY.
UM, JOSH, UH, R UH, RODRIGUEZ, UM, HAD FILED THE, UH, HAD ATTEMPTED TO FILE THE FOUR 70.
UM, SO THE, THE CAMPAIGN, THE, UM, FILING WAS TIMELY.
UM, LEE GORDON ALSO FELL INTO THAT SAME BUCKET OF FOUL, TIMELY BY FILING IN APRIL, UM, ATTEMPTING TO FILE THE FOUR 70 TERRY RIVERS FILED AND FILED TIMELY.
[02:15:01]
CAMPAIGN FOR OSCAR, UM, CANNOT READ MY IN WRITING.CON CONAL DID ALSO INTEND TO FILE THE FOUR 70 TO THE EXTENT THE LABOR, THE LONG BEACH CHAMBER OF COMMERCE, UM, INTENDED AND DID PARTICIPATE IN THE ELECTION FOR MAYOR.
UM, THOSE FILINGS WERE ALSO TIMELY.
ANY QUESTIONS,
COMMISSIONER NOVE, VICE CHAIR COLEMAN.
[9. 26-55446 Recommendation to conduct a study session on the Commission's current priorities, outlining their 3-year vision and future business. Suggested Action: Approve recommendation. ]
UM, AND THERE'S A BUNCH OF SNACKS OVER IN THE CORNER.UM, AND IF ANYONE WANTS TO GO GET A SNACK, FEEL FREE TO DO THAT.
UM, AGENDA ITEM NUMBER NINE IS A RECOMMENDATION TO CONDUCT A STUDY SESSION.
SO, BECAUSE IT'S A STUDY SESSION, I THOUGHT YOU MIGHT NEED SOME ENERGY.
SOME CARBS, UM, ON THE COMMISSION'S CURRENT PRIORITIES, OUTLAY OWNING THEIR THREE YEAR VISION AND FUTURE BUSINESS.
DO I HAVE A MOTION? COMMISSIONER? GILL MOVES SECOND.
I SECOND COMMISSIONER GILLETTE SECONDS.
AND, UM, HEATHER, DO YOU WANNA LEAVE THIS OR SHOULD I, I AM LEADING THE STUDY SESSION.
WOULD YOU LIKE TO RECESS FOR A QUICK FIVE MINUTE BREAK WHILE WE HAVE A SNACK AND, AND BREAK? WHY DON'T WE RECESS FOR A 10 MINUTE, 10 MINUTE BREAK.
UH, WE'LL TAKE A ROLL NOW THAT WE'RE BACK FROM RECESS.
COMMISSIONER DE BENEDICTUS HERE.
SO I'M GLAD THAT, UM, THE AGENDA MATERIALS THAT WERE SENT OUT THIS LA LAST EVENING INCLUDED AN A COPY OF THE MARULA REPORT BECAUSE FOR THE NEW COMMISSIONERS, HAVING THAT IN FRONT OF US, I THINK IS, UM, IS USEFUL.
WE, THEY WERE, UH, RETAINED BY THE CITY, UM, TO PREPARE A STRATEGIC PLAN.
UM, AND YOU KNOW, THERE'S, THERE, THERE'S OFTEN BEEN, I THINK A, A BLURRED LINE BETWEEN WHAT IS THE COMMISSION'S STRATEGIC PLAN AND WHAT IS THE STRATEGIC PLAN FOR THE OFFICE OF THE ETHICS OFFICER, OFFICE OF ETHICS AND TRANSPARENCY.
UM, AND I THINK TO SOME EXTENT, UM, MARCOLA KIND OF CONTINUED THAT BLURRED LINE.
I'M OKAY WITH THAT BECAUSE WE'RE WE'RE PARTNERS.
UM, UH, I, I, YOU KNOW, FOR SOME OF THOSE COMMISSIONERS WHO ARE NEW TO THE COMMISSION, WHEN THE COMMISSION WAS FIRST FORMED, THERE WAS NO OFFICE OF ETHICS IN THE CITY.
THERE WERE CERTAINLY ETHICS IN THE CITY, BUT THERE WAS NO ETHICS OFFICE.
UM, SO, UM, SO WAS THE COMMISSION TAKING THE RECOMMENDATIONS THAT WERE MADE BY THE OUTSIDE, UM, AUDIT ORGANIZATION THAT MADE RECOMMENDATIONS FOR THE ETHICS PROGRAM.
AND THE ETHICS COMMISSION TOOK ON WHAT, YOU KNOW, WHAT IS NECESSARY FOR THE ETHICS PROGRAM.
UM, AND OBVIOUSLY ONE OF THE FIRST HIGHEST PRIORITIES WAS, HEY, YOU ACTUALLY NEED AN ETHICS OFFICER.
YOU NEED SOMEBODY ON STAFF WHO'S, WHO'S MANAGING THE PROGRAM.
WE WERE, UH, FORTUNATE THAT HEATHER, UH, VAN WICK APPLIED FOR THE JOB
[02:20:01]
HARVEY ROSE AUDIT, WHICH WAS THE EXTERNAL AUDIT, WHICH WAS CONDUCTED EVEN BEFORE THE ETHICS COMMISSION EXISTED.UM, THE ETHICS COMMISSION HAD PUT TOGETHER AN ACTION PLAN, UM, BASED ON THE HARVEY ROSE AUDIT, WHICH WAS THE CITY NEEDS, ALL OF THESE THINGS.
SO AGAIN, THE LINE WAS BLURRED.
AND AT THE TIME THAT THE COMMISSION PUT TOGETHER THE ACTION PLAN, WE WERE THE ONLY ONES WORKING THE ISSUE.
NOW WE HAVE AN ETHICS OFFICER.
SO IT'S STILL A LITTLE BLURRED AS TO WHICH OF THE THINGS THAT NEED TO BE DONE OR THINGS THAT NEED TO BE DONE BY THE COMMISSION AND WHICH NEED TO BE DONE BY THE ETHICS OFFICE.
BUT I THINK AS WE'VE GONE THROUGH AND, UM, HEATHER HAS OWNED THE PRIORITIES, UM, THE MARCOLA STRATEGIC PLAN WAS THEN THE NEXT STEP.
AND, UM, UH, I I, I QUIBBLE WITH WHETHER THIS IS REALLY A STRATEGIC PLAN, TO BE HONEST WITH YOU.
UH, IT IS, UH, A BUNCH OF TACTICS THAT ARE NEEDED, UH, THINGS THAT WE NEED TO DO.
UM, AND THE OFFICE OF ETHICS AND TRANSPARENCY HAS BEEN TRACKING ALL OF THESE, UM, ITEMS THAT CAME OUT OF THE MARCOLA PROPOSAL.
AND THAT'S WHERE YOU HAVE THIS DOCUMENT THAT HAS THE PRIORITIES, UM, THE ACTION PLAN.
MARCOLA SAID, HEY, ONE OF THE THINGS THAT YOU NEED TO DO IS FINISH UP THE ACTION PLAN AND THEN DECLARE SUCCESS, UM,
THE INVESTIGATION PROTOCOL IS A REALLY BIG PART OF THE REMAINING THINGS THAT NEED TO BE DONE TO COMPLETE THE ACTION PLAN.
UM, WE, THE DOCUMENT THAT, UM, HEATHER CIRCULATED DOES INCLUDE, I THINK IT'S THE DOCUMENT THAT WAS CIRCULATED FOR AGENDA ITEM NUMBER THREE DID INCLUDE SOME OF THE ITEMS FROM THE ACTION PLAN.
UM, BUT, UH, I THINK NOW WE NEED TO MOVE BACK OUT A LITTLE BIT WITH A BIG WIDE VIEW AND SAY, OKAY, AS A COMMISSION, WHAT ARE THE THINGS THAT, UM, WE WANNA FOCUS ON, UH, NEXT.
AND I I WOULD LIKE TO THINK IT'S, UM, A THREE YEAR FOCUS, BUT GIVEN THE TIME, MAYBE WE'RE LOOKING AT THE TOP THREE PRIORITIES FOR 2024 FISCAL YEAR 2027.
IS THERE, I MEAN, I CAN SEE THINGS IN THIS REPORT THAT TALK ABOUT, I CAN SEE THINGS IN THIS REPORT THAT TALK ABOUT 2024 UHHUH
THERE'S NO DATE, THERE'S NO DATE ON TOM'S, UH, MEMO.
THERE'S NO DATE ON THIS REPORT.
IS, DO WE SOMEONE TELL ME WHAT THE DATE OF THIS REPORT IS? UH, WELL, STRATEGIC MODE ROADMAP 20 25, 20 30.
WELL, RIGHT, BUT I MEAN, IT COULD BE, HMM.
I'M JUST ANSWER QUESTION UHHUH BEFORE THERE WAS NOT A DATE, INCLUDING, LIKE I SAY, TOM'S MEMO DOESN'T EVEN HAVE A, A DATE ON IT.
I MEAN, OBVIOUSLY I WAS THERE WHEN IT WAS DELIVERED, SO I NEVER THOUGHT ABOUT IT.
BUT
SO SHOULD WE, I JUST WANNA MAKE SURE I'M UNDERSTANDING FROM THE TIMELINE.
SO SHOULD WE ASSUME THIS IS END OF 24 INFORMATION OR IT IS THAT WHEN IT WAS SUBMITTED? AND SO WE START OPERATIONALIZING THE ROADMAP, SORRY.
STARTED OPERATIONALIZING THE ROADMAP AT THE BEGINNING OF CALENDAR YEAR 25.
SO WE ARE HALFWAY THROUGH OUR SECOND YEAR.
AND, UH, I GUESS IF YOU WANNA LOOK AT PAGE 26 IS WHERE THEY START WITH THE INITIATIVES AND THE FOUR PRIORITIES.
AND THEN THE WAY WE'VE BEEN DEALING WITH IT IS THAT COMPLETION OF THE ACTION PLAN IS PRIORITY FIVE.
NOT, IT'S STILL A, IT'S NOT SAYING WHICH ARE MORE IMPORTANT, IT'S JUST FIVE PRIORITIES.
'CAUSE IF YOU RECALL, THERE WAS A LOT OF BACK AND FORTH IN MM-HMM
[02:25:01]
THE OUTSTANDING ITEMS INTO THE ROADMAP UNDER THE PRIORITIES THAT CAME WITH THE ROADMAP.AND AT THE END OF THAT, IT WAS JUST EASIER TO KEEP IT SEPARATE.
I DO REMEMBER
AND I THINK THERE IS STILL DISTRUST IN WHETHER THE CITY IS OPERATING ETHICALLY.
AND WE DO WONDERFUL, UH, YOU KNOW, OUR ETHICAL ELEPHANT, IT'S WONDERFUL FOR INTERNALLY, AND I KNOW WE'RE TRYING TO FIGURE OUT WAYS TO MAKE THAT PUBLIC.
UM, BUT JUST GENERALLY THE VIBE IN THE CITY IS THAT THERE MUST BE CORRUPTION AFOOT.
UM, AND SO ANY WAY THAT WE CAN PROVIDE, YOU KNOW, WE'RE NOT OUR NEIGHBORS TO THE NORTH.
WE ARE NOT, YOU KNOW, THE, THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT.
WE'RE THE CITY OF LONG BEACH, AND WE HAVE A, A ETHICS PROGRAM, AND IT RUNS, I WOULD SAY, PRETTY WELL.
UM, AND TO ALLOW THE PUBLIC TO UNDERSTAND AND KNOW THAT, UM, IS GOING TO CONTINUE TO BE A PRIORITY OF MINE.
AND SO I JUST WANNA FILL THAT OUT.
I MEAN, THAT'S, I WAS ASKING, UM, HEATHER ABOUT THAT EARLIER.
THAT THAT IS THE AREA WE'VE, WE'VE, WE'VE NOT REALLY MADE AN INITIATIVE TO COMMUNICATE WITH THE PUBLIC.
I MEAN, IT'S VERY IMPORTANT TO GET A CULTURE OF ETHICS WITHIN CITY GOVERNMENT.
AND, AND HEATHER'S DONE A LOT OF WORK ON THAT.
AND IT REALLY IS TO SOME EXTENT THE COMMISSION THAT CAN DO PUBLIC OUTREACH AND YEAH.
WITH THE ELECTION CYCLE ONLINE.
I, I THINK THAT I KNOW, YOU KNOW, A COUPLE MEETINGS WE'VE TALKED ABOUT ENGAGING THE PUBLIC MORE, AND MAYBE I'VE MADE SOME COMMENTS, BUT JUST TO REPEAT, MY THOUGHT PROCESS IS AS I LOOK AT CITY COUNCIL MEETINGS, AS I LOOK AT, YOU KNOW, I'M THE BOARD OF A NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATION, AND IF I THINK BACK TO MY AWARENESS OF THE ETHICS COMMISSION, BEFORE
IF THERE ISN'T A VERY EXTREMELY SPECIFIC ITEM SLASH TOPIC AT THE CITY COUNCIL LEVEL AT WHATEVER, AT MY NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATION LEVEL, NOBODY CARES.
I DON'T, I SHOULDN'T SAY NOBODY CARES, BUT NOBODY'S MOTIVATED, CARING WAS THE WRONG WORD.
UM, WE HAD, UM, FOR EXAMPLE, A NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATION.
WE HAD A BIG PUSH AGAINST ANTI-MAN IZATION, AND WE GOT A MORATORIUM PUT IN PLACE BY THE CITY COUNCIL FOR 18 MONTHS SO THAT PEOPLE COULDN'T GROW THEIR HOMES MORE THAN A CERTAIN AMOUNT UNTIL THERE WAS A WHOLE NEW ORDINANCES PUT IN, WHICH HAVE OF COURSE BEEN OVERWRITTEN BY THE STATE.
BUT BEFORE THAT, UM, THOSE, THAT MEETING HAD, YOU KNOW, 150 PEOPLE, WE COULDN'T GET 20 PEOPLE TO A MEETING TYPICALLY.
[02:30:01]
SO WHAT I'M ALSO THINKING BACK ABOUT IS WHEN LOBBYING CAME UP THAT BUBBLE ABOUT HERE, I WASN'T PERSONALLY PAYING ATTENTION MUCH TO THE ETHICS COMMISSION HAVE TO ADMIT.UM, BUT WHEN THE, WHEN THAT HIT THE SOCIAL MEDIA AIRWAVES ABOUT REGISTERING FOR LOBBYING BEING AT THE TIME THE PRESIDENT OF A NEIGHBORHOOD BOARD, UH, THAT FACT THAT WE WOULD HAVE TO BE REGISTERED LOBBYISTS AND, AND EVERYTHING ELSE SEEMED, UM, NOT TO OUR LIKING
SO WE WERE PAYING A LOT OF ATTENTION
SO, UH, AGAIN, IT IS SO SPECIFIC ISSUE RELATED OF WHAT WE DO, WHICH IS REALLY IMPORTANT, WHAT HEATHER'S TEAM DOES, WHICH HAS JUST BEEN AMAZING, ESPECIALLY AS YOU SEE IT FROM THE INSIDE.
UM, BUT, YOU KNOW, IF WE DON'T HAVE SOMETHING, I, I, I DON'T, I'M NOT SAYING WE SHOULDN'T WASTE OUR TIME EVEN TALKING ABOUT IT, BUT IF THERE ISN'T A REALLY SPECIFIC ISSUE, WE COULD SPEND A LOT OF TIME TALKING ABOUT SOMETHING THAT PEOPLE ARE NOT GONNA BE MOTIVATED TO PARTICIPATE IN.
SO THAT'S MY RANT AGAINST PUTTING TOO MUCH FOCUS ON PUBLIC.
UM, BUT THAT DOESN'T MEAN THAT IF THERE IS SOMETHING THAT'S FOR THE PUBLIC, WE OF COURSE THEN SHOULD REALLY PUSH HARD.
UM, THE OTHER THING IS, UM, YOU KNOW, THIS DOCUMENT'S JUST, ESPECIALLY FROM SOMEONE WHO WASN'T HERE FROM THE BEGINNING TO BE LOOKING AT THIS, UH, WHEN I LOOKED AT IT EVEN FROM BEFORE MY FIRST MEETING, UH, IN OCTOBER OF LAST YEAR, IT'S JUST SO MUCH.
UH, AND SO AWESOME THOUGH, UM, THAT, UM, WHEN YOU TALK ABOUT, YOU KNOW, THREE YEARS OR FIVE YEARS, UM, I GUESS I'M MORE ABOUT, UM, ACTIVITY, UM, GETTING THINGS 90% AND GETTING THINGS TO A HUNDRED PERCENT RATHER THAN SHOULD SOMETHING BE A THREE YEAR OR A FIVE YEAR.
IT JUST SEEMS TO ME THAT THE FOCUS MIGHT BE WITH END DATES IN MIND OR END YEARS IN MIND.
UM, AND THEN MAYBE, WELL, LET'S DO ANOTHER ONE AND WE'LL INCLUDE THE PIECES THAT WE DIDN'T GET DONE FOR THIS ONE.
BUT I'M NOT A BIG FAN OF JUST SAYING, OH, WE SHOULD BE THIS THREE YEARS OR THIS FIVE YEARS.
UM, THERE IS SOMETHING THAT ISN'T EXISTENCE THAT IS GONNA TAKE YEARS TO COMPLETE.
AND I, I PREFER ROLLING, I GUESS MAYBE 'CAUSE OF MY, MY PROFESSION, I ALWAYS PREFER JUST THINGS ROLLING.
I DON'T EVEN REALLY BELIEVE IN A FIVE YEAR PLAN, UH, OR FIVE YEAR BUDGETS.
I BELIEVE IN, YOU MIGHT BE LOOKING OUT FIVE YEARS, BUT NEXT YEAR YOU'RE STILL LOOKING OUT FIVE YEARS AND THEN YEAR AFTER THAT YOU'RE STILL LOOKING OUT FIVE YEARS, AND THEN YEAR AFTER THAT YOU'RE STILL LOOKING OUT FIVE YEARS.
SO MORE OF A ROLLING THAN, THAN THREE YEARS FROM NOW TYPE OF THING.
YOU KNOW WHAT, NO, I, I, I MEAN, I AGREED WITH YOU THAT YOU, YOU'RE ALWAYS LOOKING OUT FIVE YEARS, EVERY YEAR YOU'RE ADDING A YEAR, OR YOU'RE LOOKING OUT 10 YEARS, OR YOU'RE LOOKING, YOU KNOW, YOU'RE LOOKING AT WHAT IS THE IDEAL STATE THAT I WANNA GET TO, BUT THE ONLY WAY TO GET THERE IS TO TAKE THE FIRST STEP.
SO I FEEL LIKE, OKAY, WHAT ARE THOSE FIRST STEPS? WHAT SHOULD WE, WHAT DO WE WANNA SPEND OUR TIME ON NOW? RIGHT.
BUT THAT'S, IN MY MIND, THAT'S INDIVIDUAL PIECES.
AND YOU KEEP ADDING THOSE INDIVIDUAL PIECES, RIGHT? ABSOLUTELY.
THIS IS NOT A, THIS IS NOT A, UH, THIS IS NOT THE END OF THE, UH, THE END OF THE ROAD.
I, WHEN, WHEN WE'RE DONE WITH THIS, I DON'T DECLARE SUCCESS.
WE FINISHED THIS, BUT THERE'S A LOT OF OTHER STUFF THAT'S NEXT.
I, I GUESS THE WAY I'VE ALWAYS LOOKED AT THINGS FROM A, UM, COMPUTER TECHNOLOGY PROJECT MANAGEMENT PERSPECTIVE, IS THERE, THERE IS NO DOCUMENT SUCCESS.
SO, SO I WOULD NEVER BE CELEBRATING THIS BECAUSE THIS WOULD JUST BE DIFFERENT EVERY SINGLE YEAR.
I MEAN, IT WOULD STILL HAVE SOME OF THE SAME COMPONENTS, BUT THAT'S WHAT I MEAN IT TO ME.
I, I DON'T, I DON'T LIKE THAT IDEA OF, OF A SHORT TERM FINALITY.
IT'S JUST YOU'RE ALWAYS WORKING ON PIECES AND YOU'RE ALWAYS ADDING PIECES IN AS YOU COMPLETE OTHERS.
BUT YOU HAVE TO CELEBRATE OCCASIONALLY.
NO, I CELEBRATE LINE ITEMS. YEAH, YEAH.
I'M, BUT THIS IS NOT, THIS IS NOT THE END OF THE ROAD BY ANY MEANS.
UM, AND, UM, FOLLOWING ON, SO, YOU KNOW, CONTINUING THOUGH ON DISCUSSION OF PUBLIC, THERE ARE SOME SMALL THINGS WE COULD DO.
I MEAN, DO WE WANNA DO, ONE OF THE THINGS THAT, THAT WE WERE TALKING ABOUT EARLIER IS THAT YOU HAVE A CALENDAR OF THINGS FOR CITY EMPLOYEES, BUT NOT FOR MEDIA.
AND ARE THERE THINGS THAT WE WANT TO INVITE MEDIA ENGAGEMENT? CERTAINLY THE FAIR ACT IS
[02:35:01]
SOMETHING THAT OUGHT TO GENERATE SOME MEDIA ATTENTION, ALTHOUGH IT HASN'T REALLY YET.UM, GOING TO THE MEDIA, THE POST IS KIND OF REINVENTING ITSELF.
HAVING PARTNERED WITH LA UH, I FORGET THE, THE, THE, UM, NEWSPAPER.
BUT PART, THEY'RE REINVENTING THEMSELVES IN A WAY THAT FOCUSES MORE ON OUR CULTURE AND OUR COMMUNITY.
SO I THINK IF THERE IS AN OPPORTUNITY, IF THERE'S A TOPIC, UM, I THINK THEY WOULD BE WILLING TO COME.
MELISSA EVANS HAS BEEN REALLY GOOD ABOUT, YEAH.
UM, SHE HAS SEVERAL TEAMS. THEY, THEY'RE EVEN REACHING OUT TO THE YOUTH OF LONG BEACH BECAUSE THEY WANT EVERY ASPECT OF LONG BEACH REPORTED ON.
SO YEAH, I THINK WE'VE GOT A CONNECTION THERE.
I VAGUELY RECALL, UM, BEFORE JOINING THE COMMISSION, SEEING, I THOUGHT ON FACEBOOK VIDEOS VICE CHAIR AND CHAIR, IS THAT, AM I MAKING IT UP? DID, DID I SEE A VIDEO VIA, RIGHT, YEAH.
TALKING ABOUT THE ETHICS COMMISSION.
I'M WONDERING HOW DID THAT, UM, ATTRACT MORE PEOPLE TO COME TO THE COMMISSION MEETINGS? DID YOU SEE AN IMPACT FROM THE VIDEOS? I MEAN, I, I, I, OKAY.
I, I WAS WONDERING IF I WAS MAKING THAT THE VIDEO I DID, I THOUGHT WAS ON PEOPLE TO APPLY FOR JOBS WITH THE CITY.
YEAH, WE DID, WE DID ONE ON JUST WHAT THE ETHICS, WHAT WE DO.
UM, UH, IT DIDN'T GENERATE ANY, NO,
I, I WONDER THOUGH, IF JUST SEEING ALL THE DISCUSSIONS ONLINE, IF STRATEGICALLY, THAT CAN BE, UM, POSTED AGAIN AROUND HEATED TIMES, WHATEVER IT MAY BE.
UH, IT DOESN'T, IT'S NOT NECESSARILY ABOUT ELECTIONS, BUT WHEN YOU, WHEN WE KNOW THERE'S LIKE HOT TOPICS, I WONDER IF THAT'S SOMETHING THAT WE COULD POSE, KIND OF ANTICIPATING THAT THERE WOULD BE A LOT OF DISCUSSIONS ON THOSE ITEMS. SO RATHER THAN FIGHTING IT OUT ONLINE, THEY HAVE A FORUM THAT THEY MAY NOT KNOW ABOUT WHERE THEY COULD BRING THOSE ISSUES TO LIGHT.
AND THE, THE PSA WAS HEAVILY, YOU KNOW, POSTED IN A LOT OF PLACES, BUT MEDIA DIDN'T PICK IT UP.
MAYBE WE ALSO NEED TO COMBINE DOING A PSA WITH CONTACTING MEDIA.
I THINK THAT WOULD BE A GREAT IDEA.
AND AGAIN, UM, GIVEN THAT THE POST IS MAKING SOME CHANGES, UH, THAT MIGHT BE A GOOD AVENUE.
I ACTUALLY LIKE WHERE THE PATHWAY THAT YOU'RE GOING DOWN, UM, COMMISSIONER GILLETTE, THE HEATHER, IF I MAY PICK YOUR BRAIN, AND OBVIOUSLY ELECT ELECTION PROBABLY IS DONE NOW.
UM, BUT WOULD IT BE POSSIBLE IF WE JUST HAD A, YOU KNOW, 20 MINUTE DISCUSSION ON CAMPAIGN FINANCE? BUT IF WE SHORTENED THAT SOMEHOW TO TWO MINUTES AND DID, YOU KNOW, GOT IT DOESN'T HAVE TO BE, YOU KNOW, CHAIR, YOU KNOW, MY, OR YOU KNOW, IF I SHARE AIDEN'S FACE, BUT SOMEONE IN THE CITY TO SAY, HEY, YOU KNOW, THIS IS CAMPAIGN FINANCE, THIS IS THE HOTLINE YOU CAN CALL QUICK BLURB AND KIND OF GIVE IT THAT.
WHEN, WHEN WE KNOW THAT THERE'S GOING THE REGULAR KIND OF HOT STOVE ISSUES, KIND OF ANTICIPATE THAT AND SAY, OH, WE CAN DO LIKE A-O-E-T-P-S-A AROUND THIS SUBJECT PRIOR.
IS THAT SOMETHING THAT I KNOW THE CITY ATTORNEY, THE CITY MANAGER MIGHT NOT NECESSARILY WANT TO GET INVOLVED IN THE ELECTIONS, BUT JUST TO NOT GETTING INVOLVED, JUST LETTING THEM KNOW THESE ARE RESOURCES IF YOU HAVE QUESTIONS ABOUT CAMPAIGN FINANCE OR WHATEVER THE TOPIC IS.
AS LONG AS IT'S PITCHED IN THE RIGHT WAY.
UM, I FULLY SEE THEIR SUPPORT.
UM, WHAT COULD BE TRICKY, AND AGAIN, WE CAN JUMP THAT HURDLE, BUT, UM, LIKE GETTING INTO THE STUDIO AND, AND GETTING SOME OF LBT V'S TIME.
HOWEVER, THERE'S A LOT YOU CAN DO WITH AN IPHONE.
WHICH IS WHAT WE'RE STARTING TO DO IN THE OET.
[02:40:01]
YEAH, I'D HAVE TO CONFIRM WITH TI AND I THINK WE CAN, LIKE, IF WE MAKE OUR OWN LITTLE VIDEO SOMETHING THAT THEY, YOU KNOW, WE CAN POST IT SEVERAL PLACES, BUT I THINK THEY WOULD PICK IT UP AS WELL.SO YEAH, I THINK THAT THAT'S A GREAT IDEA.
UH, NOT A LOT OF ENERGY NEEDS TO GO INTO.
I MEAN, THAT CAN HAPPEN VERY QUICKLY.
COMMISSIONER JOEL, NOW THAT WE HAVE A NEW CHAIR AND VICE CHAIR, MAYBE GET SOME NEW FACES OUT THERE.
ANY OTHER THOUGHTS ON PRIORITIES FOR THE UPCOMING YEAR? YEAH.
UH, FOR ME, UM, ALTHOUGH I APPRECIATE THE PUBLIC SIDE OF IT, UM, I FEEL LIKE THERE'S ONLY TWO REASONS WHY WE'RE HERE.
AND I THINK THAT THE, THE PUBLIC RESPONSE THAT WE'VE ALL TALKED ABOUT IS GREAT, BUT THE OTHER HALF OF IT IS THE, UM, THE CITY STAFF, HOW THE CITY IS RUN.
I WAS SHOCKED, YOU KNOW, COMING INTO THIS AS THE PERSON WHO WAS AN ETHICS OFFICER FOR 30 YEARS, TO SEE THAT THERE WASN'T AN INSTITUTIONALIZED PROGRAM.
UM, AND I'M NOT, YOU DON'T NEED TO EVEN HAVE AN ETHICS OFFICER.
OF COURSE, THOSE THINGS HAVE EVOLVED.
THE PROFESSION HAS EVOLVED, ET CETERA.
BUT BASIC PROCEDURES, POLICIES, ET CETERA.
SO, UM, THE FAIR ACT WILL GO A LONG WAY ONCE THAT'S HIT OUT OF THE PARK ONE DAY.
BUT IN BETWEEN, IF YOU LOOK AT THOSE, WHEN YOU LOOK AT THE APATHY IN THE SCORES, YOU KNOW, THAT WOULD KEEP ME UP AT NIGHT.
AND I THINK THAT'S THE PART THAT TROUBLES ME.
YOU KNOW, THE, THE STAFF THAT SUPPORTS US, UH, THE PEOPLE WHEN YOU TALK TO THEM, THERE IS A GREAT DEAL OF CONCERN ABOUT CRONYISM, FAVORITISM, CONFLICT OF INTEREST, ET CETERA.
THESE ARE VERY BASIC THINGS, UM, TO, AND THAT ONLY IT'S GREAT THAT YOU COME UP WITH POLICIES AND PROCEDURES AROUND THIS.
AND WE, YOU KNOW, THE MORE DISCLOSURE, THE BETTER ALL THE THINGS ARE GONNA, YOU KNOW, SUNLIGHT'S THE BEST DISINFECTANT, ET CETERA.
BUT IT REALLY COMES DOWN TO LEADERSHIP.
AND UNTIL WE HAVE LEADERSHIP WHO ARE WILLING TO TALK ABOUT IT, AND, UM, AND THAT'S THE ELECTED.
AND YOU KNOW, IT'S GREAT THAT WE COME UP WITH THINGS AND THE COMMISSION GETS OUR FACES OUT THERE, BUT YOU REALLY NEED, UM, I WOULD HOPE TO THINK THAT THE ELECTED AND OUR CITY MANAGER'S OFFICE AND ALL THE LEADERSHIP, UH, THEY'RE THE PEOPLE WHO NEED TO TALK ABOUT THIS AND MAKE SURE IT'S INSTITUTIONALIZED.
UM, THAT'S THE, YOU KNOW, OTHERWISE, YOU KNOW, WE HAVE A, A SMALL STAFF KILLING THEMSELVES, MAKING US, YOU KNOW, LOOK GOOD.
AND IT IS GETTING THERE BECAUSE YOU, WE HAVE MADE GREAT STRIDES IN A VERY SHORT TIME.
UH, IT TAKES A VERY LONG TIME TO FIRST BUILD THE PROGRAM, LET ALONE TO GET IT, LET IT GET BETTER, AND THE NEXT ITERATIONS GET BETTER.
BUT WE'VE ONLY DONE ONE SURVEY.
YOU KNOW, WE, I DON'T EVEN KNOW IF WE'VE DONE BETTER.
YOU KNOW, TO, TO BE HONEST, I THINK THE OET IS GOING TO DO ANOTHER SURVEY.
SO WE'RE GONNA HAVE ANOTHER SURVEY PLUS, UM, I, I HAD THE OPPORTUNITY THIS WEEK TO READ THE MOST RECENT ETHICAL ELEPHANT.
I DON'T KNOW IF YOU'VE HAD A CHANCE TO LOOK AT IT YET.
UM, IT, I I AGREE A HUNDRED PERCENT.
IT WOULD BE GREAT IF LEADERSHIP, THOSE ARE THE, WAS READING SOMETHING LIKE THAT AND KEVIN WRIGHT RELEASED IT.
SO I SUSPECT HE ALREADY TALKS ABOUT ETHICS IN FINANCIAL MANAGEMENT.
UM, AND THEN I WAS VERY IMPRESSED WITH WHAT THEY DID TODAY.
YOU KNOW, WE GET THROUGH ANOTHER STATE OF THE CITY.
IS IT IN JANUARY? AND I DON'T HEAR ETHICS FROM THE MAYOR.
I'M NO LONGER, WELL, I GUESS I AM STILL NO, BUT THAT, THAT IS THE POINT.
YOU KNOW, MAYOR RICHARDSON PUT THE FAIR ACT ON THE AGENDA FOR THE CITY COUNCIL.
AND THAT IS A, A LEADERSHIP STEP.
AND, UM, I'D, I'D LIKE TO HEAR HIM NOW TALK ABOUT IT IN THE STATE OF THE CITY.
UM, AND I'D LIKE TO HEAR THE OTHER ELECTEDS TALKING ABOUT, UM, ETHICS IN THEIR OWN WORDS.
AND THAT'S VERY PUBLIC FACING.
THE OTHER HALF OF THE JOB, WHICH IS NOT WHAT I BELIEVE IS A LOT OF,
[02:45:01]
A LOT OF EMPLOYEES LISTEN TO THOSE MESSAGES FROM LEADERSHIP.BUT ONE HALF OF IT IS THE LEADERSHIP ESPOUSING AND WALKING THE TALK.
THE OTHER HALF IS INSTITUTIONALIZING IT.
SO THAT PLUG AND PLAY, REGARDLESS OF WHO IS IN LEADERSHIP, THERE'S A STANDARD, THERE'S A STANDARD AND THERE'S PRO PROTOCOLS AND PROCEDURES AROUND THE CITY, HOW THINGS OPERATE LONG AFTER THESE LADIES THAT DID THE BEAUTIFUL JOB ON THE, ON THE PROCUREMENT PROCESS AND EVERYTHING.
IT, IT HAS TO BE BEST PRACTICES IN EVERYTHING WE DO.
AND THAT'S WHERE I FEEL LIKE THAT'S OUR SECOND HALF OF OUR JOB.
AND I LOVE THE PUBLIC SIDE OF IT.
'CAUSE I THINK THAT'LL ALWAYS GET THAT.
AND IF THEY, THEY'LL, HEY, A POLITICIAN, IF THEY GOT A AN AUDIENCE, THEY'LL, THEY'LL DO WHAT THEY NEED TO DO.
BUT, UM, OUR PART OF THE JOB IS ALSO I THINK TO MAKE SURE THE CITY HAS AN INSTITUTIONALIZED PROGRAM AND, YOU KNOW, LOOK HOW LONG IT'S TAKEN LA TO GET THEIR ACT TOGETHER.
AND EVEN THEN IT'S WOBBLY LEGS, BUT YOU HAVE TO START SOMEWHERE.
AND I THINK, UM, WE'RE HELPING, UH, I THINK JORGE'S WORK ON THOSE ANTIQUATED ARS.
I FEEL LIKE THAT'S AN ACHIEVEMENT.
IF THAT'S SOMETHING THAT GETS DONE BEFORE I GET OFF OF THIS COMMISSION, IS THAT WE SCRUB OLD POLICY AND PROCEDURE TO BRING IT UP TO BEST PRACTICES LEVEL.
AND THERE'S LOTS OF GOOD STUFF.
EMPLOYEES ARE, ARE USUALLY BEGGING FOR GUIDANCE AND GOOD LEADERSHIP.
EVERYTHING WILL FALL IN, IN THAT PLACE.
BUT I THINK IT'S ONLY ONE HALF OF THE PIE.
AND, UM, THAT'S WHERE I KIND OF LIKE TO KEEP US GOING ON THE, UH, INSTITUTIONALIZED STUFF.
AND THE TRAINING KIND OF GOT DONE WAY AHEAD, THANKS TO YOUR GOOD WORK WAY AHEAD OF WHAT YOU WOULD EXPECT ON A NEW INFANT PROGRAM, I BELIEVE.
'CAUSE UM, YOU ALWAYS HAVE TO DO THE ANNUAL AND THAT GOOD STUFF, BUT, UH, YOU REALLY STEPPED AHEAD AND, AND THAT'S KIND OF COVERED.
COMMUNICATION AWARENESS CONTINUES.
BUT WE'RE STILL LACKING THAT INSTITUTIONALIZED STUFF.
AND I THINK THAT'S WHERE, WHERE WE NEED TO FOCUS.
SO IF THERE'S SOMETHING THAT WE CAN DO RELATIVE TO THAT, I THINK THE FAIR ACT IS GONNA BE THE BIG, I MEAN, UNTIL YOU, I MEAN IT WAS GREAT TO HAVE AN ETHICS HANDBOOK, BUT THAT IS NOT POLICY AND PROCEDURE.
RIGHT? SO YOU NEED TO HAVE SOMETHING THAT, UH, BUST THE LOG JAM AND THEN FROM THERE YOU CAN START GETTING INTO, YOU KNOW, PEOPLE WHO HAVE DUAL EMPLOYMENT AND OUTSIDE ACTIVITIES AND ALL THESE OTHER THINGS THAT KIND OF, UH, CREATE THAT TRANSPARENCY THAT YOU WANT.
SO LOOKING OPTIMISTICALLY THAT THE FAIR ACT WILL AP WILL BE APPROVED AND, UM, UH, MOVE FORWARD AT LEAST TO THE DRAFTING STAGE WITHIN THE NEXT CALENDAR YEAR.
UM, MESSAGING AROUND THE FAIR ACT WILL BE PRETTY IMPORTANT FOR BOTH THE COMMISSION ABSOLUTELY.
AND I'M, I'M, I'M, I KNOW I'M PREACHING TO THE CHOIR BY SAYING ALL THIS, BUT I DON'T WANT US TO LOSE SIGHT AT, UM, WHEN YOU LOOK AT THE SURVEY SCORES AND WHAT THEY SAID THAT THEY HAD LACK OF FAITH IN MANAGEMENT TAKING CORRECTIVE ACTION, THAT'S TROUBLING.
SO THAT MEANS THEY ALL ARE DOING THEIR JOB TO THE BEST OF THEIR ABILITY, BUT THEY'D LIKE TO HAVE A LITTLE BIT OF HELP AND ENFORCEMENT AND, YOU KNOW, TO, TO BELIEVE IT ALL WORKS.
THAT'S WHAT ALL ALL I THINK ALL OF US WANNA BELIEVE.
THAT'S, AND UM, AND I'M DONE
HAVE YOU BEEN AWARE OF THOSE OR WERE YOU INVITED TO ANY OF THOSE? I, I'M AWARE OF THEM.
UH, I WAS WONDER, SO AGAIN, I HAVEN'T BEEN IN ONE 'CAUSE I'VE LET OTHER BOARD MEMBERS GO.
BUT I'M WONDERING IF THAT IS SOMETHING WHEN YOU HAVE THE NEIGHBORHOOD LEADERS OF LONG BEACH AND YOU HAVE HUNDREDS OF PEOPLE THERE, IF THERE WAS SOME SHORT PERIOD OF TIME WHERE YOURSELF OR WHATEVER COULD, UH, DO A PRESENTATION TO THAT ROOM WITH HUNDRED, I MEAN, EFFECTIVELY, THESE ARE MOSTLY BOARD MEMBERS OF NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATIONS AND OTHER COMMUNITY ACTIVISTS THAT HAVE SOMEWHAT OF A FOLLOWING, OR AT LEAST THEY BELIEVE THEY DO
AND, UH, SO, UH, YOU KNOW, I'M WONDERING IF THAT'S SOME TYPE OF AN AVENUE THAT YOU GET SOMETHING LIKE THE FAIR ACT OUT THERE AND PEOPLE ARE THE, THE, THE, THE PLAIN AVERAGE CITIZENS COMPLAINING A LOT ABOUT HOW THE CITY'S UNETHICAL AND A BUNCH OF CLOWNS AND DON'T CARE ABOUT THE CITIZENS.
BUT THAT GROUPING OF PEOPLE ARE PEOPLE WHO, YOU KNOW, HAVE A LOT OF SWAY IN THE COMMUNITY.
AND IF YOU HAD 30 SECONDS TO TELL 'EM SOME OF THE THINGS THAT HAVE CHANGED AND HOW THE CITY IS MOVING THROUGH ITS POLICIES AND PROCEDURES OF, OF AROUND ETHICS AND TRANSPARENCY, THOSE ARE, I I CAN'T EVEN THINK OF ANOTHER PLACE
[02:50:01]
YEAH.WHERE THAT MIGHT GET IT OUT TO THE PUBLIC.
CAN YOU GET INVITED TO THAT? I'M SURE I CAN ASK, BUT YEAH, I'VE DONE A LOT OF, UM, SPECIFIC NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATION MEETINGS, BUT I LIKE THAT IDEA.
AND THIS IS LIKE THE, YOU KNOW, IT WOULD SAVE ME SOME TIME, YOU KNOW, SO IT'S, I HAVE TO REALLY, YOU KNOW, SAY REX IS ONE OF REX'S REALLY GOOD THINGS, IS I, IN MY OPINION, HAS REALLY HAS A BIG FOCUS ON NEIGHBORHOODS.
AND THAT MEETING THAT HE'S HAD EACH YEAR HAS BEEN THE FEEDBACK I GET FROM MY PEOPLE IS THAT JUST, IT'S AMAZING.
OTHER THOUGHTS? DO WE HAVE ANY PUBLIC COMMENT ON THIS ITEM? I, YES.
SO I'M ON
IF WE CAN GET YOU ON MIC, IF YOU COULD JUST, UH, REINTRODUCE YOURSELF, PLEASE.
MY NAME IS JIMMY CERVANTES AND I'M AN INTERN FOR THE OFFICE OF ETHICS AND TRANSPARENCY.
AND I JUST WANTED TO SAY THAT HAVING AN OFFICE OF ETHICS AND TRANSPARENCY IS AMAZING BECAUSE I AM A BORN AND RAISED ANGELENO, UH, FROM SOUTH CENTRAL.
AND, UH, RECENTLY THE CURRENT COUNCIL MEMBER NAMED, UH, CURRENT PRICE JUNIOR IS GOING TO COURT BECAUSE OF BAD DECISIONS THAT LACKED ETH ETHICS AND TRANSPARENCY.
AND BEING FROM THAT COMMUNITY HAS, IT HAS REALLY OPENED MY EYES TO WHAT GOES ON IN CITY COUNCIL OR GOVERNANCE.
AND BEING FROM THAT NEIGHBORHOOD, IT, IT MAKES ME FEEL DOUBT ABOUT WHERE I LIVE AND THE COMMUNITY.
AND I'M PRETTY SURE THERE'S OTHER PEOPLE WHO FEEL UNCERTAIN ABOUT WHAT GOES ON IN THE CITY.
SO I THINK I'M VERY JEALOUS THAT THE CITY OF LONG BEACH HAS AN OFFICE THAT IS DEDICATED TO TRANSPARENCY, BECAUSE I THINK IT SHOULDN'T, IT SHOULD NOT BE AN OPTION, BUT MORE OF A, SOMETHING THAT IS PRIORITIZED FOR THE PEOPLE.
BECAUSE AS STEWARDS OF, OF THE CITY, I FEEL THAT BEING TRANSPARENT AND SHOWING THE RECEIPTS OF WHERE FUNDINGS ARE GOING TO HELPS MAKE A STRONGER CONNECTION WITH THE COMMUNITY.
AND IT ALL REMOVES DOUBT OF, CAN WE TRUST OUR GOVERNMENT? CAN WE TRUST OUR CITY? AND ESPECIALLY IN HOW TODAY'S AGE, I FEEL PEOPLE ARE MORE DOUBTFUL ABOUT HOW CITY GOVERNMENTS IS, IS BEING CONDUCTED.
AND I THINK IT WAS A GREAT IDEA ABOUT, UH, MAKING VIDEOS AND MAYBE, UH, BRINGING MORE AWARENESS TO THE COMMUNITY ABOUT WHERE FUNDING IS GOING OR THE TRANSPARENCY OF LIKE, INSTEAD OF HA PEOPLE ASKING, IT'S BETTER TO LET THEM KNOW THE INFORMATION MORE CLEARLY.
AND I FEEL THAT THROUGH SOCIAL MEDIA WE COULD, UH, GET THAT GOING BECAUSE LIKE, I USUALLY GO TO SOCIAL MEDIA TO SEE MY NEWS SOMETIMES, AND I, AND I LEARN A LOT AND I FEEL THAT THAT'S A GREAT, UH, IDEA TO BE ABLE TO REACH A LOT OF PEOPLE, ESPECIALLY TO THE YOUTH.
I FEEL THERE'S A LOT OF UNCERTAINTY.
IF WE COULD TRUST OUR GOVERNANCE AND BY SHOWING RECEIPTS AND INFORMING PEOPLE ABOUT IT, I FEEL IT MAKES A CLEAR PICTURE OF HOW THINGS ARE GOING.
UM, SO MAYBE IF WE DO LOOK AT MAKING SOME VIDEOS, WE CAN DO IT ON, EXCUSE ME, THE AVAILABILITY OF ALL THE INFORMATION THAT IS PUBLICIZED IN LONG BEACH ON CAMPAIGN FINANCE FILINGS, LET PEOPLE KNOW WHERE THE, I MEAN THE, THE, THE FILINGS ACTUALLY TALK ABOUT WHERE THE MONEY GOES, RIGHT? YEP.
UM, AND COMMISSIONER J BENEDICTUS, I WON'T STEAL YOUR SHINE, JUST
UM, YOU KNOW, SOMETHING, YOU KNOW, I COULD IMAGINE OF, YOU KNOW, THIS IS HOW, THIS IS WHERE THE, YOU KNOW, HOW YOU CAN SIGN UP AND THIS IS WHY IT'S ETHICAL AND, YOU KNOW, JUST SOMETHING SHORT THAT GETS THEIR MIND, YOU KNOW, MIND OR EVEN THE DIVIDE BY, UH, NINE PRESENTATION, RIGHT? WHEN THE,
[02:55:01]
WHEN DECEMBER 15TH, EVERYONE GETS SETTLED IN.WE HAVE NEW ELECTED OFFICIALS.
WHAT DOES THAT MEAN FOR THE DIVIDE BY NINE? WHAT CAN THEY DO WITH THE CASH, YOU KNOW, ET WHAT, WHAT CAN'T THEY DO? QUICK TWO MINUTES.
YOU KNOW, YOU SEE 'EM ON SOCIAL MEDIA ALL THE TIME OF SOMEONE WITH THE PHONE H IN THE AIR, YOU KNOW, DOING SOMETHING.
I, YOU KNOW, I, YEAH, I THINK, AND YOU KNOW, MAYBE, UH, MAYBE THIS WOULD BE OF INTEREST OR NOT, BUT I NOTICED AT THE VIDEOS I SAW OF THE, UM, INAUGURAL EVENT AT THE AMPHITHEATER, THEY HAD A PICTURE OR A, A REPLICA OF THE VIP RECORD SIGN MM-HMM
AND I MEAN, THAT IS AN ICON FOR LONG BEACH.
AND IT WAS REALLY INTERESTING TO READ THE DOCUMENTS ABOUT THE RESTORATION OF THE SIGN AND, YOU KNOW, IT WOULD BE A WAY TO TALK ABOUT THE PROCUREMENT PROCESS ON SOMETHING REAL THAT'S HAPPENING.
OTHER, I THINK, UH, THIS IS GOOD TO KEEP IN MIND AS WE ARE APPROACHING THE 28 OLYMPICS.
THAT WILL LIKELY DRAW A LOT OF QUESTIONS.
UH, I, I APOLOGIZE I MISSED THE WHOLE PROCUREMENT PRESENTATION,
SO I IMAGINE OUR RESIDENTS HERE IN LONG BEACH WILL HAVE QUESTIONS AS TO HOW THEY CAN ALSO GET INVOLVED.
SO JUST ANOTHER TOPIC TO PLUG OUT THERE.
HAS THE LA OLYMPICS RELEASED THEIR ETHICS, UM, PROGRAM YET? UM, NOT THAT I, IT'S NOT SPECIFIC TO, YEAH.
I USUALLY HAVE A GLOBAL OFFICER.
IT, THEY, IT'S REFERENCED IN THE DOCUMENTS, BUT IT WASN'T AVAILABLE YET WHEN WE SAW, YOU KNOW, I THINK JUST ON THAT SAME LIGHT, YOU KNOW, HEATHER, I THINK IT WOULD BE CRITICALLY IMPORTANT SOCIAL MEDIA WISE FOR IT TO BE PLAIN HOW A MAYOR, COUNCIL MEMBER, CITY PROSECUTOR, DIRECTOR OF PUBLIC WORKS, WHATEVER, GETS TICKETS, SHOWS UP IN AN EVENT.
UM, IF THE RULE IS A CERTAIN THING AND THE RULE DOESN'T ACCOUNT FOR THE DIRECTOR OF PUBLIC WORKS BEING AT THE VOLLEYBALL TOURNAMENT, DID THE DIRECTOR OF PUBLIC WORKS, YOU KNOW, PAY $1,400 FOR THAT TICKET? OR DID THEY JUST SOMEHOW, YOU KNOW, WELL I GOT A KEY TO THE GATE, I'M IN
BECAUSE I THINK THAT'S GOING TO BE IN A LOT OF POSTS HOW CITY OFFICIALS ATTEND EVENTS.
ARE THEY PART OF AN OFFICIAL INVITE BECAUSE THEY'RE GIVING A SPEECH? OR DID THEY JUST SOMEHOW END UP IN THE THIRD ROW DEAD CENTER OF VOLLEYBALL AND THERE'S NO TRACING BACK TO WHO PAID FOR THAT TICKET?
SO I, I THINK THAT'S SOMETHING THAT, UM, WOULD BE IMPORTANT TO GET AHEAD OF.
YEAH, I DO TOO, BECAUSE NOBODY'S GETTING FREE TICKETS, UNFORTUNATELY.
SO I THINK IT'S A GOOD IDEA TO HIGHLIGHT THAT.
SO NO ONE'S GETTING A FREE TICKET, WHICH IS GREAT, AND, BUT IF, IF FIRST DISTRICT CITY COUNCIL MEMBER IS SITTING RIGHT THERE MM-HMM
IS THAT BECAUSE HE OR SHE WAS INVITED TO GIVE A SPEECH FIVE MINUTES BEFORE THE EVENT? THAT'S FAIR.
BUT THAT SHOULD BE TRANSPARENT
SO ON THAT, IT WOULD TIE IN TO THEIR FORM 700 REPORTING.
BECAUSE THEY WOULD HAVE TO DECLARE GIFTS IF THEY CHOOSE NOT TO PAY FOR IT THEMSELVES.
BUT, BUT EVEN IF THEY DECLARE IT, IT COULD BE UNLAWFUL OR UNETHICAL TO EVEN ACCEPT IT.
BUT IT'S ALSO MORE OF A REACTIVE DOCUMENT THAN A PROACTIVE DOCUMENT.
BUT YOU KNOW, YOU CAN, YOU KNOW, RECEIVE THE BENEFIT AND THEN BALLOT IF YOU RECEIVED IT IN AUGUST AND THEN IT, YEAH.
I CAN
UH, I DON'T KNOW THE PRO, I GUESS I'LL GET WITH YOU AND, AND THE TWO OF US CAN COME UP WITH SOMETHING SO THAT WE CAN
[03:00:01]
DOCUMENT WHAT THE THOUGHTS WERE ABOUT THINGS WE SHOULD WORK ON.'CAUSE I, I DON'T THINK I CAN SEND SOMETHING OUT TO EVERYBODY.
AND JIMMY AND FRANKIE CAN WORK ON SOMETHING TOO.
UM, DO WE TAKE A VOTE TO END A STUDY SESSION? PHILLIP? WE HAD A MOTION.
SO WE'RE GONNA JUST RECEIVE THE INFORMATION.
UH, COMMISSIONER GILLETTE? YES.
UM, DO WE HAVE ANY PUBLIC COMMENT ON A NON AGENDA
[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.]
ITEM? ANNOUNCEMENTS?[ANNOUNCEMENTS]
UM, WE RECEIVED WITH OUR MATERIAL A COMPLAINT, AN ANONYMOUS COMPLAINT.UH, HEATHER HAD, I DON'T KNOW IF THAT COMPLAINT WAS ALSO SENT TO, UM, YEAH, IT WAS OFFICIALLY SENT TO YOUR OFFICE AS WELL.
SO RIGHT NOW IT'S WITH THE CITY ATTORNEY'S OFFICE.
SO IT WILL BE REVIEWED AND, AND AS APPROPRIATE INVESTIGATED.
AND THEN MILLICENT HAS, THAT'S WHAT SHE WAS GOING TO SHARE IF THAT QUESTION CAME UP.
AND SHE'LL REPORT, SHE HAD TO GET TO ANOTHER COMMISSION MEETING.
SHE'LL REPORT BACK TO US, YES.
BUT YES, SHE'LL REPORT BACK TO US.
ANY OTHER ANNOUNCEMENTS? I MOVE TO ADJOURN.
[ADJOURNMENT]
OKAY.