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[Special Called Ethics Advisory Commission on January 23, 2024. ]
O WELCOME TO TODAY'S ETHICS ADVISORY COMMITTEE MEETING.UH, IT IS 9 35 ON TUESDAY, JANUARY 23RD.
THOMAS PERKINS, PRESIDENT PRESENT.
WE HAVE A QUORUM PRESENT AND THE MEETING IS NOW CALLED TO ORDER.
ARE THERE OTHERS PRESENT AT TODAY'S MEETING? PLEASE INTRODUCE THEMSELVES STARTING WITH THE CITY, CITY SECRETARY'S OFFICE.
ME, SLAVIN MARTINEZ, DONNA BROWN, UH, CITY ATTORNEY'S OFFICE.
WE WILL NOW PROCEED TO THE MEETING.
ARE THERE ANY PUBLIC SPEAKERS? MADAM? CITY SECRETARY.
WE DO NOT HAVE ANY PUBLIC SPEAKERS.
THERE ARE NO REGISTER, NO SPEAKERS REGISTERED TO ADDRESS THE COMMISSION THIS MORNING.
FIRST WE START WITH THE APPROVAL OF MINUTES OF THE OCTOBER 17TH ETHICS ADVISORY COMMISSION.
YOU ALL HAD A CHANCE TO REVIEW THOSE? IF SO, IS THERE A MOTION PLEASE? SO MOVED.
IS THERE ANY DISCUSSION, UH, HAVING NO DISCUSSION? UH, IS THERE, UH, A MOTION? I MEAN, THERE IS A MOTION.
ALL THOSE IN FAVOR SIGNIFY BY SAYING AYE.
WE WILL INSTEAD OF PROCEEDING TO REVIEW THE ETHICS ADVISORY COMMISSION, UH, ANNUAL REPORT, UH, WE HAVE A GUEST, UH, THIS MORNING.
UH, WE HAVE A SPECIAL ITEM THAT WE'RE GOING TO BE DISCUSSING, UH, AND HEARING NO OBJECTION.
I'D LIKE TO SEE IF WE COULD PROCEED TO ITEM NUMBER.
IS THIS SIX, UH, CONSIDERATION OF THE ACCEPTANCE OF THE DIVISION OF INSPECTOR GENERAL? NO, I'M, I'M SORRY.
UH, A BRIEFING ON PROPOSED RECOMMENDATION THAT THE CHARTER REVIEW COMMISSION INCLUDE IN ITS FINAL REPORT TO THE CITY COUNCIL.
UH, THE FOLLOWING TO AMEND THE CITY CHARTER TO INCLUDE THE APPOINTMENT OF AND POWERS AND DUTIES OF THE INSPECTOR GENERAL.
THE ATTORNEY, THE CITY ATTORNEY'S OFFICE WILL BRIEF THE COMMISSION ON THIS ITEM.
THANK YOU, UH, CHAIRMAN PERKINS AND, AND ALL OF YOU.
THANK YOU FOR ALLOWING ME TO INTERRUPT THE MEETING, UH, SCHEDULE AND ALLOWING ME TO, UH, TO MOVE UP ON THE CALENDAR.
AND ALSO, LET ME APOLOGIZE FOR BEING A BIT UNDERDRESSED AS PART OF THE REASON THAT I'M, UM, ASKED TO MOVE UP ON THE CALENDAR IS I HAVE TO CATCH A PLANE.
SO, UM, I COME BEFORE YOU TODAY, UH, UH, WITH, UM, UH, FROM THE ETHICS ADVISORY, UH, EXCUSE ME.
YOU ALL ARE THE ETHICS ADVISORY COMMISSION.
FROM MY POSITION AS THE CHAIR OF THE ETHICS REFORM TASK FORCE, UH, WITH A REQUEST, UH, THAT THE ETHICS ADVISORY COMMITTEE CONSIDER JOINING THE ETHICS REFORM TASK FORCE IN A PROPOSED AMENDMENT THAT HAS BEEN FILED WITH THE CHARTER REVIEW COMMISSION, UH, THAT ADDRESSES ESTABLISHING THE OFFICE OF THE INSPECTOR GENERAL AS AN INDEPENDENT DIVISION OF THE CITY OF DALLAS, SIMILAR
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TO THE CITY SECRETARY, THE CITY MANAGER, THE CITY AUDITOR, AND THE CITY ATTORNEY'S OFFICE.A A A SEPARATE DIVISION, UM, WAS WHAT WAS CONTEMPLATED BY THE ETHICS REFORM TASK FORCE WHEN THEY MADE THEIR RECOMMENDATION TO THE, UM, UH, TO THE COUNCIL, UH, REGARDING THE ESTABLISHMENT OF THE OFFICE OF THE INSPECTOR GENERAL.
UH, IT, IT WAS DONE THAT WAY PRIMARILY, UH, TO FOLLOW WHAT WE BELIEVE WERE THE BEST PRACTICES BEING ADOPTED BY OTHER CITIES FOR REASONS THAT WE LOOKED, AGAIN AT THOSE PEER CITIES AND WHAT THEIR STRUCTURES WERE, AND PERHAPS MOST IMPORTANTLY.
SO THERE, IT, IT PROVIDES THE, UH, THE INTENDED INDEPENDENCE OF THE OFFICE OF THE INSPECTOR GENERAL.
IT PROVIDES, UH, THE INDEPENDENCE TO INVESTIGATE FRAUD, WASTE ABUSE, UH, AS WELL AS ETHICS VIOLATIONS.
UH, IT PROVIDES THE OPPORTUNITY TO AVOID CONFLICTS OF INTEREST, UH, WHEN, WHEN, UH, THE OFFICE OF THE INSPECTOR GENERAL IS INDEPENDENT RATHER THAN BEING SUBJECT TO THE SUPERVISION OF ANOTHER DIVISION LIKE THE, LIKE IT IS NOW, UH, UNDER THE CITY ATTORNEY'S OFFICE.
UH, WE ALSO BELIEVE, AS YOU'LL SEE IN OUR, AND I THINK YOU'VE SEEN IN OUR ORIGINAL, UH, REPORT THAT, THAT WE BELIEVE THAT IT INSTILLED CONFIDENCE IN THE PUBLIC THAT YOU HAD THE INSPECTOR GENERAL TOTALLY, TOTALLY INDEPENDENT OF, OF, OF ANY INFLUENCE.
UM, AS WE STARTED TO WORK WITH THE CITY ATTORNEY'S OFFICE IN ADOPTING THE, UH, THE PROPOSALS TO THE CITY COUNCIL FOR, UH, ON ETHICS REFORM, WE REALIZED THAT WE COULD NOT, UM, WE, WE COULD NOT CREATE A SEPARATE DIVISION OF THE CITY OF DALLAS WITHOUT AN AMENDMENT TO THE CITY CHARTER AND CITY CHARTER AMENDMENT.
WE MADE THESE PROPOSALS IN 2021, UH, AND, AND THEY WERE ADOPTED IN 2021, EFFECTIVE IN 2022, AND THERE WAS NOT GOING TO BE A CITY CHARTER AMENDMENT UNTIL 2024.
AND SO CONSEQUENTLY, THE ADVICE WAS THAT, AND, AND WE FOLLOWED, LET'S SIMPLY WAIT.
LET, LET'S CREATE THE OFFICE OF INSPECTOR GENERAL AS A DIVISION OF THE, UH, CITY ATTORNEY'S OFFICE TO START.
AND, UM, AND THEN WHEN THE TIME COMES FOR CHARTER REVIEW, THEN THE ETHICS, UH, REFORM TASK FORCE CAN MAKE A PROPOSAL AT THAT TIME.
OF COURSE, THAT PROPOSAL WOULD BE SUBJECT TO THE, THE, UM, UH, APPROVAL AND RECOMMENDATION OF THE CHARTER REVIEW COMMISSION, AND THEN ULTIMATELY THE APPROVAL OF THE, UM, THE APPROVAL OF THE, UH, UH, THE CITY COUNCIL, BUT INTENDED AT THAT TIME THAT WE, UM, MAKE THE AMENDMENT THAT WE FILED, UH, ON, ON JANUARY 18TH, THE PROPOSAL TO CREATE THE INDEPENDENT, UH, DIVISION, WHICH WE HAVE DONE.
UH, WE COME TO YOU TODAY TO, UM, ASK FOR THE SUPPORT OF THE ETHICS ADVISORY COMMISSION.
UH, WE'VE DONE THIS, WE, WE'VE DONE, UM, AND WE'LL CONTINUE TO DO THE SAME THING WITH THE, UH, CITY COUNCIL AD HOC TASK FORCE ON GENERAL INVESTIGATIONS AND ETHICS TO ASK THAT THEY SUPPORT THIS AS WELL, SO THAT WHEN WE DO APPEAR LIKELY SOMETIME NEXT MONTH BEFORE THE, UM, CHARTER, UH, REVIEW COMMISSION, THAT WE WILL LOOK LIKE WE'RE A UNIFIED BODY, THAT EVERYBODY WHO IS INFLUENCING THIS, UH, HAS, HAS PROVIDED, PROVIDED THEIR SUPPORT.
NOW, I, I, AGAIN, I, I GUESS I WOULD JUST END BY SAYING THE, THE, THE INTENT OF THE, UH, ETHICS, UM, REVIEW TASK FORCE AT THE TIME IN CREATING THE OFFICE OF INSPECTOR GENERAL WAS TO, UM, MAXIMIZE THAT INDEPENDENCE, TO ELIMINATE CONFLICTS OF INTEREST IN ANY OF THE OPERATIONS PROGRAMS OR POLICIES OR PROCEDURES OVER WHICH THE OFFICE OF INSPECTOR GENERAL HAS AUTHORITY.
AND, AND THEN TO, UH, ALSO AVOID ANY UNDUE IN, UH, INTERFERENCE IN INVESTIGATING CASES THAT MIGHT HAPPEN, UH, WITHOUT THAT INDEPENDENCE.
UM, AND ALLOWING THE INSPECTOR GENERAL TO FULLY EXERCISE ITS JURISDICTION, UM, AND ENSURES THE CONFIDENTIALITY IN, IN, IN THEIR WORK.
AND THAT AGAIN, I THINK, UH, IMPORTANTLY THAT IT, THE INDEPENDENCE CREATES BOTH A REAL AND A PERCEIVED, UH, UH, SET LEVEL OF CONFIDENCE WITH THE PUBLIC AS WELL AS A DETERRENT FOR THOSE THAT ARE SUBJECT TO, UH, THE, THE, UH, UH, IN ANY INVESTIGATIONS THAT THE INSPECTOR GENERAL WOULD WOULD CONDUCT.
SO, SO WITH THAT, MR. CHAIRMAN, I, I, I, I WOULD WOULD SIMPLY ASK THAT THE, THE ETHICS ADVISORY COMMISSION CONSIDER SUPPORTING AND, AND JOINING US.
THERE'S NOTHING MORE THAN I WOULD
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BE PLEASED TO DO THAN TO REPORT TO THE, UH, CHARTER REVIEW TASK FORCE THAT THE ETHICS, UH, ADVISORY COMMISSION WOULD, WOULD LIKE TO SUPPORT THE ETHICS REFORM TASK FORCE IN THIS PROPOSAL.UH, BUT LET ME OPEN IT, OR LET ME, LET ME FINISH MY REPORT AND TURN IT BACK OVER TO YOU.
MR. POWERS, ARE THERE ANY QUESTIONS FOR MR. POWERS THAT BY THE COMMISSION MEMBERS AT THIS POINT? I, I DO HAVE ONE QUESTION.
MR. POWERS, IS THE RECOMMENDATION REALLY THAT SIMPLE JUST TO MAKE IT AN INDEPENDENT BODY SEPARATE FROM THE CITY ATTORNEY'S OFFICE, OR DOES IT GET INTO ANY MORE DETAIL ABOUT STRUCTURE, STAFFING, RESPONSIBILITIES, THAT SORT OF THING? THE, THE, THE RECOMMENDATION IS, UM, IS SIMPLE.
UM, AND I, AND I BELIEVE YOU ALL HAVE SEEN IT, UH, THERE'LL BE A MUCH MORE DETAILED, UM, PROCESS THAT WE WOULD HAVE TO GO THROUGH.
WE WOULD'VE TO WORK WITH THE CITY ATTORNEY'S OFFICE IN CREATING THE ORDINANCE THAT WOULD CREATE IT, THE AMENDMENT THAT WOULD CREATE IT.
I DON'T KNOW THAT IT WOULD CHANGE THE STAFFING AT ALL.
WE'VE GOT THE INSPECTOR GENERAL WITH US HERE TODAY.
UH, IT, IT WOULD, I THINK IT WOULD JUST SIMPLY MOVE THE CURRENT GROUP, UH, IN, IN INTO THEIR OWN DIVISION.
I, I'M, I'M CONFIDENT IT WILL CREATE MORE COMPLEXITIES THAN WE, THAN WE RECOGNIZE RIGHT NOW THAN SIMPLY, OH MY GOSH, WE'RE JUST, WE'RE JUST GONNA DO THIS.
UH, AS, AS YOU ALL HAVE SEEN IN THE PROPOSAL, IT'S ONLY ABOUT A PAGE AND A QUARTER.
UH, BUT, BUT THE CONCEPT IS THE CREATION OF THE INDEPENDENCE, AND THEN WE WOULD HAVE TO WORK WITH, UH, WITH THE CITY ATTORNEY'S OFFICE IN, IN, IN ESTABLISHING THAT.
ANY OTHER QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS? I JUST AM CURIOUS, AS AN INDEPENDENT UNIT WHO WOULD POLICE THE ETHICS POLICE, UH, UM, AS IT WAS ORIGINALLY RECOMMENDED.
YOU ARE, YOU ARE HIRED, UM, AND, UM, YOU ARE HIRED BY THE CITY COUNCIL, AND YOU, UM, ARE, YOU'RE, YOU'RE ENGAGED, BUT TO MAINTAIN THAT INDEPENDENCE, YOU, YOU COULD ONLY BE FIRED FOR CAUSE.
AND SO THERE, THERE IS A POLICING, AND THE POLICING WOULD BE DONE BY THE CITY COUNCIL ITSELF.
UM, AND, AND NOT BY THE CITY MANAGER OR, OR THE CITY ATTORNEY OR ANYBODY ELSE THAT WOULD BE ASSOCIATED WITH THAT, BUT LIKE ANY OFFICE OF INSPECTOR GENERAL, UH, AT SORT OF ANY LEVEL, THEY, THEY HAVE THEIR OWN LEVEL OF INDEPENDENCE SO THAT THEY ARE FREE TO CONDUCT THE TYPE OF INVESTIGATIONS THAT THE PUBLIC WOULD INSPECT, UH, EXPECT.
ARE THERE ANY OTHER QUESTIONS OR CONCERNS FOR MR. POWERS? MR. POWERS ONE, ONE QUESTION.
UH, IS THIS AN EXAMPLE OF WHAT OTHER PEER CITY, UH, DALLAS PEER CITIES HAVE DONE IN TERMS OF HAVING INDEPENDENT OFFICES OF INSPECTOR JIM? Y YES, IT IS MO MOST OF THE PEER CITIES THAT WE LOOKED AT, UM, THAT HAVE RECENTLY ESTABLISHED THEIR OFFICES, ATLANTA, BALTIMORE, NEW YORK, PHILADELPHIA, UM, ARE ALL CITIES THAT, THAT FOLLOW THIS STRUCTURE.
AND THAT, OBVIOUSLY WE COULD LOOK TO MODEL, LOOK AT THEIR EXAMPLES, BUT, YOU KNOW, MAKE, MAKE IT WORK FOR WHAT, WHAT FITS DALLAS, UH, THE CITY OF HOUSTON, UM, WHERE WE, WHERE WE GOT THE IDEA TO PUT THE OFFICE OF INSPECTOR GENERAL IN THE, UM, UH, IN THE CITY ATTORNEY'S OFFICE.
THE, THE CITY OF HOUSTON STILL DOES OPERATE IT THAT WAY, BUT HAVING HAD DISCUSSIONS WITH THE, UM, THE INSPECTOR GENERAL'S OFFICE IN HOUSTON WHEN WE WERE, UH, A TASK FORCE WORKING ON THAT, THEY, THEY MENTIONED THE DIFFICULTIES THAT THEY HAVE SOMETIMES WITH RESPECT TO BOTH OVERSIGHT AND, AND, AND JURISDICTION AND, AND INDEPENDENCE.
ANY OTHER QUESTIONS OR CONCERNS? YES, SIR.
MR. UH, MR. RUBIN, SORRY, EXCUSE ME.
NO, I WAS, UH, RECOGNIZING YOU.
UH, CAN YOU IDENTIFY ANY, UH, ISSUES THAT THESE PITIES HAVE HAD, UH, WITH THE, UH, INDEPENDENCE OF THE INSPECTOR GENERAL'S OFFICE? IF, IF, IF WE TALK SPECIFICALLY ABOUT THE, UM, CITY ATTORNEY IN HOUSTON AND NOT HAVING THE INDEPENDENCE, AND THAT'S THE ONLY EXAMPLE THAT I CAN GIVE YOU AND, UH, IS, IS, IS
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ONE THAT THAT PRIMARILY RELATES TO A, A CONFLICT OF INTEREST THAT YOU WOULD HAVE, THAT THE CITY ATTORNEY, UH, IS ADVISING AS, AS LEGAL ADVISOR, UH, UM, COUNCIL MEMBERS, UH, THE MAYOR, UH, CITY EMPLOYEES, OTHER CITY STAFF, THAT, UM, UH, IF THE INSPECTOR GENERAL IS, IS TO, UM, HAVE AN INVESTIGATION OF, OF, OF THOSE EFFORTS, THEN THE INSPECTOR GENERAL REPORTING, AGAIN TO THE CITY ATTORNEY HAS AN INDIRECT TO DIRECT CONFLICT OF INTEREST IN THAT REGARD THAT THE CITY ATTORNEY'S OFFICE COULD BE ADVISING IN ONE WAY WHILE THE INSPECTOR GENERAL IS GOING IN ANOTHER WAY, BUT PERHAPS THE MORE DRAMATIC WHERE WAY FOR A CONFLICT OF INTEREST TO, TO EXIST.MR. RUBIN WOULD BE THE CIRCUMSTANCE WHERE THE CITY ATTORNEY WOULD, WOULD TRY TO INFLUENCE THE, UH, INSPECTOR GENERAL IN CONDUCTING THE INVESTIGATION OR NOT CONDUCTING THE INVESTIGATION, UH, BASED ON CERTAIN OTHER CIRCUMSTANCES THAT ARE GOING ON.
UM, AND AGAIN, THAT COULD BE AN ACTUAL CONFLICT THAT HAPPENS.
IT COULD BE AN EVENT THAT NEVER HAPPENS, BUT FROM A PUBLIC PERCEPTION, UH, AS WELL AS A PUBLIC LEVEL OF CONFIDENCE, I TH I THINK THAT THAT LEVEL OF CONFLICT OF INTEREST IS ONE THAT PERHAPS ARISES MOST WHERE THERE ARE COMPETING INTERESTS THAT, THAT ARISE.
ANY OTHER QUESTIONS, UH, FOR MR. POWERS? NO HEARING NONE,
ALRIGHT, WE'RE GONNA PROCEED TO ITEM NUMBER SEVEN.
THAT IS THE CONSIDERATION OF THE EAC RECOMMENDATION, UH, TO AMEND THE CITY CHARTER TO INCLUDE THE APPOINTMENT OF, AND THE POWERS AND DUTIES OF THE INSPECTOR GENERAL.
UH, THE, THE CITY ATTORNEY'S OFFICE HAS NO BRIEFING.
UH, SO AT THIS POINT, THE CHAIR WILL ENTERTAIN A, A MOTION, UH, ON THE ITEM.
AND SO, MOVE, IS THERE A SECOND? SECOND.
THE ITEM HAS BEEN MOVED AND SECONDED.
ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION? ALL THOSE IN FAVOR PLEASE SIGNIFY BY SAYING AYE.
VOTE IS UNANIMOUS AND THE RECOMMENDATION WILL THEN PROCEED TO THE, UH, CITY COUNCIL ALONG WITH YOUR RECOMMENDATION.
I MEAN, THE CHARTER ONCE WE GET THROUGH THE CHARTER REVIEW COMMISSION YES.
UH, AND, AND I THINK OUR WORK HERE IS DONE WITH RESPECT TO THIS ITEM.
IS THAT CORRECT, MR. POWERS? YES.
THANK, THANK YOU SO MUCH, AND WE'RE GRATEFUL FOR THAT AND, AND GRATEFUL FOR ALL THE, THE SUPPORT THAT WE HAVE, UH, FROM THE ETHICS ADVISORY COMMISSION.
ALRIGHT, THANK YOU ALSO VERY MUCH.
ALRIGHT, WELL THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
THANK, AND THANK YOU AGAIN FOR ALLOWING ME TO INTERRUPT THE, UH, THE CALENDAR.
LET'S SEE, WHENEVER WE NUMBER THREE, WE ARE ON ITEM NUMBER THREE, REVIEW AND APPROVAL OF THE ETHICS ADVISORY COMMISSION ANNUAL REPORT.
AND WHO MAKES SENSE? WHO MAKES SENSE? UM, JUST ASK FOR A MOTION, UH, ASKING EVERYONE ANY, ANY COMMENTS WITH RESPECT TO THE APPROVAL OF THE ANNUAL REPORT BY MEMBERS OF THE COMMISSION.
WHAT ARE THE HIGHLIGHTED PORTIONS?
THOSE WERE, UM, DURING THE PROCESS OF EVALUATION, WE WILL MAKE SURE TO STRIKE THROUGH AND MAKE NOT STRIKE THROUGH, BUT JUST REMOVE THE HIGHLIGHTS.
ARE THERE ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? UH, IS THERE A MOTION TO APPROVE? SO MOVED.
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BEEN MOVED AND SECONDED.UH, WE'RE HAVING NO FURTHER DISCUSSION.
ALL THOSE IN FAVOR PLEASE SIGNIFY BY SAYING AYE.
MS. COMMISSION MEMBERS, I THINK WE GO TO ITEM FOUR, RIGHT? UH, A BRIEFING, A DIVISION OF THE INSPECTOR GENERAL QUARTERLY REPORT.
UH, WE WILL TURN THE MATTER OVER TO THE INSPECTOR GENERAL, MR. INSPECTOR GENERAL.
UH, AS A SUMMARY OF THE ACTIVITIES THAT WE'VE COMPLETED OVER THE FIRST QUARTER OF FISCAL 24, I ATTENDED THE ASSOCIATION OF INSPECTORS GENERAL NATIONAL CONFERENCE IN NEW YORK CITY IN THE FIRST WEEK OF OCTOBER.
AS FAR AS ROAD SHOWS ARE CONCERNED, UH, WE HAD FIVE ROAD SHOWS IN OCTOBER AND ONE IN NOVEMBER.
WE HAD TRAINING SPONSORED BY THE ASSOCIATION OF INSPECTORS GENERAL, WHERE MOST OF THE MEMBERS OF OUR DIVISION, UH, RECEIVED FINANCIAL DOCUMENT TRAINING.
WE CONDUCTED AN ETHICS TRAINING FOR THE BOARD OF ADJUSTMENT HERE AT THE HORSESHOE, AND OUR CHIEF INTEGRITY OFFICER, BARON ELIASON DID THAT.
WE ALSO HAVE A NEW GAME THAT WE'RE PLAYING WITH CITY EMPLOYEES.
IT'S A WEEKLY CITYWIDE ONLINE ETHICS QUIZ THAT GOES OUT IN, UH, IN THE FORM OF A MYSTERY GAME.
AND OVER THE FIRST QUARTER, IT'S BEEN PLAYED 3,578 TIMES BY 815 PLAYERS.
SO WE'RE GETTING SOME ENGAGEMENT.
UH, WE'RE GETTING PEOPLE TO THINK ABOUT ETHICS.
UM, AS FAR AS TRAINING WE HAVE DONE IN-PERSON TRAINING LIVE OR LIVE ON TEAMS OVER 2000 TIMES SINCE THE SUMMER, VIA 54 TRAINING EVENTS SINCE MAY OF 23, WE ALSO ENTERED INTO A SETTLEMENT AGREEMENT WITH A RESPONDENT THAT WE HAD FILED CHARGES ON.
I BELIEVE THAT'S ON TODAY'S AGENDA.
AND, UH, THIS INDIVIDUAL WAS NOT AN EMPLOYEE WHEN WE ENTERED INTO THAT SETTLEMENT AGREEMENT, WHICH, UH, I, I GUESS WE CAN WAIT TILL THAT AGENDA ITEM GETS HERE.
WE HAD ETHICS WEEK, WHICH KIND OF CULMINATED IN A QUITE A FEW THINGS.
UH, IF, IF I HAD TO SUMMARIZE ETHICS WEEK IN THREE WORDS OR LESS, I WOULD SAY HIGH ENGAGEMENT, I WAS SHOCKED AND EXCITED ABOUT THE LEVEL OF ENGAGEMENT.
THE VOLUME, UH, COMMUNICATIONS EVEN SAID SOMETHING TO US IN THE MIDDLE OF ETHICS WEEK.
I THINK IT WAS THURSDAY WHEN WE HAD THE PRESS CONFERENCE.
AND, UM, IT WAS WHAT I WOULD TERM HIGH ENGAGEMENT OR PEOPLE WERE VERY ENGAGED.
MONDAY, WE HAD A ETHICS JEOPARDY ON TEAMS, KINDA LIKE THE GAME SHOW TUESDAY, WE HAD, UH, ASKED THE IGD ANY QUESTION THAT YOU WANT.
WEDNESDAY, WE HAD A SPECIAL LUNCH AND LEARN ON TRAINING FOR GIFTS, RECEIVING GIFTS.
THURSDAY WAS THE MAIN EVENT, AND WE HAD SEVERAL SPEAKERS.
WE HAD AN ETHICS BINGO GAME, AND ETHICS AWARDS WERE HANDED OUT.
AND THE WEEK CULMINATED ON FRIDAY WITH, UH, SOME OF THE WINNERS OF THE ETHICS ESSAY CONTEST.
AND, UH, WE ALSO MET WITH COMMUNICATIONS AND RECORDED OUR PUBLIC SERVICE ANNOUNCEMENT.
IT'S NOT APPROVED FINALLY YET, BUT IT IS COMPLETE.
AND ONCE WE GET THE GREEN LIGHT ON APPROVAL, THEY CAN START POSTING THAT IN ANY MANNER OF PLACES.
ARE THERE ANY, YES, COMMISSIONER, UM, THE, THE MEMBERS OF THE ADVISORY COUNCIL COMMISSION DON'T GET ANY OF THAT DATA PRIOR TO YOUR GOING OUT AND, AND DOING THIS KIND OF, UM, PUBLIC ENGAGEMENT.
WOULD IT BE POSSIBLE FOR US TO HEAR ABOUT THIS IN ADVANCE? UM, JUST BECAUSE I KNOW THAT MY COMMISSIONER, WHO'S APPOINTED ME IS VERY INTERESTED IN MAKING, UM, AVAILABLE TO THE PUBLIC IN HER, UM, EFFORTS TO KNOW WHAT, WHAT IS GOING ON AT THE CITY, WHAT IS GOING ON WITH THE PEOPLE, UM, THAT SHE'S APPOINTED, AND WITH THE AREAS THAT WOULD BE OF SOME INTEREST POSSIBLY FOR HER, UM, COUNSEL, UM, POPULATION.
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SO IF WE WERE AWARE OF THAT, I MEAN, I THINK IT'S ALL WONDERFUL.IN FACT, ONE OF THE QUESTIONS I HAD TODAY WAS, WHEN ARE WE GOING, WELL, THAT'S ANOTHER QUESTION I HAVE, WHICH IS, WHAT IS YOUR ROAD TRIP? CAN YOU GIVE US A LITTLE MORE INFORMATION ABOUT WHAT THAT IS AND, AND WHO COMES TO THEM AND HOW YOU ORGANIZE IT? ABSOLUTELY.
WHEN WE TALK ABOUT ETHICS ROADSHOWS, THERE'S TWO PRIMARY OBJECTIVES.
NUMBER ONE, IT'S TO MEET WITH EACH OF THE 54 DEPARTMENTS, ONE AT A TIME.
AND OBJECTIVE NUMBER ONE IS TO ESTABLISH COMMUNICATION AND IDENTIFY SOMEBODY IN THAT DEPARTMENT THAT'S A GO-TO PERSON, A LIAISON.
THE SECOND PIECE OF THESE ROADSHOWS IS NOT NOT JUST ESTABLISH COMMUNICATION, NOT JUST IDENTIFY SOMEBODY THAT'S A GO-TO PERSON OR LIAISON, BUT IT'S TO EXPLAIN WHO WE ARE, WHAT WE DO, AND HOW TO GET IN TOUCH WITH US.
BUT THE SECOND PIECE IS, UM, OF A RISK ASSESSMENT NATURE, WHERE WE'RE, WE STARTED, WHAT I WOULD TERM AS A COMPREHENSIVE RISK ASSESSMENT PERTAINING TO ETHICS.
AND SO WHEN WE SIT DOWN AND VISIT WITH THOSE FOLKS, UH, WE DON'T WANT TO JUST HAVE ONE WAY OF COMMUNICATION, SO YOU KNOW HOW TO GET IN TOUCH WITH US.
WE NEED TO BE QUIET AND LISTEN AND LEARN FROM THESE PEOPLE.
WHAT, WHAT ISSUES ARE YOU GOING THROUGH? UH, AND SO YOUR NEXT QUESTION IS PROBABLY, OKAY, WELL YOU'VE DONE 15 OR 16 OF THESE THINGS.
WHAT KIND OF ISSUES ARE YOU SEEING? UM, IF YOU'RE INTERESTED IN THAT, I'D BE HAPPY TO ADDRESS THAT ISSUE.
UH, IT'S SORT OF LIKE IN MY LITTLE AREA OF ETHICS WHERE WE'RE ALWAYS TALKING ABOUT WHAT IS THE PATIENT'S VOICE? WHAT ARE THE, WHAT'S THE PATIENT'S EXPECTATIONS? AND SO, UM, IT GOES FOR ANY GROUP THAT YOU'RE TRYING TO BE PART OF AND, AND HAVE THEM FEEL A SENSE OF TRUST.
ONE OF THE FIRST, I WOULD SAY THE PRIMARY ISSUE, IT COMES UP OVER AND OVER IS GIFTS.
I WANT TO, I WANNA FIGURE OUT HOW TO FOLLOW THE ETHICS ORDINANCE ON THIS WHOLE GIFTS THING.
UM, WHEN DO YOU REPORT THAT? HOW DO YOU REPORT THAT? OKAY, IF I GET A $200 DEBIT CARD, THE QUESTION IS, MAY I KEEP THIS? LET ME LOOK AT THE RULES AND WE CAN FIGURE THAT OUT.
BUT WHAT IF I GET A GIFT BASKET AT CHRISTMAS? HOW, HOW DO YOU CALCULATE THE VALUE OF THAT? BECAUSE THAT'S DIFFERENT THAN A $200 DEBIT CARD? SO WE HAVE RECEIVED QUITE A FEW COMMENTS FROM ALMOST EVERY DEPARTMENT ABOUT GIFTS, BECAUSE PEOPLE WANNA KNOW, I WANNA MAKE SURE I FOLLOW THESE RULES.
SO TO ADDRESS THAT, THE FIRST THING WE DID IS WE FIXED THE FORM ON THE CITY WEBSITE.
THERE WAS AN AFFIDAVIT ON THE FORM, AND THAT'S NOT REQUIRED IN THE CITY ORDINANCE.
SO WE STRUCK THAT, SIMPLIFYING THE FORM AND MAKING IT EASIER.
SO THAT'S UP THERE WHERE PEOPLE CAN GET TO IT.
THE AFFIDAVIT WAS NOT REQUIRED.
ONE OF THE NEXT THINGS WE DID IS WE DID SOME SPECIAL ETHICS TRAINING.
AND THAT HAPPENED ON ETHICS WEEK.
AND THAT WOULD'VE BEEN ON WEDNESDAY OF ETHICS WEEK.
WE DID SOME SPECIAL TRAINING ON GIFTS SO EVERYBODY COULD HAVE PARTICIPATED IN THAT.
WE GOT PRETTY GOOD ENGAGEMENT THERE.
WE HAVE A MONTHLY NEWSLETTER CALLED ETHICS MATTERS.
AND IN THE MONTH OF DECEMBER, WE ADDED SOME INFORMATION TO THE MONTHLY NEWSLETTER ADDRESSING GIFTS BECAUSE WE SEE THE ISSUE COME UP, WE WANNA MAKE SURE WE'RE DOING SOMETHING ABOUT IT.
WE WANNA MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE BEING PROACTIVE IN ADDRESSING THINGS AS AS MUCH AS POSSIBLE.
SO I WOULD SAY GIFTS WOULD BE THE FIRST THING THAT TENDS TO COME UP.
THE SECOND ISSUE THAT THAT TENDS TO COME UP QUITE A BIT IS JUST, FOR LACK OF A BETTER TERM, CIVILITY, HOW PEOPLE TREAT OTHER PEOPLE, HOW SOMEBODY TREATS THEIR COWORKER, HOW SUPERVISOR TREATS SOMEBODY THAT WORKS FOR THEM, THAT KIND OF THING.
UH, THAT WOULD PROBABLY BE THE SECOND THING.
THE THIRD ISSUE THAT SEEMS TO COME UP WOULD BE INTERFERENCE OF CITY OFFICIALS WITH EMPLOYEES.
YOU KNOW, STAYING IN YOUR LANE.
UH, IF A CITY OFFICIAL WANTS TO TALK TO AN EMPLOYEE, THERE'S PROPER WAYS TO DO THAT.
UM, BUT IF YOU'RE NOT GOING THROUGH THE PROPER AVENUES AND YOU'RE TRYING TO EXERT
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INFLUENCE ON SOMEBODY WHO'S ON THE FRONT LINE, THAT COULD BE A DIFFERENT ISSUE.UH, AND ALL THESE THINGS, UM, I THINK ALL THESE THINGS UNDERLIES THE IMPORTANCE OF OUR PRESENCE TO THE PUBLIC VIS-A-VIS OUR WEBPAGE.
IF YOU LOOKED ON OUR WEBPAGE RIGHT NOW, IT WOULD PROBABLY BE THE EQUIVALENT OF ONE PAGE ON A MICROSOFT WORD DOCUMENT.
IT WOULD BE AN UNDERSTATEMENT, UH, THE WAY WE WANT THE WEBPAGE TO LOOK.
WE'VE ACTUALLY COMPLETED THAT WORK MONTHS AGO, AND IT'S 10,000 WORDS, WHICH ADDS UP TO 31 PAGES, AND IT IS FAQ BASED BECAUSE THERE'S GONNA BE A LOT OF FOLKS THAT REACH OUT TO THE CITY WEBPAGE TO LOOK AT INFORMATION, FIND OUT WHAT MY INTEREST IS TO CLICK ON AND TRY TO FIND AN ANSWER TO MY QUESTION.
AND SO AS SOON AS THAT'S APPROVED, WE'RE GONNA GIVE THAT TO THE INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY GUIDES.
AND I THINK THAT OUR PRESENCE AS FAR AS WHAT THE PUBLIC CAN LOOK AT, NOT NOT JUST THE CITY EMPLOYEES, BUT THE PUBLIC ALSO WILL BE ABLE TO HAVE A LOT OF THEIR QUESTIONS ANSWERED THAT WAY.
SO I HOPE THAT ANSWERED YOUR QUESTION.
I'M SURE THAT'LL BE DONE REAL QUICKLY, I'M GUESSING.
UM, WHEN YOU SPEAK OF YOUR WEBPAGE, I TRIED TO LOOK IT UP THE OTHER DAY AND IT WAS ONE PAGE AND THERE WAS A QR CODE AND A PHONE NUMBER.
IS THAT, IS THAT THE CURRENT WEBPAGE? PRETTY MUCH.
UH, IT'S GOT SOME CONTACT INFORMATION, BUT YES.
SO YOU TALK ABOUT YOUR ROAD SHOWS AND THERE'S 54 DEPARTMENTS AND YOU'VE GONE TO 15, 16, 17 OR SOME.
SO IS THIS WHAT YOU'RE WORKING THROUGH IS GOING LIKE DEPARTMENT BY DEPARTMENT AND DOING THESE INTERACTIVE THINGS? YES.
SO WITH REGARD TO GIFTS AND THAT BEING THE BIGGEST QUESTION, CAN THERE NOT BE SOMEBODY THAT CAN JUST GIVE THEM IN EACH DEPARTMENT A FAIR MARKET VALUE SO THAT THEY DON'T HAVE TO GUESS? I MEAN, THAT SEEMS LIKE THE FUNNY THING ABOUT GIFTS IS IF YOU'VE SEEN ONE GIFT, YOU'VE SEEN ONE GIFT, THEY ARE SO DIFFERENT FROM ONE TO THE OTHER, AND THEY'RE NOT ALWAYS THE SIMPLE ONES.
LIKE THE EXAMPLE I USED IN THE HYPOTHETICAL OF A $200 DEBIT CARD.
SO, UM, I THINK IT'S POSSIBLE TO ADDRESS THAT, BUT I WANNA MAKE, I WANNA STOP SHORT OF SAYING YES BECAUSE EACH SITUATION CAN BE SO DIFFERENT.
WE WANNA MAKE SURE THAT WHATEVER THE GIFT VALUE IS, THAT IT'S CALCULATED THE SAME ACROSS THE BOARD.
ANY OTHER QUESTIONS, COMMENTS? THANK YOU VERY MUCH MR. BEAVERS.
THE ETHICS NEWSLETTER THAT YOU MENTIONED, WHO'S ON THAT DISTRIBUTION LIST? AND WOULD IT BE POSSIBLE FOR US TO GET A COPY OF THAT SO THAT WE ARE KIND OF AWARE OF WHAT YOU'RE DOING AND WHAT, WHAT ISSUES YOU ARE SPOTTING THAT ARE IMPORTANT TO, TO YOU AND POTENTIALLY TO MEMBERS OF THE COMMISSION? WE'RE, WE'RE GONNA HAVE YOU ON THAT LIST BEFORE THE DAY'S OUT FOR ETHICS MATTERS.
AND WOULD YOU LIKE TO PLAY THE CATCH THE CANARY GAME? WE COULD HAVE THAT
AND I, I GOTTA TELL YOU, OUR CHIEF INTEGRITY OFFICER HAS JUST DONE AN OUTSTANDING JOB.
UM, HE COMES UP WITH SOME OF THE GREATEST IDEAS AND HE'S NOT JUST AN IDEA GUY, HE'S AN IMPLEMENTATION GUY.
AND ALL OF A SUDDEN THIS THING THAT WAS FLOATING OUT THERE AS AN IDEA BECOMES SOMETHING THAT'S IMPACTFUL.
AND I CAN'T TELL YOU HOW THANKFUL I AM TO HAVE HIM WORKING WITH US.
WELL, I, I, I HAVE SAT THROUGH AT LEAST ONE HEARING, UH, EVIDENTIARY
[00:35:01]
HEARING.AND I HAVE TO TELL YOU, I WAS REALLY IMPRESSED WITH YOUR STAFF.
THEY, THEY SEEM TO BE DOING A FANTASTIC JOB.
AND I, I THINK THAT'S A TRIBUTE TO YOU, MR. INSPECTOR GENERAL.
I, I TELL EVERYBODY IF THERE'S ANYTHING THAT GOES ON GOOD WITH OUR DIVISION, IT'S BECAUSE OF THEM
AND SO IT'S, THAT'S THE TOUGH PART ABOUT HAVING A JOB LIKE THIS IS THE REALITY IS THEY DO ALL THE WORK, THEY DO ALL THE GOOD STUFF.
AND, UM, A LOT OF FOLKS DON'T SEE THAT.
ANY OTHER, UH, QUESTIONS, COMMENTS OF MR. BEAVERS? HEARING NONE, THERE'S NO VOTE NECESSARY ON THIS, IS THAT CORRECT, MR. MORRISON? ALL RIGHT.
WHAT ARE WE NEXT? THAT'S IT, HUH? ITEM FIVE? ITEM FIVE IS THE CONSIDERATION OF ACCEPTANCE OF THE, UH, OF THE INSPECTOR GENERAL SETTLEMENT AGREEMENT WITH MR. ANTHONY POLLER.
MR. BIEBERS THE THANK YOU MR. CHAIRMAN.
WE ENTERED INTO A SETTLEMENT AGREEMENT WITH AN INDIVIDUAL WHEN THE INVESTIGATION BEGAN.
HE WAS A CITY EMPLOYEE AFTER WE FILED CHARGES, HE SEPARATED HIMSELF FROM EMPLOYMENT AND BECAME A NON-EMPLOYEE.
AND THEN I ENTERED INTO SETTLEMENT NEGOTIATIONS WITH HIM.
UH, WE HAD THAT SIGNED IN ON NOVEMBER 7TH.
SO I FILED THAT WITH THE CITY SECRETARY IN ADVANCE OF THIS MEETING.
'CAUSE I'M SURE IF YOU HAVE SOMETHING ON THE AGENDA ABOUT A SETTLEMENT AGREEMENT THAT YOU WANT TO LOOK AT APPROVING OR DISAPPROVING, YOU PROBABLY WANNA SEE THAT BEFORE THE HEARING.
UM, IF YOUR QUESTION IS, WELL, WAIT, BART, THERE'S A, THERE'S A TWO PAGE DOCUMENT AT THE FRONT OF IT, UH, CALLED A REPORT OF SETTLEMENT AGREEMENT.
THE REASON WE INCLUDED THAT IS, UH, UNDER 12 A 52 B THREE A, IT SPECIFICALLY SAYS, I'M SUPPOSED TO SEND THIS TO THE EAC SEEKING YOUR APPROVAL.
SO THAT WAS THE PURPOSE OF THIS DOCUMENT, TRYING TO FOLLOW THE CODE TO A T.
BUT, UM, IF YOU WANT, IF YOU WANT ME TO, IF GIVE YOU A 92ND SUMMARY OF THE FACTS BEHIND THIS CASE, I'LL BE A 92ND SUMMARY WOULD BE APPRECIATED.
UM, THIS WAS A SITUATION WHERE WE GOT A REFERRAL FROM HR AND WE'RE LOOKING AT EMPLOYEE NUMBER ONE.
AND WE USE THE TERM WALK INTO THE SMOKE.
'CAUSE SOMETIMES YOU DON'T KNOW WHAT'S GOING ON.
YOU HAVE TO WALK INTO THE SMOKE TO FIGURE OUT WHAT'S GOING ON.
SO WE WALK INTO THE SMOKE AND FIND OUT IT'S NOT JUST EMPLOYEE NUMBER ONE, IT'S MR. TOLIVER, WHO I'LL CALL EMPLOYEE NUMBER TWO.
AND THEN NUMBER THREE, A THIRD EMPLOYEE.
AND, UM, WHEN WE GO IN AND REALIZE THE REASON THAT WE WALKED INTO THE SMOKE WAS BECAUSE WE GOT A REFERRAL AND WE THOUGHT IT WAS ABOUT EMPLOYEE NUMBER ONE, BUT THEN WE FOCUSED ON MR. TOLIVER.
HE WAS USING A CITY VEHICLE FOR PRIVATE PURPOSES.
AND WHAT HAPPENED WAS, UH, HE WAS ALREADY ON THE CLOCK AND HE WAS PULLING A TRAILER NOT OWNED BY THE CITY OF DALLAS, DUMPING STUFF AT THE SOUTHWEST TRANSFER STATION.
SOME OF THE PEOPLE SAW IT GOING ON AND SAID, THIS, THIS DOESN'T LOOK RIGHT.
I KNOW THOSE GUYS JUST CLOCKED IN A COUPLE HOURS AGO.
WELL, WHEN THEY COME BACK FOR ANOTHER TRIP, SOMEBODY VIDEOTAPED IT, SENT THE VIDEO UP TO THE CHAIN OF COMMAND.
UH, WHEN WE VISITED AND INTERVIEWED PEOPLE, WE STARTED PULLING, UM, WE PULLED A BUNCH OF STUFF.
UM, WE PULLED GPS DATA, UH, SIGN IN RECORDS.
AND, UH, MAKE A LONG STORY SHORT, DURING THE INTERVIEW, WE DIDN'T JUST INTERVIEW EVERYBODY THAT WAS INVOLVED.
WE INTERVIEWED MR. UM, THE RESPONDENT IN THE CASE, AND, UM, MR. TOLIVER.
AND DURING THE, THE TAPED INTERVIEW, HE ADMITTED, YEAH, YOU GOT ME.
I I DID EXACTLY WHAT YOU CHARGED ME WITH.
AND, UM, SO WE, IF YOU LOOK AT THE DETAILS OF THE SETTLEMENT AGREEMENT, WE HAD FOUR VIOLATIONS ON THE INFORMATION AND HE PLED TRUE TO THE FOURTH ONE, AND WE DROPPED THE FIRST THREE.
AND, UM, AS A PART OF THAT SETTLEMENT AGREEMENT, HE'S NOT GONNA EVER APPLY TO BE AN EMPLOYEE WITH THE CITY OF DALLAS EVER AGAIN.
[00:40:01]
NOT ABOUT THIS, BUT, UM, AT THE LAST MEETING, AS I RECALL, THERE WAS A GENTLEMAN HERE WHO, UM, HANDED OUT MATERIALS TO EVERY MEMBER OF THE BOARD.UM, HE MADE A COMMENT ABOUT, UM, SOME PROBLEM THAT HE HAD WITH THE CITY AND THAT NO ONE WAS GETTING BACK TO HIM.
AND AS I WENT THROUGH THE POLICY AND THE PROCEDURES, UM, AFTER IT WENT TO THE, THE IG, THEN IT WAS SUPPOSED TO COME BACK WITH COMMENTS FROM YOU.
AND WE NEVER SAW ANY AS FAR AS I, AT LEAST I DIDN'T.
AND I'M JUST WONDERING, DO YOU REMEMBER LAURA, THAT THE GENTLEMAN'S NAME? I DON'T.
YEAH, BUT IS THIS A QUESTION ON THIS AGENDA? NO, IT'S NOT.
OH, YEAH, WE HAVE TO STAY ON THIS AGENDA.
I WAS JUST THINKING IN TERMS OF, YOU KNOW, WHAT ELSE WAS, WHAT ELSE WE WERE TALKING ABOUT, BUT OKAY, I CAN HOLD THAT TILL LATER.
SO OUT OF CURIOSITY, WHY DO YOU DISMISS THE OTHER THREE? IS IT JUST LIKE A, A PLEA DEAL IN A CRIMINAL LAWSUIT THAT HE'S SAYING TRUE TO ONE AND SO YOU LET THE OTHER ONES GO? I THINK IT WAS MORE OF, UH, WITH MY BACKGROUND WITH CIVIL LITIGATION AND CRIMINAL LITIGATION, IF YOU'RE GONNA ASK SOMEBODY TO PLEAD TRUE TO SOMETHING, WHAT DO, WHAT DO THEY GET OUT OF IT? AND, UH, I THOUGHT IT WAS FAIR GIVEN THE SITUATION THAT WAS GOING ON TO ALLOW HIM TO PLEAD TRUE TO ONE WHEN IT'S THE SAME SET OF FACTS.
IT'S JUST THREE OTHER PLACES IN THE CODE THAT YOU COULD POINT TO, TO SAY, I THINK IT'D BE ALSO A VIOLATION THERE.
SO WE DIDN'T, HE DIDN'T GET OFF BY NOT PLEADING TRUE TO ANY FACTS THAT HE WAS INVOLVED IN, BUT HE DID, WE DID DROP THREE OF THE FOUR.
UM, BECAUSE I THINK THAT'S FAIR.
UH, MR. RUBIN, MR. RUB, MR. RUBIN? YES.
UH, WERE WE SUPPOSED TO GET A COPY OF THE SETTLEMENT AGREEMENT? MM-HMM.
A COPY OF THE SETTLEMENT AGREEMENT.
IS THAT COR, IS THAT I BROUGHT 15 COPIES WITH ME THIS MORNING.
IT, SO, BUT I GUESS NOT APPEARING IN PERSON.
UM, THE SETTLEMENT AGREEMENT CAN BE UPLOADED TO THE WEBSITE BY THE CITY SECRETARY'S OFFICE.
UH, SO IF, IF ANYONE WOULD LIKE TO SEE IT, IT WILL BE UPLOADED, I THINK MOMENTARILY.
UH, SHOULD WE, DOES ANYONE BEFORE WE YEAH, WOULD ANYONE LIKE TO HAVE A WHATEVER AMOUNT OF TIME YOU NEED TO, TO REVIEW IT, UH, TO ASK ANY QUESTIONS BEFORE WE HAVE A VOTE ON THE MATTER? UH, THE PEOPLE WHO ARE, ARE HERE IN PERSON, WE HAVE RECEIVED A COPY OF IT WITH TODAY'S MA UH, MATERIALS.
UH, IT IS NOW BEING UPLOADED BY THE CITY SECRETARY'S OFFICE.
SO ANYONE WHO IS UH, ONLINE IS ABLE TO REVIEW IT.
AND IF WE NEED TO TAKE SOME TIME TO ALLOW MEMBERS OF THE, UH, COMMISSION, UH, TO REVIEW IT, UH, I I THINK THAT WOULD BE APPROPRIATE.
IS THAT RIGHT, MS? YEAH, MOSTLY FOR DO YOU WANT, SHOULD WE TAKE A FIVE MINUTE BREAK? WHERE DO WE FIND IT? YEAH, FIVE MINUTE BREAK.
UH, IT'S BEEN PROPOSED THAT WE TAKE A FIVE MINUTE BREAK SO THAT, UH, THOSE WHO WOULD LIKE TO TAKE A LOOK AT IT, EITHER ELECTRONICALLY OR IN PERSON, HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO DO SO.
AND WE WILL, IS THAT OKAY WITH EVERYONE? YES, WE WILL.
IT'S 10 20, RECONVENE AT 10 30.
IS THAT THAT APPROPRIATE? YES.
WE'LL TAKE A 10 MINUTE BREAK AND GIVE EVERYONE AN OPPORTUNITY TO TAKE A LOOK AT THE SETTLEMENT AGREEMENT AND THEN WE WILL VOTE TO APPROVE IT OR NOT APPROVE IT.
COMMISSIONERS, WE WILL MAKE THAT AVAILABLE ON THE WEBSITE THAT IS SENT TO YOU ALL THROUGH EMAIL.
UM, I BELIEVE IT WAS SENT FROM NANCY SANCHEZ.
WELL, WE WILL RECONVENE AT 10 30.
[00:45:02]
OKAY.ALRIGHT, LADIES AND GENTLEMEN, UH, IT IS 10 31, THE COMMISSION WILL RECONVENE.
I HOPE EVERYONE HAS HAD AN OPPORTUNITY TO REVIEW THE, UH, THE SETTLEMENT AGREEMENT AND, UH, IF THERE ARE ANY QUESTIONS, UH, OR CONCERNS THAT ANYONE WOULD LIKE TO VOICE WITH RESPECT TO MR. BEAVERS, UH, UH, PLEASE DO SO.
IS THERE A MOTION TO APPROVE THE SETTLEMENT AGREEMENT, UH, ENTERED INTO BY THE INSPECTOR GENERAL'S OFFICE? SO MOVED.
SECOND, IT'S MOVED AND SECONDED.
ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION? ALL THOSE IN FAVOR PLEASE SIGNIFY BY SAYING AYE.
UH, MR. MR. BEAVERS, WOULD IT BE POSSIBLE FOR IF THERE ARE SETTLEMENT AGREEMENTS IN THE FUTURE TO ELECTRONICALLY, UH, SEND THEM TO THE COMMISSION MEMBERS SO THAT THEY CAN SEE THEM, UH, AND REVIEW IT PRIOR TO THE COMMISSION MEETING? I THINK WHAT I HEARD FROM YOU GUYS THIS MORNING, IF THERE'S ANYTHING THAT I THINK COULD POSSIBLY BE OF INTEREST BASED ON WHAT WE THINK THE AGENDA'S GONNA BE, I'M GONNA SEND ELECTRONIC COPIES, SO VERY KIND OF YOU.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH MR. I, INSPECTOR GENERAL.
MS. MORRISON, DO WE HAVE ANY OTHER, UH, BUSINESS BEFORE THE COMMISSION? THERE'S NO MORE BUSINESS FOR THE COMMISSION.
UM, CAN I GET AN ANSWER TO THE QUESTION OF WHETHER, UM, IF SOMEONE COMES IN THE AUDIENCE SPEAKS THEIR THREE MINUTES AND THEN PRESENTS SOME INFORMATION IN WRITING, WHETHER THAT WILL EVENTUALLY COME BACK TO US BECAUSE IT WAS ACTUALLY PUT ON OUR, ON THE PODIUM HERE, AND THEN IT WAS COLLECTED BY THE CITY AND WITH THE EXPLANATION TO ME ANYWAY, THAT YOU WILL SEE IT AS SOON AS IT'S BEEN EVALUATED, BUT WE'VE NEVER GOTTEN ANYTHING BACK ON IT.
UM, WE'LL HAVE TO DISCUSS THAT OFFLINE, JUST ME AND YOU BECAUSE IT'S NOT ON TODAY'S AGENDA.
SO THE COMMISSION CAN'T DISCUSS THIS SINCE IT'S NOT LISTED ON THE AGENDA, BUT YOU AND I CAN CHAT ABOUT IT.
UM, AND, AND I WILL SAY THAT, YOU KNOW, ONE OF, ONE OF THE ISSUES THAT CAME UP THAT DAY, WHEN YOU HAVE SOMEONE WHO'S A PUBLIC SPEAKER COME AND TALK, YOU CAN HEAR THE PUBLIC SPEAKER OUT.
YOU CAN ASK, YOU KNOW, REAL BRIEF QUESTIONS, BUT THE COMMISSION ISN'T SUPPOSED TO DISCUSS WHAT THE PUBLIC SPEAKER BROUGHT UP UNLESS WHAT THE SPEAKER'S SPEAKING ABOUT IS ON THAT DAY'S AGENDA.
OKAY? THEN, UM, I WOULD LIKE US TO CONSIDER, UM, THAT THE FACT THAT WE DON'T HAVE IN ADVANCE THOUGHT ABOUT SOME IDEA THAT WE HAVE A QUESTION ABOUT THAT MAYBE THE, UM, MEMBERS OF THE COMMISSION OUGHT TO HAVE A ONE MINUTE
I, I GUESS I'VE NEVER BEEN IN A, ON A BOARD, EVEN A PUBLIC BOARD WHERE YOU CANNOT ASK A QUESTION OR IF IT'S NOT ON THE AGENDA, THAT SEEMS VERY STIFLING TO BOARD MEMBER OR TO THIS BOARD MEMBER.
YES, IT IS COMMISSION MEMBER, I UNDERSTAND THAT, BUT SINCE WE'RE THE GOVERNMENT, WE HAVE TO ABIDE BY THE TEXAS LO, UM, OPEN MEETINGS ACT AND THE TEXAS OPEN MEETINGS ACT FORBIDS, UM, A GOVERNMENT ENTITY, UH, SUCH AS OURSELVES FROM DISCUSSING CITY BUSINESS.
THAT'S NOT ON THE AGENDA THOUGH.
ANY, ANY COMMISSIONER MAY RAISE A PROCEDURAL MOTION TO ASK THE CHAIR TO, UH, LIKE TO MAKE A MOTION FOR THE CHAIR TO PUT SOMETHING ON A FUTURE AGENDA.
AND SO THAT'S HOW YOU DO THAT.
OR YOU COULD JUST CALL THE CHAIR AND ASK HIM.
AND IF THE CHAIR AGREES, THEN YOU KNOW, THE CHAIR WILL PUT IT ON A FUTURE AGENDA.
IF NOT, THEN AT, AT A MEETING YOU CAN MAKE A MOTION.
AND IF YOU GET A MAJORITY TO SUPPORT YOU IN THAT MOTION, UM, THEN THAT ITEM SHOULD GO ON THE NEXT AGENDA.
I'LL TALK TO THE CHAIR AFTER THE MEETING.
IF, WOULD IT BE POSSIBLE TO VISIT EITHER HERE OR AFTER THE MEETING'S OVER ABOUT PROCEDURAL ISSUES? I THINK I KNOW THE ISSUE SHE'S TALKING ABOUT.
I DON'T WANT TO COMMIT A VIOLATION OF EX PARTE COMMUNICATIONS, BUT IF I RESERVE MY COMMENTS TO PROCEDURAL THINGS, WOULD THAT BE APPROPRIATE? OF COURSE.
I WASN'T NECESSARILY ASKING SPECIFICALLY ABOUT THAT, BUT RATHER SINCE WE WERE, SINCE I WAS TOLD THAT WE WOULD HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY, I'LL TURN YOUR MIC OFF, THAT WE WOULD HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO, TO
[00:50:01]
HEAR ABOUT THIS AT A FUTURE TIME.I'M JUST ASKING, YOU KNOW, IS THAT, SO IS IT NOT SO, SO IT'S NOT SPECIFICALLY ABOUT THAT PARTICULAR 'CAUSE I DON'T REMEMBER THE GENTLEMAN'S NAME UNFORTUNATELY.
UM, AND I WASN'T AWARE OF WHAT THE ISSUE WAS BECAUSE WE DIDN'T, HE DIDN'T REALLY TALK ABOUT IT.
UM, BUT ANYWAY, UM, I WILL ASK ABOUT THAT AFTER.
YOU, WELL, I THINK WE HAVE CONCLUDED OUR BUSINESS TODAY.
UH, UNLESS MR. BEAVERS OR ANY OTHER COMMISSION MEMBER HAS, UH, ANY OTHER MATTER THAT THEY WOULD LIKE TO DISCUSS, UH, I THINK A MOTION TO ADJOURN IS IN ORDER.
WHEN IS OUR NEXT REGULAR MEETING? EVERYONE LOOKS AT THE CITY SECRETARY'S OFFICE.
OKAY, SO I'VE MOVED TO ADJOURN THE GENTLEMAN.
THERE IS A MOTION TO ADJOURN ON THE TABLE.
ANY DISCUSSION? ALL THOSE IN FAVOR, PLEASE SAY AYE.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH MR. BEAVERS AND THANK YOU MEMBERS OF THE COMMISSION.