[00:00:01]
WELCOME TO TODAY'S, UH, THE MEETING OF THE, THE ETHICS ADVISORY COMMISSION FOR THE CITY OF DALLAS.
IT IS 9:54 AM ON TUESDAY, JULY 15TH.
UH, JUAN GARCIA PRESENT, UH, GRANT SCHMIDT PRESENT.
AGAIN, VERY SORRY FOR MY TARDINESS.
SHE WASN'T ABLE TO DO IT EARLIER.
MS. I THINK MS. GERMAN IS A NEW MEMBER OF THE COMMISSION.
IF I'M NOT MISTAKEN, WE'D LIKE TO WELCOME YOU THIS MORNING, MS. GERMAN, TO THE COMMISSION, AND THANK YOU FOR YOUR SERVICE.
UM, WE KNOW YOU CAN'T HEAR HER.
MS. CHAIRMAN, CAN YOU HEAR US? CAN SOMEONE ASSIST MS. GERMAN? I, I I'M NOT, YES, CHAIR.
SO YOU CAN'T HEAR US, MR. CHAIRMAN? I CAN.
SO, UH, CAN YOU ANNOUNCE YOUR PRESENT FOR THE MEETING, PLEASE? FOR THE RECORD? UH, DONNA GERMAN.
UH, UH, AND THE MEETING IS NOW CALLED TO ORDER.
WILL OTHER PERSONS PRESENT AT TODAY'S MEETING? PLEASE INTRODUCE THEMSELVES, STARTING WITH THE OFFICE OF INSPECTOR GENERAL.
I AM THE NEW INSPECTOR GENERAL FOR THE CITY OF DALLAS AND THE CITY SECRETARY'S OFFICE.
THIS IS BARRON ELIA AND CHIEF INTEGRITY OFFICE.
OFFICE, SIR? OFFICE OF THE INSPECTOR GENERAL.
LAURA VLAN WITH THE OFFICE OF INSPECTOR GENERAL.
AND FROM THE CITY SECRETARY'S OFFICE, MAYOR SLAVO MARTINEZ, NANCY SANCHEZ, DONNA BROWN, AND THE CITY ATTORNEY'S OFFICE.
LAURA MORRISON, LEGAL COUNSEL FOR THE COMMISSION.
WE'LL NOW PROCEED WITH THE MEETING.
UH, MADAM CI, CITY SECRETARY, ARE THERE ANY PUBLIC SPEAKERS THIS MORNING? WE HAVE NO REGISTERED SPEAKERS.
UH, ITEM NUMBER TWO IS THE APPROVAL OF THE MINUTES OF THE APRIL 15TH ETHICS ADVISORY COMMISSION.
UH, MAY I HAVE A MOTION TO APPROVE, PLEASE? SO, SO MOVED.
AND IS THERE ANY DISCUSSION WITH REGARDING, UH, WITH REGARD TO THE MINUTES, MINUTES OF THE LAST MEETING, HEARING NO DISCUSSION? ALL OF THOSE IN FAVOR OF APPROVING THE MINUTES FROM THE, UH, THE PAST OF THE APRIL 15TH ETHICS ADVISORY COMMISSION, PLEASE SIGNIFY BY SAYING AYE.
ANY, ANY NAS MOTION PASSES UNANIMOUSLY.
WE WILL NOW PROCEED TO ITEM NUMBER THREE, WHICH IS A BRIEFING FROM THE OFFICE OF THE INSPECTOR GENERAL.
WE HAVE A NEW INSPECTOR GENERAL, MR. TIMOTHY MANKEY.
IS THAT PRONOUNCED CORRECTLY? YES, THAT'S CORRECT.
UM, WHAT WE'D LIKE TO DO IS GIVE YOU AN OPPORTUNITY TO TELL US ABOUT YOURSELF.
GIVE US YOUR BACKGROUND AND IF YOU ARE PREPARED, UH,
[00:05:01]
WHAT'S YOUR VISION AND PRIORITIES FOR THE OFFICE AS THE, OUR NEW INSPECTOR GENERAL? UH, WELL, THANK YOU MR. CHAIR.IT'S A PLEASURE MEETING EVERYONE EITHER VIRTUALLY OR HERE IN PERSON.
UM, I JUST STARTED TWO WEEKS AGO.
UM, I'M A, UH, RETIRED FEDERAL AGENT.
I'M THE FORMER DEPUTY INSPECTOR GENERAL FOR INVESTIGATIONS AT THE US DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES.
UM, I, UH, I RETIRED IN 2015 FROM THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT, AND I'VE HELD SEVERAL, UH, PROGRAM INTEGRITY TYPE POSITIONS, EITHER WITH THE STATE OF TEXAS, MOST RECENTLY, THE CHOCTAW NATION OF OKLAHOMA.
UM, AND I WAS ALSO A VICE PRESIDENT OF PROGRAM INTEGRITY WITH, UH, MERIDIAN HEALTHCARE SOLUTIONS.
UM, I ACTUALLY RETIRED IN, UH, FEBRUARY, UH, AFTER LEAVING, UH, THE CHOCTAW NATION OF OKLAHOMA.
AND, UH, I SAW THIS PARTICULAR POSITION BECOME AVAILABLE, AND I SAW THAT IT WAS AN OFFICE RATHER THAN A DIVISION.
UM, UH, FORMERLY IT FELL UNDER THE CITY ATTORNEY'S OFFICE.
AND WHEN I SAW THAT INDEPENDENCE, UH, UM, OF THE OFFICE WAS CREATED, UM, THAT STRUCK MY INTEREST, UH, IN, IN THE POSITION.
UM, SO I, I WORKED, UH, WITH AN EXECUTIVE RECRUITER THAT THE, UH, CITY HAD BEEN WORKING WITH AND WENT THROUGH, UM, A, A PHASE OF INTERVIEWS WITH THE EXECUTIVE RECRUITER AS WELL AS WITH THE, UH, UH, CITY COUNCIL MEMBERS.
AND, UH, I WAS LUCKY ENOUGH WHERE THEY, THEY VOTED TO, UH, APPOINT ME EFFECTIVE JUNE 30TH.
UH, THIS YEAR, UM, MY PRIORITIES ARE CLEAR AND SIMPLE.
UM, THE FIRST PRIORITIES OF THE OFFICE IS ESTABLISHING A FOUNDATION NOW THAT IT IS AN OFFICE, NOT JUST A DIVISION WITHIN THE CITY ATTORNEY'S OFFICE.
AND ESTABLISHING THAT FOUNDATION IS, IS IMPORTANT TO USE, UH, SOME NEW TOOLS.
UM, AND THOSE NEW TOOLS ARE, UM, SOME FORENSIC TOOLS AS WELL AS A CASE MANAGEMENT SYSTEM, WHICH, UM, THE SYSTEM THAT WE'RE CURRENTLY USING IS NOT ADEQUATE FOR INVESTIGATIONS.
UM, WHAT I WOULD LIKE TO DO, FIRST AND FOREMOST, IS ADDRESS ISSUES THAT WERE BROUGHT UP, UM, POSSIBLE VULNERABILITIES THAT CURRENTLY EXISTED, UH, WHEN THE INSPECTOR GENERAL'S OFFICE WAS A DIVISION.
AND, UH, IF YOU DON'T MIND, UH, MR. CHAIR, UH, LATER ON, JUST TO REFRESH EVERYONE'S MEMORY, WE CAN SEND A COPY OF THAT AUDIT THAT WAS DONE OF THE INSPECTOR GENERAL DIVISION.
SO, PRIORITY NUMBER ONE IS TO ADDRESS THE ISSUES WITHIN THAT AUDIT, UH, TO ENSURE THAT THERE ARE, UH, UH, PROPER INTERNAL CONTROLS AND PROTECTIONS, UH, PROTECTIONS FOR THE CITY COUNCIL AND PROTECTIONS FOR THE RESIDENTS OF THE CITY OF DALLAS.
SO THAT'S THE FIRST PRIORITY, IS TO ADDRESS THE AUDIT.
THE SECOND PRIORITY THEN IS TO MAKE A TRANSITION FROM, FROM BEING A REACTIVE, UH, TYPE OF AN ORGANIZATION TO A PROACTIVE ORGANIZATION TO DETECT FRAUD, WASTE, AND ABUSE AND CORRUPTION, RATHER THAN JUST TO WAIT AND RESPOND TO ALLEGATIONS WHEN THEY COME IN.
AND IN ORDER TO DO SO, THAT'S GOING TO TAKE SOME DATA ANALYTICS AND SOME TOOLS TO BE PROACTIVE, UH, TO FIND THOSE ANOMALIES AND OUTLIERS AND VULNERABILITIES THAT CURRENTLY EXIST.
UM, THE PRIORITIES WILL BE REFLECTED IN OUR BUDGET REQUEST, UH, FOR DATA ANALYTICS AS WELL AS FORENSIC TOOLS TO MAKE THAT PIVOT FROM BEING REACTIVE TO PROACTIVE.
AND FINALLY, I THINK THE THIRD PRIORITY IS, IS A LITTLE BIT MORE STRATEGIC IN NATURE.
AND THAT IS, UM, AFTER WE'VE MADE THE TRANSITION TO BECOMING PROACTIVE IN OUR APPROACH, UH, TO DETECTING WASTE, FRAUD AND ABUSE, WE THEN PURSUE LAW ENFORCEMENT AUTHORITY SO THAT OUR INVESTIGATORS WITHIN THE OFFICE OF INSPECTOR GENERAL HAVE ENFORCEMENT AUTHORITY, UM, AND THE, THE ABILITY, UM, THROUGH THE LEGISLATURE, UH, TO ENFORCE, UH, LAWS AND TO INVESTIGATE, UM, SPECIFIC CRIMINAL VIOLATIONS OF LAW, NOT JUST ADMINISTRATIVE VIOLATIONS, BUT CRIMINAL VIOLATIONS.
UM, AND, UH, I UNDERSTAND THAT THERE'S BEEN AN ATTEMPT IN THE LATEST, UH, LEGISLATURE FOR THAT AUTHORITY.
UM, I THINK IT WAS WRITTEN NARROWLY ENOUGH AND, AND IT WAS APPROPRIATE.
UM, BUT IT JUST DIDN'T HAPPEN THIS TIME AROUND, UM, TWO YEARS FROM NOW, WE WANT TO CONTINUE TO PURSUE THAT.
BUT SO THAT'S A LITTLE BIT MORE OF A STRATEGIC SIDE OF THE PRIORITIES.
UM, SO THEN THE STAFFING, UH, WILL REFLECT THOSE PRIORITIES AS WELL.
RIGHT NOW, WE DO NOT HAVE DATA
[00:10:01]
ANALYSTS ON STAFF AND DATA ANALYSTS HAVE, HAVE A UNIQUE ABILITY TO WRITE PROGRAMS TO ADDRESS THOSE PROACTIVE MEASURES THAT WE WOULD LIKE TO TAKE, UH, TO ADDRESS WASTE, FRAUD, AND ABUSE.SO, UH, DATA ANALYTICS IS GONNA BE A, AN IMPORTANT, UM, ASPECT MOVING FORWARD.
WE CURRENTLY DO NOT HAVE FORENSIC TOOLS, UH, TO CONDUCT INVESTIGATIONS.
UH, THOSE FORENSIC TOOLS WOULD BE THE ABILITY TO, UM, IMAGE A HARD DRIVE IF WE HAVE ALLEGATIONS OF, UH, INAPPROPRIATE ACTIVITY, IMAGE, A HARD DRIVE IMAGE, A CELL PHONE, THOSE TYPES OF THINGS.
UH, AND THAT, AND SO BY LEVERAGING TECHNOLOGY WITH FORENSIC TOOLS AS WELL AS A, UM, A CERTIFIED CASE MANAGEMENT SYSTEM, UM, WE CAN, UH, PROTECT INFORMATION AND WE CAN BECOME MORE PROACTIVE.
AND THE END RESULT IS, IS NOT MAYBE QUANTITY OF INVESTIGATIONS, BUT THE QUALITY AND THE LEVEL OF INVESTIGATIONS THAT'S BROUGHT IN FRONT OF THIS BODY, UM, HIGH DOLLAR, HIGH PROFILE, UH, RATHER THAN, RATHER THAN SPENDING A LOT OF TIME ON, ON ROUTINE MATTERS, UM, I DO WANNA SAY THAT WE TAKE ALL ALLEGATIONS OF ETHICAL VIOLATIONS SERIOUSLY, BUT ALSO WE HAVE LIMITED RESOURCES AND WE NEED TO FOCUS ON HIGH DOLLAR HIGH PROFILE, UM, AND BRING THOSE TYPES OF ISSUES.
AND THAT IS GIVING THE RESIDENTS OF DALLAS, UM, AND THE CITIZENS THE BEST BANG FOR THE BUCK FOR OUR INVESTIGATIVE TIME, FOR OUR PROSECUTED TIME AND OUR ADMINISTRATIVE TIME.
SO THAT'S, THAT'S JUST A, A, A QUICK SNAPSHOT OF, UH, THE, UH, THE DIRECTION AND MY PRIORITIES FOR THE OFFICE.
AND, AND I WELCOME ANY QUESTIONS, UH, EITHER ON MY BACKGROUND OR, OR THE APPROACH THAT WE INTEND TO TAKE WITH THE, UM, INSPECTOR GENERAL'S OFFICE.
ARE THERE ANY QUESTIONS FROM THE COMMISSION MEMBERS? I DON'T HAVE ANY QUESTIONS, BUT I DO WONDER WHETHER WE COULD ALL HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO GET, UM, MAYBE YOUR RESUME SO THAT WE DON'T HAVE TO ASK YOU SPECIFIC QUESTIONS IF THAT'S PUBLIC INFORMATION.
I DON'T KNOW HOW THE REST OF THE COMMISSION BE.
UM, FRIDAY OF LAST WEEK, I HAD MY OFFICIAL HEADSHOT, AND WHAT WE WERE GOING TO DO IS, IS HAVE A BIOGRAPHY ASSOCIATED WITH THAT, THAT PHOTO, WHEN IT'S READY AND SEND IT OUT.
BUT IN THE INTERIM, WHAT I CAN DO FOR THE, UM, UH, MEMBERS OF, OF THIS, OF THE EAC IS SEND A COPY OF MY RESUME, UH, WHICH GETS A LITTLE BIT MORE IN DEPTH, UH, IN MY BACKGROUND.
UM, BUT, UH, I'M, YOU KNOW, I'M HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS THAT YOU MAY HAVE ON MY BACKGROUND.
TIM, IT'S DONNA GERMAN, AND I HAVE A QUICK QUESTION FOR YOU, IF YOU DON'T MIND.
UM, I NEW TO THE COMMISSION, SO, UH, I HAVE A LOT TO LEARN.
DELIGHTED TO BE HERE, AND DELIGHTED TO LOOK FORWARD TO MEETING ALL OF YOU, UH, IN PERSON ONE DAY.
BUT, UH, WITH RESPECT TO THE INITIATIVES THAT YOU DESCRIBED, WHAT'S THE PROCESS OF, UM, I GUESS ENSURING THAT OF SUFFICIENT RESOURCES ARE IN PLACE, UH, FINANCIAL OR OTHERWISE TO KIND OF, UM, GET TO THE STRUCTURE AND PROCESS THAT YOU ENVISION? THANK YOU FOR THE QUESTION, MA'AM.
UH, WE ARE CURRENTLY INVOLVED IN THE, UH, BUDGET REQUEST PROCESS.
UH, IT'S A VERY BUSY TIME OF YEAR.
I JUST CAME ON BOARD TWO WEEKS AGO, AND I HAVE A VERY SHORT WINDOW OF OPPORTUNITY, UH, TO PUT DOLLAR SIGNS TO, UM, THOSE REQUESTS.
THOSE REQUESTS WILL GO THROUGH THE REGULAR PROCESS, AND THEN IT'LL COME DOWN TO THE, UH, CITY COUNCIL, UH, TO MAKE A DECISION ON, UH, THE PRIORITIES THAT THEY WILL FUND.
DID WE EVER GET A COPY OF THE AUDIT BEFORE? THAT'S WHAT I MENTIONED LAST TIME.
UM, BUT I DON'T THINK ANYBODY ELSE, AND I DON'T KNOW WHY I HAVE NOT RECEIVED A COPY OF THAT AUDIT, SO.
WE WILL SEE TOO, IT THAT WE CIRCULATE A COPY AFTER THIS MEETING TO EVERY MEMBER, UM, OF THE COMMISSION, SO THAT, UM, YOU CAN TAKE A LOOK AT IT AND YOU'LL BE ABLE TO SEE VERY CLEARLY THAT OUR PRIORITIES ARE LINKED TO THE VULNERABILITIES OF THAT AUDIT REPORT.
UH, CAN CAN YOU HIGHLIGHT A COUPLE OF VULNERABILITY THAT YOU'RE ATTACKING? YES, SIR.
UM, FIRST AND FOREMOST IS THE CURRENT STRUCTURE.
THE CURRENT STRUCTURE OF THE, UM, OFFICE OF INSPECTOR GENERAL IS VERY FLAT, AND I INTEND TO, UM, MAKE CHANGES
[00:15:01]
TO THAT.RIGHT NOW, EVERY STAFF MEMBER REPORTS TO ME.
UM, THAT'S NOT GOOD FOR THE CITY COUNCIL BECAUSE IF THERE'S A PERSONNEL ISSUE, THEORETICALLY, UM, I WOULD BE A REVIEWING OFFICIAL AND THE, UH, DECIDING OFFICIAL WOULD BE THE CITY COUNCIL.
THEY DO NOT NEED ROUTINE PERSONNEL MATTERS ON THEIR PLATE.
SO, UM, MY GOAL IS TO RESTRUCTURE AND HAVE TWO DIFFERENT DIVISIONS WITHIN THE OFFICE OF INSPECTOR GENERAL, UH, ONE, UH, ADDRESSING OPERATIONS, AND THE OTHER ONE ADDRESSING ADMINISTRATION.
UM, BASICALLY HAVING TWO ASSISTANTS OR TWO DEPUTIES THAT WOULD RUN OPERATIONS ADMINISTRATION, UM, AS THE APPOINTED OFFICIAL, I WOULD THEN BE THE DECIDING ENTITY, UH, ON CURRENT CONTROVERSIAL ISSUES TO KEEP THEM FROM FLOATING UP, UH, IN THE, UH, UH, CURRENT ORGANIZATIONAL STRUCTURE.
UM, AND I'M, I'M HAPPY TO SEND ALSO, UM, A COPY OF MY PROPOSED NEW STRUCTURE WITH THOSE TWO, TWO DIVISIONS, UM, AND SHOW YOU THE, THE CURRENT FLAT STRUCTURE, WHICH IS JUST NOT WORKABLE.
UM, SECONDLY, ONE OF THE ISSUES THAT CAME UP, UM, IN THE AUDIT REPORT WAS, UM, A, A LACK OF, UM, OF A CASE MANAGEMENT SYSTEM CONDUCIVE TO CONDUCTING INVESTIGATIONS.
CURRENTLY, WE'RE USING ETHICS POINT, WHICH IS, IT'S, IT'S A GOOD SYSTEM FOR HR AND COMPLIANCE, UM, KIND OF A HOTLINE COMING IN, AND THEN ISSUES ARE TRIAGED FROM THERE.
UM, I WOULD LIKE A, A, UH, C JS CERTIFIED, AND CGIS IS THE, UH, CRIMINAL JUSTICE INFORMATION SYSTEM CERTIFICATION, UH, CASEWARE THAT PROTECTS INFORMATION, UH, THAT CONTROLS FLOW OF INFORMATION AS CASEWORK IS BEING DONE.
IT ALLOWS MANAGEMENT OFFICIALS IN REAL TIME TO MONITOR PROGRESS.
UM, IF THERE IS A REQUEST BY THE CITY COUNCIL, UM, ON, ON A PARTICULAR ISSUE, WE CAN HAVE IT IN OUR FINGERTIPS RATHER THAN A MANUAL SEARCH.
THE CURRENT SYSTEM IS SET UP TO BE VERY, UM, UH, IT'S A VERY MANUAL PROCESS AND, UH, IT'S JUST NOT AN EFFICIENT PROCESS.
ALSO, THE REPORTING STRUCTURE AS WELL AS THE CURRENT, UH, CASE MANAGEMENT SYSTEM, WHICH REALLY ISN'T A CASE MANAGEMENT SYSTEM, CREATES BOTTLENECKS, BOTTLENECKS OF INFORMATION, AND, AND IT CREATES INEFFICIENCIES.
SO THEREFORE, IF WE NEED, IF WE ARE THE STANDARD BEARERS FOR EFFICIENCY AND EFFECTIVENESS, UM, AND NEED TO INVESTIGATE OTHERS, WE HAVE TO MAKE SURE WE HAVE THE FOUNDATION WHERE WE ARE LEVERAGED, LEVERAGING TECHNOLOGY TO BE EFFICIENT AND EFFECTIVE OURSELVES.
UM, ONCE WE HAVE THAT BUILT AND ADDRESS THE ISSUES WITHIN THE, UM, WITHIN THE AUDIT, I MAY COME BACK IN TWO YEARS AFTER WE HAVE LEVERAGED TECHNOLOGY, I MAY THEN ASK FOR SOME MORE INVESTIGATORS AND PROSECUTORS, BUT I CAN'T, I CAN'T THROW MORE INVESTIGATIVE AND PROSECUTION RESOURCES AT A SYSTEM THAT DOESN'T HAVE A STRONG FOUNDATION.
SO I NEED TO FORM THAT FOUNDATION.
AND THE AUDIT, UH, RECOMMENDATIONS ARE PART OF THAT FOUNDATION.
UM, SO A LOT OF, UH, I SHOULD SAY A GOOD PORTION HAS TO DO WITH THE CASE MANAGEMENT SYSTEM AND THE INFORMATION FLOW AND THE STRUCTURE.
NOW, THIS REPORT WAS WRITTEN WHEN THE INSPECTOR GENERAL'S OFFICE WAS STILL A DIVISION.
SO ONE OF THE RECOMMENDATIONS WAS TO CREATE INDEPENDENCE, AND THAT WAS A MAJOR ISSUE THAT WAS ALREADY ADDRESSED, MAKING THE OFFICE AND OFFICE RATHER THAN A DIVISION.
SO THAT WAS, THAT BUILT INTO INDEPENDENCE INTO THE PROCESS, UM, AND, UH, THEREFORE CREATING AN INDEPENDENT OFFICE, AN APPOINTED POSITION AS THE INSPECTOR GENERAL REPORTS DIRECTLY TO, UH, THE CITY COUNCIL.
UM, SO THOSE, THOSE ARE THE, THE HIGHLIGHTS OF THE AUDIT.
AND THERE'S SOME, THERE ARE SOME OTHER THINGS IN THERE THAT GET A LITTLE BIT MORE INTO THE WEEDS, BUT YOU'LL BE ABLE TO TELL THAT MY PRIORITIES VERY CLOSELY ALIGNED.
THE RECOMMENDATIONS OF THIS PARTICULAR AUDIT, AND I CONCUR WITH EVERY SINGLE RECOMMENDATION IN THE AUDIT.
UM, THEY WERE LISTED AT A MODERATE RISK, UH, NOT A HIGH RISK, BUT THE MODERATE RISK HAS TO DO WITH PROTECTING INFORMATION, PROTECTING EFFICIENCY, FLOW OF INFORMATION, AND ALSO PROTECTING THE CITY COUNCIL.
UM, WHO CREATED THIS AUDIT? THIS WAS, UH, THE, UM, THE CITY AUDITOR, UH, MARK SWAN.
I BELIEVE HE HAD CONTRACTED AN INDEPENDENT, UM, AUDITING FIRM TO COME, UH, AND DO THE AUDIT ON HIS BEHALF, BUT HE IS THE SIGNATURE OF, OF THE AUDIT.
AND, AND THE DATE WAS JANUARY 17TH, 2025.
ARE THERE OTHER MEMBERS OF THE COMMISSION WHO HAVE NOT SEEN THE AUDIT?
[00:20:01]
YES.AND YOU ARE GOING TO PROVIDE COPIES TO THE ENTIRE COMMISSION, IS THAT CORRECT? YES.
COMMISSIONER BOWMAN, HOW DID YOU GET IT? I GOT IT AS A, UM, PART OF THE AGENDA.
WELL, THE JANUARY MEETING, AND I DON'T KNOW WHY I GOT IT OR HOW I GOT IT.
AND WHEN I BROUGHT IT UP AT THE JANUARY MEETING, EVERYONE SAID, WE NEVER SAW IT.
IT, IT, AND I SAT THERE THINKING, MAYBE I'M LOOKING AT SOMETHING ELSE.
A LOT OF THINGS COME THROUGH MY COMPUTER.
AND I, I SAID, WELL, I'LL GO BACK AND LOOK AT IT.
AND I DIDN'T BRING IT UP AT THE JANUARY MEETING.
I BROUGHT IT UP AT THE APRIL MEETING.
AND I THOUGHT, THIS IS REALLY INTERESTING.
AND IT LOOKS AS IF THIS IS, BECAUSE AGAIN, AS YOU SAID, UM, MR. BANKEY WAS, BECAUSE IT WAS PART OF THE LEGAL DEPARTMENT AND NOT PART OF AN INDEPENDENT THING, BUT NOW THAT WE HAVE OUR INDEPENDENCE, HOPEFULLY THEY'LL BE MOVING TOWARDS IT.
AND EVERYBODY LOOKED AT ME AND SAID, NO, WE NEVER GOT IT.
AND I THOUGHT, WELL, COULD IT BE FOR SOME OTHER ISSUE THAT, YOU KNOW, SOME OTHER ORGANIZATION THAT I'M WORKING WITH? BUT IT WASN'T
MR. MR. CHAIR FOR, FOR CLARIFICATION.
UM, THIS AUDIT WAS POSTED ONLINE, AS A MATTER OF FACT, I USED IT AS PART OF MY RESEARCH, UM, THROUGH THE, UM, THE INTERVIEWING PROCESS.
UM, BECAUSE I WAS COMING IN FROM THE OUTSIDE, I, I DIDN'T HAVE INTERNAL KNOWLEDGE.
AND SO I FOUND IT POSTED ONLINE, UM, UNDER THE, UH, I BELIEVE THERE WAS A, THERE'S A BODY OF WORK THAT THE CITY AUDITOR HAD BEEN DOING, AND THIS WAS ONE OF THE AUDITS AS PART OF THAT, THAT LARGER PORTFOLIO THAT HAD BEEN LISTED.
UM, MR. CHAIR, CAN I ASK A COUPLE QUESTIONS? YES, PLEASE.
FIRST, UH, MR. INSPECTOR GENERAL, SORRY, I'M NOT THERE IN PERSON.
I WAS LOOKING FORWARD TO MEETING YOU.
UH, YOUR BACKGROUND IS INCREDIBLE.
UM, AND SO I KNOW YOU'LL SEND AROUND YOUR, UM, YOU'LL SEND AROUND YOUR, YOUR RESUME, BUT I HAD, UM, I HAD DONE MY OWN INDEPENDENT, UH, AS ANY GOOD LAWYER WOULD DO.
UH, I DID MY OWN INDEPENDENT INVESTIGATION, UH, WHEN I, WHEN I HEARD ABOUT YOU.
WE'RE LUCKY TO, WE'RE LUCKY TO HAVE YOU.
I THINK I, I JUST WANTED TO FLAG A COUPLE THINGS, AND THROUGH THOSE, I WANTED TO ASK YOU A COUPLE QUESTIONS.
ONE, UM, I'VE BEEN ON THE BOARD, I'VE BEEN ON THE COMMISSION FOR A WHILE NOW, AND I'M PRIVILEGED TO DO IT.
AND HAPPY, GRATEFUL TO HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY.
IT'S, THIS ROLE HAS EVOLVED OVER TIME.
UM, YOU KNOW, BEFORE WE WERE KIND OF THE GATEKEEPER, AM I ECHOING OKAY, OR CAN YOU GUYS, CAN YOU GUYS HEAR ME? YOU'RE FINE.
UM, EARLIER, BEFORE THE BEFORE, UH, THE PRIOR INSPECTOR GENERAL CAME ON, OUR ROLE WAS VERY DIFFERENT.
UM, WE WERE, WE WERE KIND OF THAT FIRST GATEKEEPER AND, AND IT WASN'T NECESSARILY SUSTAINABLE, WHICH I THINK IS WHY WE NOW HAVE THE, THE STRUCTURE THAT WE HAVE.
AND I COMPLETELY AGREE WITH YOU ABOUT THE IMPORTANCE OF THE INDEPENDENCE, BUT IN THAT PROCESS, THERE'S BEEN A LITTLE BIT OF A DISCONNECT.
LIKE, FOR EXAMPLE, I THINK THE REASON YOU'RE GETTING SOME OF THESE QUESTIONS, AND I'LL SPEAK ONLY FOR MYSELF, BUT I ACTUALLY DIDN'T KNOW, I DIDN'T FULLY APPRECIATE THERE WAS EVEN AN ISSUE, RIGHT? LIKE, I DIDN'T, WHEN I SAW THIS EMAIL ABOUT THERE BEING A NEW INSPECTOR GENERAL, THAT WAS THE FIRST I HAD HEARD ABOUT IT, RIGHT? AND I'M NOT SAYING THAT WE DESERVE ANY SORT OF, OR THAT I DESERVED ANY SORT OF PRIORITY.
I'M JUST SAYING THAT I THINK AT TIMES THERE'S BEEN A LITTLE BIT OF DISCONNECT.
AND THAT'S PROBABLY GOOD BECAUSE OUR ROLE, AGAIN, IS DIFFERENT.
I'D LOVE TO KIND OF HEAR, BASED ON WHAT YOU'VE STUDIED, AND THIS WILL BE, YOU'RE GONNA CONTINUE TO DIG IN, I'D LOVE TO HEAR HOW YOU VIEW THIS COMMISSION, BECAUSE I THINK AS, AND, AND ITS ROLE SO THAT WE CAN SUPPORT YOU, BUT ALSO DO OUR JOB OF HOLDING ACCOUNTABLE WHATEVER, YOU KNOW, ALL THESE THINGS, RIGHT? ALL THESE BOXES THAT WE NEED TO CHECK WHILE NOT THINKING THAT OUR ROLE IS ANY MORE IMPORTANT THAN IT IS.
SO THAT'S ONE BUCKET IS KIND OF WHAT HAVE YOU BEEN, WHAT HAVE YOU BEEN TOLD ABOUT THE ROLE OF THIS COMMISSION AND, AND, AND HOW DO YOU VIEW THE ROLE OF THIS COMMISSION? THAT'S NUMBER ONE.
NUMBER TWO IS, I'M REALLY HAPPY TO HEAR WHAT YOU SAID ABOUT THE HIGHER PROFILE ISSUES.
AND, AND IT'S NOT TO SAY, RIGHT, THAT YOU, THAT YOU WANT TO FIND MASSIVE CORRUPTION, RIGHT? LIKE, HOPEFULLY, HOPEFULLY YOU DIG IN AND THERE'S NOT MUCH.
BUT I THINK ONE OF MY PERSONAL FRUSTRATIONS OVER THE LAST YEAR OR SO, SEVERAL MONTHS, WAS THAT WE ONLY HAD A HANDFUL OF THESE EVIDENTIARY HEARINGS, AND THEY WERE, I, I DON'T WANT TO USE THE ADJECTIVES SILLY, BECAUSE I COMPLETELY ECHO WHAT YOU SAID.
YOU KNOW, THESE ARE ANY VIOLATION IS, IS IMPORTANT.
UM, BUT THEY WERE VERY SMALL DOLLAR.
AND I THINK ALL OF US KIND OF LOOKED AT EACH OTHER THINKING, WHAT ARE WE, WHAT ARE WE DOING? I MEAN, WHAT, WHAT ARE WE
[00:25:01]
DOING? WE'VE ALL GIVEN UP A DAY OR TWO.AND IT WAS LIKE THE MOST RECENT HEARING I HAD, THE INDIVIDUAL HAD AGREED, HE HAD AGREED TO LIABILITY, AND HE HAD AGREED TO THE, TO THE RECOMMENDED SANCTION.
UM, BUT YET WE HAD KIND OF GONE THROUGH THE ENTIRE PROCESS.
SO I JUST, I DON'T MEAN THAT TO BE DISRESPECTFUL.
I JUST THINK IT'S GOOD FOR YOU TO BE AWARE THAT, YOU KNOW, THERE HAVE ONLY BEEN A HANDFUL OF EVIDE EVIDENTIARY HEARINGS THAT WE'VE HAD UNDER THIS MODEL, AND THOSE WERE, HEY, THIS GUY STOLE SOME SCRAP AND PUT IT IN THE BACK OF HIS CAR, AND HE'S SORRY, AND, YOU KNOW, LET'S MOVE ON, KIND OF THING.
AND, AND THAT'S STILL NOT GOOD.
WE DON'T NEED TO HAVE CITY EMPLOYEES STEALING SCRAP.
UM, BUT I THINK THERE'S A WAY FOR YOU USING YOUR BACKGROUND AND SOPHISTICATION AND YOUR TEAM.
YOU'VE GOT, YOU'VE GOT TWO IMPRESSIVE PEOPLE SITTING NEXT TO YOU, UM, TO KIND OF NAVIGATE, TO NAVIGATE THAT.
SO I JUST WANT, THAT'S MORE OF JUST FLAGGING FOR YOU.
AND THEN THE LAST THING, AND THEN I'LL BE QUIET.
EVERYBODY KNOWS IN THIS GROUP, I, I TALK A LOT, SO I'LL BE QUIET FOR THIS.
TO ME, ONE OF THE BIGGEST GOALS HERE IS FOR US TO PUT YOU IN A POSITION WHERE PEOPLE REALLY TRUST YOU.
AND ALL, I THINK, I COMPLETELY AGREE, ALL THE DATA ANALYTICS IS KEY THAT'S GONNA ALLOW YOU TO KNOW WHERE TO GO AND SUSS THINGS OUT.
BUT, UM, JUST LIKE YOU SAID, YOU SITTING IN YOUR OFFICE, LIKE YOU SITTING IN YOUR OFFICE DOES, THAT'S NO GOOD.
IT'S KIND LIKE IN A LAW FIRM, THE BEST BUSINESS DEVELOPERS, THEY, THEY DON'T NEED TO BE WRITING THE BRIEFS.
THEY NEED TO BE OUT IN THE FIELD.
THEY NEED TO BE TAKING PEOPLE TO LUNCH OR HAVING LUNCH.
THEY NEED TO BE MEETING WITH THESE PEOPLE SO THAT THERE'S TRUST IN THE COMMUNITY.
'CAUSE THAT'S WHERE YOU'RE GONNA FIND, AND I KNOW YOU KNOW THIS BETTER THAN ANYONE GIVEN YOUR CV, THAT'S WHERE YOU'RE GONNA FIND, UH, THE KEY COMPLAINTS.
UM, PEOPLE ARE GONNA TRUST ME.
AND SO I JUST KIND OF WANTED TO HEAR HOW YOU'RE GONNA DO THAT, RIGHT? YOU'RE, YOU'RE NEW TO DALLAS, WHICH IS NOT A BAD THING.
I THINK IT GIVES YOU A FRESH PERSPECTIVE.
AND SO HOW ARE YOU GOING TO IMMERSE YOURSELF NOT JUST WITH LIKE A PRESS RELEASE, NOT JUST WITH THE DATA, BUT ALSO SO THAT PEOPLE KNOW, HEY, I CAN GO TO THIS MAN AND, UM, AND OR HIS TEAM AND, AND REALLY CONFIDE AND YOU HAVE YOUR, YOUR EAR TO THE GROUND.
SO THOSE ARE JUST KIND OF THE THREE BUCKETS I WANTED TO MENTION TO YOU, KIND OF GET AND GET YOUR REACTION TO.
WELL, THANK YOU VERY MUCH, SIR.
UM, I'M, I WILL START WITH THE THIRD BUCKET FIRST, AND I WILL WORK MY WAY BACK.
UM, IT'S ABSOLUTELY ESSENTIAL THAT WE HAVE CREDIBILITY AS AN OFFICE, AND HAVING THAT CREDIBILITY MEANS PROTECTING INFORMATION.
UM, I, I, I WANNA INVITE ANYONE FROM THIS COMMISSION, UM, AND EVEN ANYONE FROM THE CITY COUNCIL TO COME TO OUR OFFICE SPACE AT ANY TIME AND SEE THAT, UM, OUR PHYSICAL OFFICE SPACE IS NOT CONDUCIVE TO AN INVESTIGATION ORGANIZATION.
UM, IT IS BASICALLY A PHONE CENTER, UH, TYPE SITUATION WHERE ATTORNEYS AND INVESTIGATORS CANNOT EVEN HAVE A PRIVATE CONVERSATION.
SO, UH, I TOTALLY AGREE, SIR, WHEN YOU SUGGEST PEOPLE NEED TO BE ABLE TO ENGAGE WITH US, AND WE NEED TO GO OUT AND ENGAGE, WE HAVE TO HAVE THE APPROPRIATE ENVIRONMENT FOR, FOR PEOPLE TO HAVE THE COMFORT AND ANONYMITY IF THEY CHOOSE TO COME IN TO TALK TO US IN A PRIVATE SETTING, UM, THAT CURRENTLY DOESN'T EXIST.
UM, WE DO HAVE TO ENGAGE, AND I WILL TALK TO ANYONE THAT'S WILLING TO TALK TO ME ABOUT THE INDEPENDENCE OF THE OFFICE AND HOW WE NEED TO HAVE A PROACTIVE APPROACH.
UM, ANY, ANYONE FROM, UH, THE CITY COUNCIL, ANYONE DOING BUSINESS WITH THE CITY, UM, OUR JOB ISN'T TO PLAY GOTCHA.
IT'S TO ENSURE THAT WE HAVE ETHICS AND INTEGRITY IN THE SYSTEM AND CONFIDENCE IN GOVERNMENT, AND THAT COMMUNICATION IS ESSENTIAL SO THAT PEOPLE HAVE FAITH IN WHERE THEIR TAX DOLLARS ARE BEING SPENT.
SO BY, BY ENGAGING, AS YOU'RE SUGGESTING, UM, NOT ONLY PEOPLE, UH, WITHIN, UH, THE CITY GOVERNMENT, BUT PEOPLE DOING BUSINESS WITH THE CITY GOVERNMENT AND, UM, HAVING AN OPPORTUNITY TO TALK TO THOSE PEOPLE, UH, WE WELCOME THAT.
UH, SO MO MOVING ON THEN TO THE, UM, MY PERCEPTION OF, UH, THIS PARTICULAR, UH, COMMISSION.
UH, I DIDN'T KNOW A LOT ABOUT THE, THIS PARTICULAR COMMISSION BEFORE STARTING TWO WEEKS AGO.
AND, UM, I DID SEE SOME OF THE, UH, YOU KNOW, THROUGH SOME HISTORIC RESEARCH, SOME OF THE ITEMS THAT WERE BROUGHT FORWARD, UH, TO THIS COMMISSION.
UH, ALL I CAN SAY IS WE HAVE TO HAVE BETTER QUALITY OF ISSUES COMING BEFORE THIS COMMISSION.
SO WE DON'T WASTE ANYONE'S TIME.
WE DON'T WASTE OUR TIME, YOU KNOW, PROSECUTION AND INVESTIGATIVE RESOURCES ON SOMETHING THAT I DON'T WANNA SAY IS TRIVIAL, BUT WHERE WE'RE NOT MAXIMIZING TAXPAYER'S DOLLARS.
[00:30:01]
SO I TOTALLY AGREE THAT THE ISSUES THAT SHOULD COME BEFORE THIS COMMISSION SHOULD BE ISSUES OF SUBSTANCE.WE DO NOT HAVE LAW ENFORCEMENT AUTHORITY, AND WE DO HAVE TO, UM, AFFORD DUE PROCESS TO INDIVIDUALS, UM, WHO, WHO WANT TO POSSIBLY CHALLENGE FINDINGS.
AND THEN WE RELY UPON YOU TO SIFT THROUGH THE FACTS, UM, AND OF OUR REPORTS.
BUT ONCE AGAIN, MY COMMITMENT THROUGH, UH, THE PROACTIVE APPROACH IS GOING TO BE QUALITY, NOT JUST QUANTITY OF ISSUES COMING BEFORE, UH, THIS PARTICULAR COMMISSION.
UM, AND I'M JUST TAKING A LOOK HERE ON THE FIRST, THE, THE PROCESS THAT TOOK PLACE PRIOR TO MY ARRIVAL, I THINK, UM, WE'RE IN A GROWING PHASE.
WE'RE IN A BUILDING PHASE, AND WE'RE GONNA HAVE SOME GROWING PAINS, UM, THROUGH THIS BUILDING PHASE.
THE FIRST PHASE WAS TO EVEN CREATE, UH, A DIVISION OF, OF, OF AN INSPECTOR GENERAL AND HAVE AN INSPECTOR GENERAL REPORTING THROUGH THE, THE CITY ATTORNEY'S OFFICE.
AND THAT TOOK PLACE, I WANNA SAY 2022.
AND THEN IT'S MY UNDERSTANDING, UH, LAST NOVEMBER, THE CITIZENS OF, OF, UM, DALLAS, UH, VOTED OVERWHELMINGLY FOR AN INDEPENDENT OFFICE OF INSPECTOR GENERAL.
SO THEN THAT TRANSITION WAS MADE.
NOW WE ARE AN OFFICE OF INSPECTOR GENERAL.
WE'RE IN AN OFFICE OF INSPECTOR GENERAL IN NAME, WE'RE KIND OF A HOUSE WITHOUT A FOUNDATION NOW.
AND NOW COMES THE BUILDING PHASE.
WE HAVE TO SOLIDIFY THAT FOUNDATION, UH, THROUGH DATA ANALYTICS AND THROUGH ROCK SOLID SYSTEMS THAT PROTECT INFORMATION, PROTECT, UM, REPUTATIONS.
AND SO THAT IF ANYTHING IS CHALLENGED, WE DON'T HAVE TO SAY, WELL, WE CAN'T TELL YOU FOR SURE BECAUSE WE HAVE VULNERABLE PROCESSES.
SO RIGHT NOW WE'RE IN A BUILDING PHASE TO SHOW UP THOSE PROCESSES.
AND THEN AS WE MOVE FORWARD WITH THE IMPLEMENTATION OF OUR DATA ANALYTIC PROACTIVE APPROACH, WE WILL THEN MOVE ON TO THE NEXT PHASE OF, OF LAW ENFORCEMENT, UH, AUTHORITY, WHICH IS MORE OF THE STRATEGIC APPROACH.
SO I, I REALLY, I THINK THE PROCESS IS MORE ORGANIC AT THIS POINT.
I, I DON'T THINK THERE WAS ANY, ANYTHING FAULTY WITH THE PROCESS.
I THINK IT'S JUST NATURAL GROWTH, AND IT SEEMS TO BE FOLLOWING AN APPROPRIATE PATH, UH, TO DO THE RIGHT THINGS FOR THE, UH, RESIDENTS OF DALLAS.
UM, CREATING INDEPENDENCE, SOLIDIFYING A STRUCTURE, AND THEN BUILDING A SOPHISTICATED ORGANIZATION.
AND WE HAVE TO BE A SOPHISTICATED INVESTIGATIVE ENTITY BECAUSE THIS IS A WORLD-CLASS CITY, AND THE CITY DESERVES THAT.
UM, TAKING A LOOK, WHEN YOU DO HAVE A CHANCE TO TAKE A LOOK AT THE AUDIT, YOU CAN SEE THERE WAS A COMPARISON DONE, UH, WITH A PRO WITH OTHER CITIES, SIMILAR SIZE CITIES.
UH, I BELIEVE SIX OTHER CITIES.
WE ARE $1 MILLION BELOW THE AVERAGE, UH, EXPENDITURES OF SIMILAR SIZED CITIES OFFICES OF INSPECTOR GENERAL.
SO WE'RE NOT, WE'RE NOT ASKING FOR A LOT OF MONEY.
WHAT WE'RE ASKING FOR IS LEVERAGING TECHNOLOGY, RESTRUCTURING THE OFFICE, UM, BUILDING AN INDEPENDENCE, HAVING ROCK SOLID FORENSIC TOOLS AND SYSTEMS SO THAT WE CAN, WE CAN DO MORE WITH LESS.
UM, AND THEN ONCE WE HAVE HAD THAT FOUNDATION, MAYBE TWO YEARS FROM NOW, ASK FOR, UH, SOME MORE INVESTIGATORS.
SO THE, THE SHORT ANSWER TO YOUR FIRST QUESTION WAS, I THINK THIS WAS AN ORGANIC PROCESS THAT'S GOING IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION.
OH, MR. SMITH, DO YOU HAVE ANY FOLLOW UP? YOU'RE GO, YOU'RE GOOD.
I, WELL, I, THERE'S JUST ONE OTHER THING I WANTED TO ASK YOU, MR. INSPECTOR GENERAL, AND THEN, AND THEN I'M DONE.
ONE, THE, THE OTHER THING I WANTED TO FLAG FOR YOU IS, UM, SOME OF THESE PROVISIONS IN THE CODE, UM, ARE VERY IMPORTANT.
AND, AND I HAVE NO OTHER, I WOULDN'T PHRASE THEM ANY DIFFERENTLY, BUT THEY'RE, THEY'RE SOMEWHAT SQUISHY IN THAT THEY SAY, FOR EXAMPLE, YOU KNOW, EVERY, UH, EVERY OFF, EVERY ELECTED OFFICIAL OR EVERY, UH, CITY EMPLOYEE SHOULD OPERATE WITH THE HIGHEST LEVEL OF INTEGRITY, ET CETERA.
RIGHT? WHICH I AGREE WITH THAT COMPLETELY.
ONE THING I NOTICED BEFORE WE HAD THE OFFICER, THE INSPECTOR GENERAL, WHEN WE WERE INITIALLY THE GATEKEEPER, THERE WERE A LOT OF, UH, WE HAD A TON OF HEARINGS ON, LIKE, FOR EXAMPLE, THERE IS A, OH, UM, THIS CITY COUNCIL PERSON RESPONDED TO ME,
[00:35:01]
I'M, I'M SAYING, WE HEARD COMPLAINTS FROM PEOPLE SAYING, UH, CITY COUNCIL PERSON RESPONDED TO ME ON FACEBOOK, AND IT WAS RUDE, AND, YOU KNOW, THIS, THIS, UH, WAS NOT, UH, SOMEONE WHO WAS OPERATING AT THE HIGHEST LEVEL POSSIBLE.SO I JUST, I WANNA FLAG THAT FOR YOU IN THAT I DON'T HAVE A SOLUTION NECESSARILY, BUT IT'S SOMETHING TO LOOK OUT FOR THAT WE CAN'T CHANGE.
I MEAN, THOSE, THOSE PROVISIONS ARE KEY, BUT THEY'RE KIND OF LIKE, THEY, THAT THOSE PROVISIONS SET THE STAGE FOR THE CLEAR VIOLATIONS, RIGHT? LIKE THE SELF-DEALING VIOLATIONS, SOMEONE, YOU KNOW, IMPROPERLY TRANSFERRING MONEY, THEFT, UM, BRIBERY, LIKE THOSE TYPES OF THINGS THAT WE THINK OF WHEN WE THINK OF CORRUPTION AND INSPECTOR GENERAL, ET CETERA.
AND SO IT'S JUST SOMETHING I WANTED YOU TO BE AWARE OF AS YOU, AS YOU FILTER IN A LOT OF THESE, UH, POTENTIAL COMPLAINTS.
WE WILL, WE WILL KEEP AN EYE ON THAT.
AND, UH, WE, UH, WE'LL GO THROUGH THE NORMAL PROCESS OF MAKING ANY, UH, UH, CHANGES, UH, TO THE CODE AS, AS SUGGESTED, UM, TO MAKE, UM, ANY OPERATION MORE EFFICIENT.
UM, BUT WE DO HAVE TO, UH, I DON'T KNOW, BARON, IF YOU WANNA, UH, TOUCH ON THE PROCESS OF AMENDING ANY LANGUAGE IN THE CODE.
AND JUST, JUST TO BE CLEAR, I'M NOT AN ATTORNEY.
I'M A CAREER LAW ENFORCEMENT EXECUTIVE.
UM, SO WHEN IT COMES TIME TO, UH, LEGAL OPINIONS, I HAVE MY COLLEAGUES THAT I WILL RELY UPON, UH, FOR THAT.
SO I WOULD, UH, TURN IT OVER TO YOU, BARON, IF YOU WANT TO, UH, UH, JUST TOUCH ON, UM, HOW WE WOULD, UH, CHANGE ANY, UH, OH, THE PROCESS, CHANGING ANY LANGUAGE.
SO WE WORK CLOSELY WITH, UH, LAURA MORRISON, THE CITY ATTORNEY'S OFFICE, WHEN WE COME UP WITH THINGS, AND SOMETIMES THEY COME UP WITH THINGS AND THEY'LL RUN IT PAST US.
WE'LL COME UP WITH THINGS AND WE MAKE SURE THE LANGUAGE IS GOOD.
AND THEN, AS YOU RECALL AT YOUR LAST MEETING, UH, WE'RE, WE'RE REALLY FOCUSED RIGHT NOW ON THE ISSUE OF STRENGTHENING THE CODE, AS AN EXAMPLE, STRENGTHENING THE CODE OF, OF ETHICS WHEN IT COMES TO PE UH, PERSONS DOING BUSINESS WITH THE CITY.
AND SO YOU ALL REVIEWED THAT, AND THAT WAS SOMETHING THAT, UH, LAURA AND I PARTICULARLY WORKED, UH, HARD ON.
'CAUSE SHE TOOK A LOT OF THINGS THAT, THAT I HAD PUT IN THERE, AND SHE MADE THEM VERY SIMPLE IN ONE
UM, BUT, UH, IN THAT PARTICULAR CASE, THE NEXT STEP WOULD'VE BEEN TO TAKE IT TO AN AD HOC COMMITTEE, WHICH WAS SHUT DOWN.
AND SO NOW WE'RE WAITING FOR COUNSEL TO COME BACK UP, AND WE'LL EITHER RUN IT, UH, THROUGH COUNSEL BY WAY OF OUR OFFICE, OR WE'LL WAIT FOR AN AD HOC COMMITTEE TO COME UP AND, AND RUN IT THAT WAY.
THAT'S MY UNDERSTANDING, LAURA, OF HOW, UH, THOSE THINGS WORK.
RIGHT? SO, CHANGES TO CHAPTER 12 A, THE CODE OF ETHICS.
UM, THOSE AMENDMENTS DO COME THROUGH THE ETHICS ADVISORY COMMISSION THAT FALLS UNDER YOUR POWERS AND DUTIES.
AND SO ONCE THIS COMMISSION MAKES A RECOMMENDATION ON ANY AMENDMENTS TO THE CODE OF ETHICS, TYPICALLY WE WOULD SEND THAT THROUGH A COUNCIL COMMITTEE.
IT WOULD BE BRIEFED TO A COMMITTEE SO THAT THEY KNOW WHAT'S, WHAT'S GOING ON.
AND, AND SO WHEN THEY SEE THAT ON THEIR AGENDA FOR VOTING PURPOSES, UM, A COMMITTEE HAS BEEN BRIEFED AND A COMMITTEE WILL MAKE A RECOMMENDATION AS WELL.
UM, BUT LIKE BARON SAID, UM, AFTER THE, UM, CITY COUNCIL ELECTIONS IN MAY, THE MAYOR HAD DISBANDED, UH, THE COMMITTEES, UM, IN THE INTERIM, WHILE WE'RE WAITING FOR THE NEW CITY COUNCIL TO BE SWORN IN, UH, WHICH HAPPENED IN JUNE.
AND NOW, AS YOU KNOW, COUNCIL IS ON THEIR ANNUAL JULY RECESS.
SO THEY'LL RECONVENE, UM, IN AUGUST, AND WE ANTICIPATE, UM, COMMITTEES, WE'LL BE BACK UP AND RUNNING, AND WE'LL BE ABLE TO TAKE, UM, THOSE LATEST AMENDMENTS THAT THIS, UH, COMMISSION RECOMMENDED APPROVAL ON THROUGH A COMMITTEE AND THEN TO COUNCIL FOR A FINAL VOTE.
IN, IN THE PAST, UM, THE COMMISSION, NOT THE COMMISSION, BUT THE OFFICE DID NOT HAVE SUBPOENA POWER.
DO YOU NOW HAVE SUBPOENA AUTHORITY? BECAUSE THAT WAS ONE OF THE THINGS I BELIEVE THAT WAS IN THE AUDIT THAT WAS RECOMMENDED, AND I DON'T KNOW IF IT'S CHANGED OR NOT, SINCE WE MOVED TO A COMPLETELY SEPARATE ORGANIZATION, YOU KNOW, MISSION.
I, I, I'LL REFER TO MY COLLEAGUE WHO'S, UH, UH, THE ATTORNEY, UH, TO ADDRESS THAT.
YES, WE DO LAURA, LAURA PHELAN, OFFICE OF INSPECTOR GENERAL.
WE DO, UH, HAVE, AND WE HAVE HAD, UH, THE POWER IN INVESTIGATIONS TO SUBPOENA WITNESSES AND DOCUMENTS.
IF WE REACH A HEARING AND A WITNESS DOES NOT APPEAR UNDER THE CODE, WE THEN HAVE TO SEEK, UH,
[00:40:01]
THAT SUBPOENA THROUGH THE COMMISSION.OKAY? BECAUSE OBVIOUSLY, IF YOU'RE GOING TO LOOK FOR, UM, THINGS THAT ARE SIGNIFICANT FINANCIAL COSTS, YOU NEED THE OPPORTUNITY TO HAVE THAT.
AND THEN THE OTHER THING WOULD BE THE ENFORCEMENT, UM, WHICH YOU CAN'T HAVE WITHOUT THE SUBPOENA PATENT.
ARE THERE ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? UM, JUST ONE QUICK QUESTION, AGAIN, AS A NEW MEMBER, I APOLOGIZE, BUT WAS THIS AUDIT DONE, UH, IN RESPONSE? WAS IT MORE OF A ROUTINE PROCESS, OR WAS IT DONE IN RESPONSE TO A CONCERN OVER, UH, PERCEIVED VULNERABILITIES? UH, I WILL TURN THIS OVER TO, UH, LAURA.
THAT WAS, THAT WAS BEFORE MY TIME, AND SHE HAS THE INSTITUTIONAL, UH, BACKGROUND ON THAT.
SO BACK IN 2023, IT WAS REQUESTED BY A COUPLE MEMBERS ON COUNCIL, AND IT WENT THROUGH GPFM, AND IT WAS APPROVED BY THAT COMMITTEE.
I JUST, THIS HAS COME UP BEFORE AND IT'S NOTHING SPECIFIC TO ANYTHING WELCOME, BY THE WAY.
UM, UH, WE'VE DISCUSSED AT SOME POINTS THAT IT WOULD BE NICE IF WE GOT INFORMATION PERTINENT TO THIS COMMISSION.
I MEAN, WE ARE NOT ALL SPENDING OUR DAYS PERUSING THE CITY WEBSITE, SO IF THERE'S A COUNCIL MEETING OR AN AUDIT OR A REPORT OR ANYTHING THAT WOULD BE RELEVANT, I WOULD APPRECIATE IT.
THAT WOULD BE KIND OF SENT TO US, LIKE A LINK OR SOMETHING.
LIKE, HERE'S A CITY COUNCIL MEETING, THEY'RE DISCUSSING THIS.
IT MIGHT PERTAIN TO THIS COMMISSION.
UM, AND WE'VE DISCUSSED BEFORE, I DON'T KNOW THE, THE AVENUE THROUGH WHICH WE COULD BE INFORMED OF THAT, BUT I THINK IT WOULD PERSONALLY BE HELPFUL AS, AS PART OF OUR, WELL, THANK YOU, UH, FOR THE COMMENT.
AS PART OF OUR PROACTIVE APPROACH, I THINK, UM, SENDING, UH, THIS BODY PERTINENT INFORMATION IS BEING PROACTIVE.
UM, AND IF, IF IT'S APPROPRIATE TO COME FROM ME, UH, JUST TO SEND, UM, AN EMAIL, UM, AND ATTACH SOMETHING, OR IF IT HAS TO BE MORE FORMAL IN NATURE, UH, WE WILL DO THAT.
AND IF ANYTHING COMES ACROSS OUR DESK, USUALLY, UH, YOU KNOW, BARON OR LAURA WILL SAY, YOU KNOW, YOU KNOW, MAYBE THE COMMISSION SHOULD KNOW ABOUT THIS.
UM, WE WILL BE PROACTIVE IN THAT AND, AND TRY TO, UH, SEND THAT TYPE OF INFORMATION, BECAUSE I KNOW, UM, YOU'RE BUSY AND, UH, SOMETIMES, UM, NARROWING DOWN THE AMOUNT OF INFORMATION THAT YOU HAVE TO LOOK THROUGH WOULD BE HELPFUL.
SO I, I THINK THAT KIND OF DOVETAILS WITH OUR PROACTIVE APPROACH.
MR. MACKEY, DO YOU HAVE ANY OTHER COMMENTS YOU WOULD LIKE TO MAKE FOR THE COUNCIL? WHICH, I MEAN FOR THE COMMISSION, SIR? I, I JUST WANT TO, I, I'M SORRY.
YEAH, I WAS GOING TO SAY THAT I LINE WITH WHAT MY, UM, CO COLLEAGUE OVER HERE WOULD SAY.
UM, YES, THEY'RE, MOST OF US ARE, ARE BUSY, AND WE HAVE OTHER THINGS.
BUT, UM, I THINK THAT THIS ETHICS AS A BIOETHICIST, UM, UM, ETHICS ARE VERY, VERY IMPORTANT TO ME PERSONALLY.
BUT I THINK THEY'RE IMPORTANT FOR THE CITY.
AND I THINK THAT, UM, I DON'T KNOW HOW YOU FEEL, BUT I KNOW I FEEL UNDERUTILIZED IN TERMS OF, UM, ANY KIND OF CONTRIBUTION TO MAKE, UM, TOWARDS THE INSPECTOR GENERAL'S OFFICE.
AND I'VE WORKED FOR THE INSPECTOR GENERAL ALSO AT HHS.
UH, SO, UM, AND I THINK THAT WE CAN BE USED, WE ARE THE CITIZENS AND WE WERE APPOINTED BY SOMEONE ON THAT COUNCIL.
AND I THINK THAT THERE MAY BE TIMES, UM, NOBODY'S LOOKING TO, TO SPEND ALL OF OUR TIME DOING THAT.
BUT IF YOU FIND THAT, UM, OUR EFFORTS COULD BE HELPFUL IN SOME WAY TO MAKE A PRESENTATION OR EVEN TO MAKE COMMENTS ON HOW THE CONDITION FEELS, NOT SO MUCH AS THE IG FEELS, UM, I THINK THAT YOU WOULD FIND THAT, UM, ANYBODY ON THIS, UH, COMMISSION WOULD BE HAPPY TO ASSIST IN THAT WAY.
SO, WELL, THANK YOU VERY MUCH, MA'AM.
I CAN USE ALL THE HELP I CAN GET AT THIS POINT.
AND, UH, IF THERE'S, IF THERE'S SOME NEW APPROACHES, UM, I'M, I'M WILLING TO LISTEN AND TALK TO ANYONE AT THIS POINT, BECAUSE THIS IS, THIS IS ABOUT, UH, THE RESIDENTS, AS YOU SAID, THE CITIZENS OF, OF DALLAS, AND THEY DESERVE EFFICIENCY, EFFECTIVE, CREDIBLE GOVERNMENT, AND, UH,
[00:45:01]
THE INSPECTOR GENERAL'S OFFICE NEEDS TO BE THE STANDARD BEARER FOR THAT, UM, SO THAT WE CAN ENSURE COMPETENCE IN, UH, THE CITY GOVERNMENT.UM, I JUST, I WANT TO THANK ALL OF YOU, UH, FOR TAKING TIME TO MEET WITH ME TODAY SO I COULD INTRODUCE MYSELF AND AT LEAST TOUCH UPON, UH, THE DIRECTION.
FEEL FREE, UH, TO CONTACT ME AT ANY TIME IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS.
UM, I'VE GOT OUTSTANDING STAFF.
UH, THAT'S ONE OF THE THINGS, UH, THAT, UM, UH, I WAS IMPRESSED WITH WHEN I CAME IN THAT WE, WE HAVE SOME ROCK SOLID PEOPLE, UH, THAT HAVE BEEN DOING THIS WORK.
AND, UH, I, I DO DEPEND ON THEM.
AND, UH, I, I WANNA THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME TODAY.
WHAT, WHAT IS YOUR CONTACT INFORMATION? UH, WE WILL SEND THAT TO YOU WITH, UH, WITH THE COPY OF THE AUDIT REPORT, WITH A COPY OF MY RESUME, UM, AND THEN ALSO A COPY OF THE, UM, THE STRUCTURAL, UH, CHANGES THAT, THAT WE INTEND TO MAKE OVER THE NEXT 60 DAYS OR SO.
SO THAT'LL BE PART OF THE ENTIRE INFORMATION PACKAGE WE'LL SEND TO YOU.
ALRIGHT, WELL, ALI, THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
UH, WELL, UH, MR. MINKE, IF I MAY, UH, YOUR PLATE IS INCREDIBLY FULL, UH, PARTICULARLY BEING NEW IN THE ROLE, UH, BUT IF YOU, AT ANY TIME, WHETHER NOW OR LATER, UH, CARE TO SHARE ANY GUIDANCE, UH, AS TO HOW WE CAN USE OUR, UH, PROFESSIONAL, PERSONAL, UH, COMMUNITY CONNECTIONS, UH, ENSURING, MAKING INTRODUCTIONS THAT WOULD BE RELEVANT TO YOU, UH, THAT ARE APPROPRIATE FOR A, YOU KNOW, THE USE OF YOUR TIME.
GIVEN ALL THAT YOU HAVE TO SAY GRACE OVER RIGHT NOW, PLEASE DO LET US KNOW, UM, BECAUSE I THINK IT WOULD BE A PLEASURE TO DO THAT.
AS, AS YOU BECOME FAMILIAR WITH YOUR, YOUR NEW COMMUNITY, WELCOME TO DALLAS.
ALRIGHT HERE, HEARING NO OTHER QUESTIONS FROM THE COMMISSION.
UH, MR. MANKEY, THANK YOU VERY MUCH AND WELCOME TO YOUR NEW POSITION.
UH, WE APPRECIATE YOUR, YOUR COMMENTS TODAY.
UH, IF THERE ARE, IF THERE'S NO OTHER BUSINESS BEFORE THE COMMISSION, UH, THEN WE WILL ADJOURN.
WE'RE GOING, GOING TO THE NEXT REGULAR SCHEDULED MEETING IS SCHEDULED FOR OCTOBER 21ST, 2025 AT 9:30 AM AND THERE BEING NO FURTHER BUSINESS, THE MEETING IS ADJOURNED AT 10:42 AM THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR YOUR PARTICIPATION.