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YOU.[Ethics Advisory Commission on January 20, 2026.]
GOOD MORNING, LADIES AND GENTLEMEN.WELCOME TO THE MEETING OF ETHICS ADVISORY COMMISSION OF THE CITY OF DALLAS.
IT IS 9:36 AM ON TUESDAY, JANUARY 20TH.
UH, AT THIS TIME I WOULD DO A ROLL CALL, UH, IF PRESENT, PLEASE SAY HERE.
UH, WE HAVE A NEW ETHICS ADVISORY COMMISSION MEMBER, UH, MARCY HEIN, WELCOME TO YOU THIS MORNING.
AND WELCOME TO THE COMMISSION.
ALL RIGHT, WE HAVE A QUORUM PRESENT AND THE MEETING IS NOW CALLED TO ORDER.
UH, OTHER ME, OTHER PERSONS PRESENT.
WILL YOU INTRODUCE YOURSELVES STARTING WITH THE OFFICE OF THE INSPECTOR, GENERAL MAYOR ELIASON INSPECTOR GENERAL INTERIM, LAURA
DONNA BROWN CITY SECRETARY'S OFFICE, NANCY SANCHEZ, UH, CITY SECRETARY'S OFFICE, AND AMIR SAVA MARTINEZ, CITY SECRETARY'S OFFICE AND CHAIR.
WE HAVE MS. DONNA GERMAN ONLINE.
CAN CHRISTINE, SHE, SORRY, MY, UH, MY PHONE REQUIRED ME TO DOWNLOAD A NEW VERSION OF WEBEX, SO MY APOLOGIES FOR THE DELAY.
SO CAN GO SEE, UH, COMMISSIONER GERMAN? OH, THERE SHE IS.
YEAH, JUST A REMINDER TO BE ON CAMERA SO THAT YOU CAN BE COUNTED AS PRESENT FOR THE MEETING.
I'LL PROCEED WITH THE MEETING, UH, PUBLIC SPEAKERS.
I DO NOT BELIEVE THERE ARE ANY PUBLIC SPEAKERS TODAY.
SO WE HAVE NO SPEAKERS WHO ARE REGISTERED, REGISTERED TO ADDRESS THE COMMISSION.
UH, FIRST ITEM BUSINESS IS THE APPROVAL OF THE MINUTES OF THE OCTOBER 29TH, 2025 ETHICS ADVISORY COMMISSION, UH, SPECIAL CALLED MEETING.
AS AMBER WON'T HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO REVIEW THE MINUTES.
ARE THERE ANY CHANGES OR MODIFICATIONS? IS THERE A MOTION TO APPROVE THE MINUTES? IT'S BEEN MOVED.
ALL IN ALL IN FAVOR, PLEASE SIGNIFY BY SAYING AYE.
THE MOTION HAS PASSED BY A UNANIMOUS VOTE.
WE'LL NOW MOVE ON TO THE NEXT AGENDA ITEM, AND THAT IS A APPROVAL REVIEW AND APPROVAL OF THE ETHICS ADVISORY COMMISSION ANNUAL REPORT.
A COPY OF THE ANNUAL REPORT HAS BEEN MADE AVAILABLE TO ALL OF THE MEMBERS AS EVERYONE HAD AN OPPORTUNITY TO REVIEW THE ANNUAL REPORT, THE 2025 ANNUAL REPORT.
UM, IS THERE A MOTION TO APPROVE THE 2025 ANNUAL REPORT TO MOVE? SECOND.
IT IS BEEN MOVED AND SECONDED THERE ANY DISCUSSION ASSOCIATED WITH THE ANNUAL REPORT 2025 ANNUAL REPORT? HAVING NONE, NO DISCRETION.
ALL OF THOSE IN FAVOR PLEASE SIGNIFY BY
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SAYING AYE.UH, ANY NA VOTES IN MOTION PASSES BY UNANIMOUS VOTE.
WE WILL PROCEED TO AGENDA ITEM NUMBER FOUR, WHICH IS A READING BY THE OFFICE OF THE INSPECTOR GENERAL.
IF, UH, AGAIN, IF WE HAVE MATTER, WE JUST DID THIS MORNING BAR ELIAS, AND I'M YOUR INTERIM INSPECTOR GENERAL.
WE'VE GOT A FEW THINGS TO REPORT ON THE AGENDA, AND, UM, CAN YOU ALL ON ONLINE HEAR ME OKAY? YES.
UH, THE FIRST ONE HAS TO DO WITH A PROJECT WE'RE WORKING ON CALLED A MANAGEMENT ALERT.
PURPOSE OF THE MANAGEMENT ALERT IS, IS TO MEMORIALIZE AND CODIFYING IN THE CITY PROCEDURES, UH, A MEANS AND A METHOD FOR THE OFFICE OF INSPECTOR GENERAL TO REPORT ON THINGS LIKE WASTE AND ABUSE.
WE HAVE JURISDICTION UNDER THE CODE, AS YOU KNOW, UH, AND WE HAVE DONE SOME MEMORANDUM, BUT, UH, WE'RE WINGING IT.
THERE, JUST, THERE WAS NO POLICY THERE, NOTHING CODIFIED.
AND SO WE'VE BEEN WORKING ON THAT.
UM, AND WE'RE ABOUT READY, UH, TO MOVE THAT TO THE AD HOC COMMITTEE FOR GOVERNMENT INVESTIGATIONS AND ETHICS.
UH, IT'S MODELED VERY CLOSELY AFTER THE PROCESS THAT AUDIT GOES THROUGH, SO THAT, UH, WHEN WE FIND, AS AN EXAMPLE, WHEN WE FIND MAYBE THERE'S MONEY GOING OUT THE DOOR, THERE'S SOME RISK, THERE'S SOME GAP IN THE PROCESS.
SO IT'S NOT SOMETHING YOU CATCH IN AN AUDIT BECAUSE THERE'S NO PROCESS FOR IT.
THEN WE'RE ELEVATING THAT MANAGEMENT AND WE'RE DOING THAT, UH, MODELED AFTER THE WAY AUDIT DOES IT.
SO WE WILL BE VERY FAMILIAR TO EVERYONE.
UM, THE PANEL MEMBERS THAT ARE IN ATTENDANCE THIS MORNING HAVE THE, UH, WHAT'S VERY CLOSE TO A FINAL DRAFT.
UH, ALL THAT REMAINS REALLY IS, I'M GONNA GO OVER THAT WITH THE CITY AUDITOR ONE ONE MORE TIME.
UH, I'VE, I'VE WORKED WITH THE CONTROLLER'S OFFICE AND, UM, THE CFO AS WELL ON THIS.
AND WE'VE SOUGHT THE ADVICE OF, UH, ALL THE DIRECTORS GENERALLY IN A SURVEY AND A AND A COUPLE IN PERSON FOR FEEDBACK.
SO WE'RE GETTING REALLY, REALLY CLOSE ON THAT.
UH, THEN IN COLLABORATION WITH THE CITY ATTORNEY'S OFFICE, THE NEXT STEP WILL BE TO FIGURE OUT, UH, WHAT PARTS OF A MANAGEMENT ALERT WILL EXTEND PAST JUST THE PROCEDURES OF THE OIG.
UM, SO, AND I'LL, I'LL EMAIL COPIES OF WHAT, WHAT I GAVE TO THE PANELIST, UM, TO YOU ALL SO YOU CAN SEE IT.
BUT REALLY, THE VERY LAST SECTION IN THE DRAFT ARE THINGS THAT I ANTICIPATE NEED TO BE OUT THERE SOMEWHERE IN PROCEDURE SO THAT WE HAVE THE AUTHORITY, AND SO THAT MANAGEMENT UNDERSTANDS WHAT THEIR OBLIGATIONS ARE WHEN A, A MANAGEMENT ALERT COMES OUT.
AND I THINK THERE'S TWO WAYS TO DO THAT.
UH, ONE WOULD BE, UH, AN AMENDMENT TO 12 A TO ADD THE PROCESS IN THERE.
I THINK THIS IS THE WAY THAT IT WAS DONE FOR AUDIT, WAS AN ADMINISTRATIVE PROCEDURE.
I DON'T WANNA GET AHEAD OF MYSELF.
I'M, I'M GONNA COLLABORATE WITH THE CITY ATTORNEY'S OFFICE TO FIGURE OUT WHAT'S THE BEST WAY TO GET THOSE NEEDED DETAILS IN THE SYSTEM.
UM, AND I'M HAPPY TO ENTERTAIN ANY QUESTIONS BEFORE I MOVE ON? YES.
WOULD THERE EVER BE A CIRCUMSTANCE WHERE THE COUNSEL WOULD BE INFORMED OR ONLY IT'S ONLY AN INTERNAL ITEM? SO THE, THE, THE PURPOSE, ONE OF THE PURPOSE, IT'S A GREAT QUESTION.
UH, ONE OF THE PURPOSES OF A MANAGEMENT ALERT IS TO ELEVATE AND INCREASE TRANSPARENCY AND ACCOUNTABILITY.
UM, AND SO COUNCIL WILL BE INFORMED AND MANAGEMENT, AND THE PROCESS FOR THAT WILL GIVE MANAGEMENT THE OPPORTUNITY TO, UH, A, UH, STEP ONE.
AND IT'S IN THE, IT'S, IT'S IN THIS, UH, DOCUMENT, BUT I KNOW YOU JUST GOT IT.
THEY'LL BE ABLE TO FIRST CLARIFY THE ALERT THAT WE'RE WRITING AND, AND JUST MAKE SURE WE'RE ON THE SAME PAGE.
ONCE THEY'VE DONE THAT, JUST AS IT HAPPENS WITH AUDIT, THEN WE'LL OFFICIALLY SEND THEM THE DRAFT.
THEY'LL HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO, TO RESPOND.
ONCE THAT HAPPENS, THEN IT GOES, UH, TO THE CITY.
SO WE'LL GO TO THE APPROPRIATE MANAGEMENT.
THEY'LL ALREADY BE AWARE OF IT.
UH, THE CITY CONTROLLER'S OFFICE WILL PARTNER WITH US IN MAKING SURE THERE'S FOLLOW UP.
CITY COUNCIL WILL BE ADVISED AND CITY MANAGER, BUT CITY COUNCIL'S NOT IN HIM ANYMORE.
SO I'LL MAKE THAT CHANGE, OR I'LL MAKE SURE THAT'S IN THERE, BUT THAT'S GOING TO HAPPEN.
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GOOD QUESTION.WHAT IS A CM SAYS? THE OIG WILL PROVIDE THE CITY MANAGER, UH, ASSISTANT SITTING.
I'LL MAKE IT WELL, I JUST DIDN'T KNOW
UH, THE NEXT THING ON THE, YOUR AGENDA FOR ME TO DISCUSS, AND I THINK THE DISCUSSION WILL CONTINUE, BUT, UM, IT'S JUST 12 A WORKING GROUPS UNDER THE CODE OF ETHICS.
THE VERY LAST PROVISION, 12 A 64, REQUIRES THAT AN EVEN NUMBER OF YEARS IN JANUARY, CITY COUNCIL REVIEWS THE ENTIRE CHAPTER.
AND SO FOR A FEW MONTHS NOW, WE'VE BEEN WORKING ON WHAT THAT MIGHT LOOK LIKE AND, UM, IN COLLABORATION WITH CITY ATTORNEY'S OFFICE.
AND WE, WE HAD SOME DISCUSSION WITH THE CHAIR, UH, AND WITH, UH, DEPUTY MAYOR PRO, TIM WILLIS, WHO CHAIRS THE GOVERNMENT INVESTIGATIONS AND ETHICS COMMITTEE.
UH, WE ARE HOPING TO FORM WORKING GROUPS THROUGH THIS COMMITTEE, UH, IN ORDER TO LOOK AT, UH, SOME CHANGES TO 12 A AND THEY RUN THE GAMUT.
YOU HAVE SOME THAT ARE JUST MINOR CORRECTIONS.
MAY, UH, WE HAVE SOME THAT HAVE TO DO WITH THE FACT THAT, UH, AS AN EXAMPLE, WE WERE A DIVISION, NOW WE'RE IN OFFICE, SO A FEW LITTLE THINGS NEED TO CHANGE.
THERE MAY BE SOME ADDITIONS, SOME DELETIONS, AND SOME AMENDMENTS.
UM, AND SO RIGHT NOW WHAT, WHERE WE ARE ON THE PROCESS IS, UH, YOU'LL HEAR A REPORT FROM THE CHAIR FOLLOWING MY REPORT.
UM, I'M SEEKING, UH, THROUGH THE DEPUTY MAYOR PROM WILLIS.
UH, WE'LL BE SEEKING, UH, FEEDBACK ON THE CODE FROM COUNCIL.
UH, I'M ABOUT TO BE SEEKING FEEDBACK FROM THE PUBLIC.
AND THEN YOU ALREADY, UH, HAVE, OR, OR ACTUALLY, UH, UH, CITY ATTORNEY'S OFFICE DOES.
BUT YOU HAVE SOME FEEDBACK FROM ME.
UH, AND, AND WHAT I THINK IS INSPECTOR GENERAL, THE INTERIM INSPECTOR GENERAL, THERE'S ABOUT 18 THINGS ON THAT LIST.
SO ONCE THE WORKING GROUPS ARE FORMED, UH, IF THAT'S WHAT YOU DO, THEN WE'LL SET A DATE FOR THE FIRST MEETING BETWEEN NOW AND THEN.
WE'LL GATHER THAT DATA FROM COUNCIL.
WE'LL GATHER THAT DATA FROM THE PUBLIC.
BUT IN THE MEANTIME, YOU, YOU HAVE ABOUT 18 THINGS THAT CAN BE LOOKED AT, AND YOU CAN BEGIN TO BE THINKING ABOUT THOSE AND PRIORITIZE THEM.
SO, UH, THAT'S REALLY THE, THE STATUS OF THE WORKING GROUPS.
AND AGAIN, IT'S SOMETHING THAT YOU'LL MAKE A DECISION ON IN A MINUTE.
BUT GIVEN WHAT I'VE SAID IS THERE, ARE THERE ANY QUESTIONS ABOUT THAT? YES.
IS THERE A TIMELINE FOR COUNCIL CONSIDERATION OF ANY OF THESE? UM, SO COMMITMENTS OR, OR CHANGES OR, IT, IT'S A GOOD QUESTION.
AND, UH, THE WAY THE CODE READS, THE CHAPTERS TO BE CONSIDERED IN JANUARY, AND SO THE APPROACH IS TO BRING UP WHATEVER OUR RESPONSE IS GOING TO BE, AND THAT KICKS OFF THEIR PROCESS IN JANUARY.
BUT THE CODE ISN'T EXPLICIT ABOUT, IT'S ALL GOTTA HAPPEN IN JANUARY, BUT IT'S GOT TO START IN JANUARY.
SO CAN WE, ALONG WITH THESE RECOMMENDATIONS, RECOMMEND CHANGES TO THE RULES AS WELL? BECAUSE I WENT THROUGH AND I NOTICED SOME AREAS WHERE MAYBE THEY DON'T EXACTLY CORRESPOND ANYMORE.
THE, THE RULES OF PROCEDURE FOR THE ETHICS ADVISORY COM.
SO THAT'S A GREAT OBSERVATIONS.
LAURA MORRISON, CITY ATTORNEY'S OFFICE AT, WHENEVER WE DO CHANGE THE CODE OF ETHICS, WE HAVE TO GO BACK THROUGH THE RULES OF PROCEDURE TO CHANGE THOSE AS WELL, TO ALIGN, UH, WITH THE NEW AMENDMENTS.
SO WE'LL KIND OF BE DOING THIS IN TANDEM.
AND, AND THE RULES OF PROCEDURE THAT WILL COME, YOU KNOW, WHEN THE, WHEN THE 12 A AMENDMENTS COME TO THE FULL COMMISSION FOR, UH, DISCUSSION AND APPROVAL, WE'LL PROBABLY BRING THE RULES AT THE SAME TIME OR AFTER, I DON'T KNOW.
I'LL HAVE TO, IT MIGHT DEPEND ON HOW MANY AMENDMENTS TO THE, TO CHAPTER 12, EIGHT.
WE HAVE, WE MIGHT BRING THEM AFTER IN ITS SPOT.
AND, AND RELATED TO THAT IS, UH, ADMINISTRATIVE DIRECTIVE TWO 14.
IT, IT HAS SOME THINGS IN IT, UH, THAT ARE ALL REFERRING TO THE INSPECTOR GENERAL DIVISION WITH THE CITY ATTORNEY'S OFFICE.
THEY'RE JUST LIKE THESE PROCEDURES THAT THERE'LL BE SOME FALLOUT FROM THE WORK.
YOU DON'T EXPECT ANY OTHER CHANGES TO
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IN THE, UH, COMPOSITION OR THE ORGANIZATION OF THE INSPECTOR GENERAL'S OFFICE? NO.WELL, UH, THAT KIND OF BEGS THE QUESTION, UM, LAURA, YOU MAY KNOW THIS.
UH, IS THERE A, AN INITIATIVE TO, I GUESS, BROADEN THE, UM, QUALIFICATION SCOPE FOR THE INSPECTOR GENERAL TO ENCOMPASS THE ISSUE THAT WE, UH, RAN INTO, UH, REGARDING THAT INDIVIDUAL REQUIRED TO BE AN ATTORNEY? UH, NO.
AND THAT'S BECAUSE THAT, UM, THAT QUALIFICATION FOR THE INSPECTOR GENERAL IS FOUND IN THE CITY CHARTER.
AND THE CITY CHARTER CAN ONLY BE AMENDED BY A VOTE OF, UM, DALLAS VOTERS.
SO THAT WOULD HAVE TO BE AN ELECTION OKAY.
IS IT SOMETHING WE CAN RECOMMEND OR IS THERE A, DOES THE COUNCIL DO THAT? UM, WELL, IT IS SOMETHING THIS BODY COULD RECOMMEND IN THE FUTURE.
IT'S JUST, YOU KNOW, THE, THE CHARTER WAS LAST UPDATED, UM, IN NOVEMBER OF 2024.
AND THIS, I CAN'T REMEMBER IF IT'S THE STATE LAW OR THE TEXAS CONSTITUTION, ONLY ALLOWS, UM, A HOME RULE CITY CHARTER TO BE AMENDED EVERY TWO YEARS.
UH, SO WE HA WE'RE IN THE MIDDLE OF THIS TWO YEAR WAITING PERIOD.
SO IT WOULD BE, I THINK, IN MY OPINION, A LITTLE PREMATURE TO DO THAT RIGHT NOW, BECAUSE WE COULDN'T CALL SPECIAL ELECTION AT THIS POINT TO AMEND THE CHARTER.
'CAUSE WE'RE STILL IN THAT TWO YEAR WAITING PERIOD.
JUST SOMETHING TO MAYBE KEEP ON THE, UM, YOU KNOW, THE RADAR SCREEN FOR THE APPROPRIATE TIME TO, UH, YOU KNOW, FOR YOU TO GIVE US GUIDANCE ON WHETHER OR NOT WE HAVE ANY KIND OF VOICE IN RECOMMENDING THAT THE COUNCIL LOOK AT THAT OR HOWEVER THAT PROCESS IS SUPPOSED TO GO.
UH, BUT I THINK THERE MAY BE SOME MERIT IN, UM, JUST KIND OF THOUGHTFULLY REVIEWING THAT GIVEN THE LESSONS LEARNED PERHAPS FROM THE, THE, THE PRIOR HIRING PROCESS.
I, I'M SORRY, I, I STILL AM, UH, A LITTLE CONFUSED ABOUT PROCESS HERE.
SO, UH, YOU'VE ALREADY ESTABLISHED SOME POINTS THAT YOU'D LIKE TO SEE US DISCUSS OR HAVE A DISCUSSION ON.
UH, I SUSPECT THAT THERE WILL BE A WORKING ROUTE FROM THIS ORGANIZATION WHEN THAT WORK IS COMPLETED.
DOES ANYTHING GO BACK, BACK TO THIS BOARD? DARREN, YOU WANT ME TO, I'LL ASK THE CHAIR.
YEAH, LET ME, LEMME WEIGH IN ON PROCESS.
SO I'LL JUST LAY IT ALL OUT FOR YOU.
SO YOU KIND HAVE THE BIG PICTURE.
UM, ITEM NUMBER FIVE ON TODAY'S AGENDA IS GONNA BE ESTABLISHMENT OF A SMALL WORKING GROUP.
AND THE CHAIR, UM, HAS, UH, SOME MEMBERS FOR THAT.
HE'LL, HE'LL DISCUSS THAT AT THE NEXT AGENDA ITEM.
SO THE IDEA IS THAT THE SMALL WORKING GROUP, WHICH IS, UM, A FEW MEMBERS OF THIS COMMISSION WILL GET TOGETHER, UM, TO GO OVER THE OIGS, UM, RECOMMENDED AMENDMENTS TO THE CITY CODE, TO REALLY, TO BE LIKE A WORKING GROUP TO HASH ALL OF THAT OUT AND GO INTO THE DETAILS AND START WORKING WITH ME ON A DRAFT ORDINANCE THAT WOULD AMEND 12 A, UM, AND MAKE ALL THOSE AMENDMENTS.
AND THEN ONCE THE WORKING GROUP IS SATISFIED THAT THEIR WORK IS DONE, AND THEY THINK THAT, UM, THEY'VE TOUCHED ON EVERYTHING AND DISCUSSED EVERYTHING THEY NEED TO DISCUSS AND HAVE RECOMMENDED ALL THE CHANGES THAT, THAT THEY THINK ARE PRUDENT, IT WOULD COME BACK BEFORE THIS FULL COMMISSION, UH, FOR A DISCUSSION.
UM, WHOEVER CHAIRS THE WORKING GROUP.
AND I WOULD, UM, SPEND A LOT OF TIME WITH THIS COMMISSION GOING THROUGH EACH CHANGE, EXPLAINING THE CHANGE AND WHY THE, THE, THE CHANGE IS BEING RECOMMENDED BY THE WORKING GROUP.
AND THEN THAT WOULD BE A DISCUSSION HERE.
AND THIS COMMISSION WOULDN'T NECESSARILY RUBBER STAMP THE WORK OF THE WORKING GROUP.
UM, YOU KNOW, YOU TAKE THE RECOMMENDATION OF THE WORKING GROUP AND, AND YOU GO FROM THERE.
THIS COMMISSION COULD MAKE, UM, CHANGES OF THEIR OWN, BUT THAT WOULD BE A VOTE OF THIS BODY EVENTUALLY.
SO THEN ONCE THIS BODY APPROVES THE VOTE OF THE RECOMMENDED AMENDMENTS TO THE CODE OF ETHICS, IT WOULD THEN GET BRIEFED, I WOULD IMAGINE BY MR. ALLISON, OR SORRY, ELIASON, UM, IN FRONT OF COUNCIL'S AD HOC COMMITTEE ON GENERAL INVESTIGATION AND ETHICS.
THAT'S, UM, DEPUTY MAYOR OR TIM WILLIS'S AD HOC COMMITTEE.
SO THEN THOSE CHANGES WOULD GET BRIEFED THERE.
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AND THAT COMMITTEE, IT WOULD BE UP TO THEM IF THEY WANNA TAKE IT TO A FULL COUNCIL BRIEFING OR JUST GET IT ON FULL COUNCILS AGENDA FOR A VOTE.BUT IT WOULD ULTIMATELY, IT GOES TO COUNCIL FOR THE FINAL VOTE ON THE WORDS I ANY OTHER QUESTIONS ON THAT PROCESS? UH, HE HEARING
AND THE COMMISSION WILL CONSIDER, AS THE CITY ATTORNEY HAS SAID, THE WORKING GROUP RECOMMENDATIONS, AND THEN MAKE RECOMMENDATIONS TO THE, UH, UH, RESPECTIVE COUNCIL COMMITTEE, WHICH THEN WILL BE VOTED ON BY THE FULL CITY COUNCIL.
SO, UH, WHAT I'D LIKE TO DO IS WITH THE, UH, HOPEFULLY WITH THE CONSENT OF THE, UH, COMMISSION IS APPOINTED WORKING GROUP, UH, INCLUDING MYSELF, UH, GRANT SCHMIDT, UH, JENNIFER STOVALL, AND ANDRES PHIL AS A WORKING GROUP.
UH, WE WILL WORK WITH THE INSPECTOR GENERAL INTERIM INSPECTOR GENERAL ON HIS PROPOSED CHANGES.
THEN WE WILL THEN COME BACK TO THE FULL TO THE COMMISSION, UH, SO THAT YOU ARE AWARE OF, YOU CAN GET THE PROPOSED CHANGES BEFORE IT THEN IS PRESENTED TO THE, UH, APPROPRIATE CITY, UH, COUNCIL COMMITTEE AND THEN THE FULL CITY COUNCIL.
ARE THERE ANY QUESTIONS WITH RESPECT TO THAT PROPOSAL? MY PROPOSAL TO SET UP A WORK EITHER.
SO ANYTHING ELSE REQUIRED WITH RESPECT TO THAT MISS CITY ATTORNEY? UH, NO, IT SOUNDS LIKE WE SKIPPED AHEAD IN ITEM NUMBER FIVE.
BUT WE GOTTA GO BACK TO, UM, I BELIEVE THE OFFICE OF THE INSPECTOR GENERAL HAS MORE, UM, TO BRIEF.
UH, OIT REPORT, UH, A COUPLE THINGS THAT I THINK YOU'D BE INTERESTED IN.
OUR QUARTERLY REPORT, UH, IS COMING OUT SOON INTO THE MONTH, YOU'LL, YOU'LL NOTICE, UH, THAT THE SYNOPSIS OF THE CASES WAS GONNA BE MORE ROBUST, EASIER FOR THE PUBLIC AND FOR COMPLAINANTS, UH, TO, TO FIGURE OUT, OH, THIS WAS THE CASE THAT I WAS INTERESTED IN AND THIS IS WHAT HAPPENED TO IT.
SO THAT'S A, A SIGNIFICANT CHANGE THAT WE'RE WORKING ON RIGHT NOW.
UH, OF COURSE WE DO, UH, MONTHLY REPORTS AND WE'VE BEEN WORKING WITH IT, AND IT'S MY UNDERSTANDING THAT THEY'VE ADDED A SECTION TO OUR WEBSITE SO THAT OUR MONTHLY REPORTS ARE AVAILABLE TO THE PUBLIC, UM, WORKING ON, UH, A DASHBOARD MATRIX.
UM, NOT HAPPY WITH THE, THE WAY WE REPORT CASES.
UH, IT'S DONE IN TERMS OF WE HAD NEW CASES, WE GOT CLOSED CASES, WE GOT 'EM FOR THESE REASONS.
UH, SO I PROVIDED YOU WITH THREE PAGES OUT OF A POWERPOINT THAT I'M, THAT I'M WORKING ON.
IT'S, IT'S A WORK IN PROGRESS.
BUT, UM, I'VE BEEN ASKED ABOUT THE IG FROM, UH, DIFFERENT DIFFERENT PEOPLE IN THE BUILDING AND, UH, AND, AND WHAT DO YOU DO AND, AND WHAT, WHAT ARE YOU ABOUT AND WHY ARE WE DOING THIS? AND IT JUST OCCURRED TO ME THAT, UH, THE CITY, NOT EVERYBODY, NOT YOU ALL, BUT A LOT OF PEOPLE IN THE CITY NEED AN ELEVATOR SPEECH ABOUT THE IG
AND SO THAT'S WHAT I'VE PROVIDED YOU SOME WORK THAT I'M DOING, UH, RIGHT NOW IN THAT POWERPOINT.
AND THE THIRD SLIDE OF THAT POWERPOINT, UH, GIVES YOU A SENSE OF WHAT A DASHBOARD MIGHT LOOK LIKE.
EACH COLUMN HAS, UH, TWO AREAS AND I WOULD, UH, TAKE THE CASE DATA AND APPLY THEM TO THOSE, UH, AREAS.
AND SO I JUST WANTED YOU TO SEE THAT I'M IN VERY INTERESTED IN FEEDBACK.
I REALLY WANNA REFINE AN ELEVATOR SPEECH SO THAT EVERYBODY NOT ONLY UNDERSTANDS, BUT CAN ARTICULATE PRETTY QUICKLY WHAT WE DO.
WE CAN'T DO THAT, UM, AS A, AS A CITY WE'RE, WE'RE IN A BAD PLACE,
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UH, FOR THE IG.SO THAT'S, THAT WAS THE WHOLE POINT ABOUT THAT.
UM, ONGOING MEETINGS WITH DPD CONTINUE, UH, IF WE WORK TO COLLABORATE TOGETHER ON OUR CRIMINAL REFERRALS.
SO AS YOU KNOW, IF WE GET A CASE IN HIS CRIMINAL, IT GET GETS REFERRED TO A LAW ENFORCEMENT AGENCY CHIEFLY, UH, DPD OFFICE UPDATES.
WE HAVE TWO CASES THAT ARE READY TO BE FILED, UH, IN THE NEXT TWO WEEKS.
WHAT IS INTERESTING ABOUT THESE CASES IS, UH, THEY ARE, UH, UH, CAN BE NEGOTIATED WITH THE RESPONDENT MOST OF THE TIME, BUT IF IT'S A, IF IT IS AN EMPLOYEE, UH, WE DON'T GET TO NEGOTIATE.
BUT, BUT IF IT'S AN OFFICIAL, WE DO.
AND SO WE'VE GOT TWO OF THOSE.
YOU, YOU'LL BE SEEING THOSE IN THE NEXT COUPLE OF WEEKS, BUT THEN, UH, NEGOTIATIONS MAY CHANGE WHETHER WE MOVE FORWARD WITH THE HEARING OR NOT.
UM, WE'VE GOT SOME NEW HIRES TODAY.
SOME OF YOU, UH, MET THEM THIS MORNING.
UH, MISTY PRICE AND BETSY HUEY ARE HERE, AND THIS IS THEIR FIRST DAY.
THEY LITERALLY WALKED IN A COUPLE OF HOURS AGO AND I SAID, WELL, COME ON DOWN.
UH, SO WE ARE GLAD TO HAVE THEM.
WE HAVE BEEN, UH, SHORT IN OUR STABLE FOUR INVESTIGATORS, UH, SINCE ABOUT JUNE.
AND SO EVERYBODY IS REALLY HAPPY, UH, TO SEE THEM HERE AND WE'LL GET THEM GOING RIGHT AWAY.
RELATED TO THAT, THERE WAS, UH, WHAT'S CALLED A CALF PROCESS.
UH, THIS HAS TO DO WITH WHEN WE MOVED FROM BEING A DIVISION OF THE CITY ATTORNEY'S OFFICE TO BECOMING, UH, AN INDEPENDENT OFFICE.
WE, WE'VE BEEN CARE LIKE, UH, LAURA AND I HAVE BEEN CHARACTERIZED AS ASSISTANT ATTORNEYS FOR A LONG TIME, AND THERE'S A WHOLE BIG PROCESS, BUT SOME PEOPLE ARE INTERESTED IN THAT.
SO I THOUGHT THIS WOULD BE A GREAT TIME TO SAY THAT PROCESS IS COMPLETED AND WE'RE NO LONGER, UH, TITLE ASSISTANT ATTORNEYS.
WE HAVE OUR OWN TITLES, UH, IN THE SYSTEM, CASE MANAGEMENT SYSTEM.
UH, JUST TO ALERT YOU WE'RE WE'RE COMING UP FOR A RENEWAL OF OUR CONTRACT WITH NAVEX IN MARCH.
WE WERE WORKING WITH OUR PARTNERS IN IT TO GET THAT RENEWED.
HOWEVER, WE'RE, WE'RE ALSO LOOKING AT, WE CALL THIS A CASE MANAGEMENT SYSTEM.
IT IS REALLY MORE OF AN INCIDENT MANAGEMENT SYSTEM, WHICH I CAN EXPLAIN IF YOU'D LIKE, BUT WE'RE WE'RE INTERESTED IN GETTING A CASE MANAGEMENT SYSTEM.
SO WE'RE ALSO WORKING WITH IT TO GET THAT A LOT OF I'S HAVE BEEN DOTTED, A LOT OF T'S HAVE BEEN CROSSED TO GO THROUGH PROCUREMENT, UH, AND PROCUREMENT FOR IT, WHICH IS A WHOLE WORLD IN ITSELF, UH, BECAUSE YOU HAVE TO MAKE SURE THAT YOU'RE, YOU'RE BETWEEN THE LINES FOR WHAT THE CITY NEEDS TO PROTECT THEIR DATA.
BUT WE ARE, WE ARE VERY, VERY CLOSE TO, UH, THAT, AND I THINK WE MAY HAVE FOUND, UH, WHAT'S CALLED A SOLE SOURCE VENDOR.
AND SO THAT IS MOVING FORWARD AND WE'RE REALLY EXCITED ABOUT THAT.
A CASE MANAGEMENT SYSTEM WILL HELP US IN A LOT OF WAYS, AND I'M HAPPY TO, UH, ASK QUESTIONS ABOUT THAT OR ANSWER QUESTIONS.
ALSO, A KEY TOOL WE'VE BEEN WITHOUT SINCE WE LEFT THE CITY ATTORNEY'S OFFICE IS CALLED CLEAR.
AND, UH, IT'S TAKEN A WHILE TO SORT THAT OUT, BUT NOW WE KNOW, UH, THAT WE NEED TO GET OUR OWN VERSION OF IT AND HOW MUCH IT'S GONNA COST.
AND WE BEGUN WORKING ON THAT FINALLY OFFICE SPACE THERE, THERE REALLY IS NO UPDATE.
EVERYBODY KNOWS THAT THERE'S A BIG PROJECT IN THE CITY RIGHT NOW, UH, TO, TO FIGURE OUT WHAT IS GONNA HAPPEN WITH CITY HALL.
BUT EVEN BEYOND THAT, THERE'S BEEN, UH, ANOTHER PROJECT TO FIGURE OUT HOW WE'RE GONNA MOVE PEOPLE AROUND THE BUSINESS OF BUILDING.
WE'RE GONNA HAVE, UH, OUR TWO ADMINS SHARING A CUBICLE NOW THAT WE HAVE OUR INVESTIGATORS BACK.
UH, SO WE REALLY COULD USE SOME SPACE, BUT THERE'S JUST NO WAY TO HURRY THAT ALONG RIGHT NOW.
SO, UM, IN THE BUDGET PROCESS WAS THE, WAS THIS COMMISSION, WAS THERE A BUDGET ALLOCATED FOR THIS COMMISSION FOR THE FS ADVISORY COMMISSION? WELL, NOT WELL FOR THE DEPARTMENT, FOR THE OFFICE.
UH, THERE WAS, THERE WAS, AND WHAT'S INTERESTING ABOUT THAT IS THE BUDGET PROCESS HIT RIGHT IN THE MIDDLE OF WHAT YOU ALL ARE AWARE OF WAS A KIND OF A, A ROCKY TIME.
UM, WE, PART OF IT WAS, UH, WHEN BART WAS ON ADMINISTRATIVE LEAVE, AND THEN MR. MINKE CAME IN AND THEN, THEN THAT CAME TO AN END.
AND THEN THERE WAS A TIME BEFORE, UH, THEY PUT ME IN THE INTERIM POSITION AND ALL OF THAT HIT DURING A TIMEFRAME WHERE, UH, OUR BUDGET PROPOSAL WAS SUPPOSED TO BE MOVING FORWARD.
AND IT, IT MOVES FORWARD IN A DIFFERENT WAY THAN IT DID WHEN WE WERE DIVISION OF THE CITY ATTORNEY'S OFFICE.
AND SO WHAT ENDED UP HAPPENING BASICALLY IS THE
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BUDGET FLIPPED AND IT, IT JUST RENEWED, WHICH IS, IS NOT NECESSARILY WHAT WE WERE REQUESTING, BUT THERE REALLY HONEST, FRANKLY, THERE WASN'T MUCH THAT COULD BE DONE ABOUT IT BECAUSE OF THE TIMING IT HIT IN THE MIDDLE OF THE SUMMER.UH, AND THEN, BUT WE, WE ARE FUNDED.
UH, AND, AND SO NOW WE'RE WORKING WITH THAT FUNDING.
WE WILL BE, UH, SEEKING, UH, A DIFFERENT, A BUDGET THAT LOOKS VERY DIFFERENT IN THE UPCOMING CYCLE BASED ON WHAT WE WERE TRYING TO DO BACK IN THE, IN THE SUMMER.
AND BECAUSE WE'RE JUST DIFFERENT NOW 'CAUSE WE'RE IN OFFICE.
I'M NOT TRYING TO FORECAST THAT WE'RE GONNA BE ASKING FOR A TON OF MONEY.
IF ANYBODY'S SAYING, OH, I WONDER IF THEY'RE GONNA ASK FOR A BUNCH OF MONEY, THAT'S NOT IT.
I'M JUST SAYING, UH, WE'LL HAVE A TIME TO DO A PROPER BUDGET THIS YEAR.
I, I HAVE A QUESTION YOU MENTIONED THAT FOR, AND I WANT YOU TO AT LEAST TELL ME AGAIN.
YOU'RE GOING TO BE RECOMMENDING A SOLE SOURCE VENDOR OR WHATEVER PROJECT THAT IS YOU'RE GOING TO BE WORKING WITH.
WHY A SOLE SOURCE VENDOR AS OPPOSED TO USING SOME COMPETITIVE PROCESS IN ORDER TO CHOOSE THAT VENDOR? MAIN REASON FOR THAT, AND, AND I WILL WANNA PUT A CAVEAT ON THAT.
THE SUBJECT IS A CASE MANAGEMENT SYSTEM.
THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN THAT AND, AND WHAT WE HAVE, WE HAVE WHAT AN INCIDENT MANAGEMENT SYSTEM.
SO IT'S GREAT FOR SOMEBODY CALLED IN AND WE CAN ADAPT IT A LITTLE BIT, UH, TO MAKE IT LIKE A CASE MANAGEMENT SYSTEM.
BUT A CASE MANAGEMENT SYSTEM WILL ALLOW US TO DO TWO KEY THINGS, TRACK CASE METRICS, UH, WHAT'S HAPPENING WITH INDIVIDUAL CASES, TRACK, UH, FROM, UH, AN ADMINISTRATIVE POINT OF VIEW, TRACK THE PROGRESS OF INVESTIGATORS AND, AND NOT NEED TO DO ALL THAT BY HAND.
THE SOLE SOURCE ISSUE IN THIS CASE, UH, THE CAVEAT IS I NEED TO DOUBLE CHECK IT.
'CAUSE I BEGAN THIS WORK A YEAR AND A HALF AGO, A YEAR AND A HALF AGO.
THEY WERE A SOLE SOURCE, THEY WERE A SOLE SOURCE FOR THIS.
THEY WERE A SOLE SOURCE FOR THE ABILITY TO LOOK BACK IN TIME, WHICH IS SOMETHING COUNSEL ASKED US TO DO SEVERAL TIMES, UH, WHEN MR. BEAVERS WAS INSPECTOR GENERAL AND SAY, I WANNA KNOW THE STATUS OF THE CASES IN THIS MONTH OR IN THIS QUARTER.
UH, THE PROBLEM WITH THAT IS WITH, WITH OUR CURRENT SYSTEM AND REALLY WITH OTHER SYSTEMS THAT WE LOOKED AT SIX OR SEVEN OF WITH OTHER SYSTEMS OUT THERE, IS IF YOU'RE DOING THAT NOW, WHAT YOU'RE GETTING, YOU CAN SEE WHAT CASES YOU HAD IN THIS MONTH, BUT THEY SHOW THE, THE STATUS OF THE CASE RIGHT NOW.
SO A CASE MIGHT HAVE BEEN OPEN HERE AND WHEN YOU GO BACK IN TIME, IT SHOWS CLOSED.
AND WHAT HAPPENS BECAUSE OF THAT IS YOU GET OUT LEGAL PADS AND SPREADSHEETS AND PENS AND YOU START TRYING TO REBUILD HISTORICALLY WHAT HAPPENED BACK THEN, AND THAT IS, HAS PROVEN TO BE, UH, REAL LABOR INTENSIVE AND INACCURATE.
THEN WE'RE SITTING IN FRONT OF COUNCIL AND THEY CATCH SOME INACCURACY THAT COULD BE SOLVED EASILY WITH TECHNOLOGY.
AND SO THAT IS THE PARTICULAR SOLE SOURCE ATTRIBUTE THAT WE'RE LOOKING AT.
BUT AGAIN, THE, THE CAVEAT IS, UH, WE DID ALL THIS WORK, IT'S BEEN ABOUT A YEAR AND A HALF AGO BEFORE WE TELL EVERYBODY THAT THIS IS SOLE SOURCE AND ACTUALLY PULL THE TRIGGER ON THAT.
NOW I'M GONNA GO BACK AND MAKE SURE IT STILL IS.
IF IT'S NOT, WE WON'T BE ABLE TO DO SOLE SOURCE AND WE'LL HAVE TO USE A TRADITIONAL PROCUREMENT.
SO WHERE WE ARE TODAY, YOUR RECOMMENDATION IS THAT IT IS GOING TO BE A SOLE SOURCE VENDOR OR YOU'RE GOING BACK TO LOOK AT THAT? WELL, IT'S BOTH.
UH, MY RECOMMENDATION IS IF, IF, IF THAT COMPANY TRULY IS THE SOLE SOURCE FOR THAT PARTICULAR OUTPUT THAT WE GO WITH, THAT, THAT WOULD BE MY RECOMMENDATION.
BUT BECAUSE IT'S BEEN TECHNOLOGY MOVES SO FAST AND IT'S BEEN OVER A YEAR, WE NEED TO DOUBLE CHECK THAT BEFORE WE SAY IT'S SOLE SOURCE.
ANY OTHER QUESTIONS ABOUT, UH, THAT OR ANY OTHER ISSUES ASSOCIATED WITH THE INTERIM INSPECTOR GENERAL'S REPORTS? DID SOMEONE HAVE A HAVE A QUESTION? NO.
DOES THAT CONCLUDE YOUR REPORT, MR. YES, SIR.
UH, THERE ARE ANY OTHER QUESTIONS OR DISCUSSION REGARDING
[00:35:01]
THE INSPECTOR, INTERIM INSPECTOR GENERAL'S, UH, REPORTS, UH, THE ONLY OTHER ITEM I BELIEVE ON THE AGENDA WAS THE APPOINTMENT OF THE 12 AMENDMENTS WORKING GROUP.OUR CLIENT JUMPED THROUGH THE GUN ON THAT.
I APOLOGIZE TO THE MEMBERS OF THE COMMISSION.
UH, ARE THERE, IS THERE ANY DISCUSSION WITH RESPECT TO THE APPOINTMENT OF THE WORKING GROUP? THE PEOPLE THAT I HAVE SUGGESTED, UH, WILL WORK ON THIS TO COME BACK TO.
UM, FOR, FOR LAURA, THAT WORKING GROUP, IS THAT WHAT IT'S CALLED? IT'S NOT AN AD HOC ANYTHING.
YEAH, WE DON'T HAVE A MECHANISM REALLY IN THE RULES OF PROCEDURE TO DESIGNATE LIKE SUB SUBCOMMITTEES.
MY QUESTION IS THIS, ARE THOSE DISCUSSIONS SUBJECT TO THE OPEN MEETINGS ACT? I'M STILL DATING WITH MYSELF ON THAT.
BUT I THINK WE'LL PROBABLY, UM, GO AHEAD AND HAVE THE GROUP SUBJECT TO.
AND THEN I REMEMBER HEARING SOMEWHERE SOMETIME THAT THERE WAS GONNA BE, UM, SPECIFIC EMAILS.
DID I DURING THAT? LIKE CITY SORT OF NO.
ALL, ALL ALL COMMISSION MEMBERS WILL RECEIVE, UH, DALLAS.GOV EMAIL ADDRESSES SO THAT YOU WILL NO LONGER HAVE TO USE YOUR PERSONAL EMAIL.
SO, AND DO YOU HAVE A TIMEFRAME FOR THAT? UH, WE'RE WORKING ON THAT RIGHT NOW.
BECAUSE I'M JUST, I'M TRYING TO ENVISION THIS WORKING GROUP DISCUSSIONS.
LIKE OBVIOUSLY THEY'RE NOT GONNA ALL BE IN PERSON I ASSUME.
UM, SO I'M JUST TRYING TO UNDERSTAND, YOU KNOW, FUNCTIONALLY HOW THAT'S GONNA WORK.
YEAH, I'M STILL, I'M STILL THINKING ABOUT THAT.
WHEN WE HAD A GROUP ON THE PROCEDURE YEAR BACK, I DON'T THINK WE WERE SUBJECT TO THE, THE OPEN MEETING BASICALLY JUST DID A LOT OF TALKING
YEAH, AGAIN, I'M, I'M, I'M STILL THINKING ABOUT THAT BECAUSE THE TEXT OPEN MEETINGS ACT HAS LIKE A, A RUBBER STAMP POOL WHERE IF THERE'S A CHANCE THAT THE BODY THAT IS SUBJECT TO THE ACT COULD JUST RUBBER STAMP THE WORK OF THE GROUP, THEN THE GROUP SHOULD GO AHEAD AND COMPLY WITH OPEN MEETINGS.
BUT, UM, I CAN'T IMAGINE THAT THIS COMMISSION WILL JUST RUBBER STAMP, UH, ANYTHING THAT COMES IN.
SO I'M STILL THINKING ABOUT THAT.
AND UM, SORRY DONNA, UM, YOU SAID THAT THAT WAS IN PRO PROCESS? YES.
SO, AND THEN YOU'LL JUST NOTIFY US LIKE FROM NOW ON, THIS IS HOW WE'RE GONNA COMMUNICATE AS A CORRECT.
AND THIS WORKING GROUP WILL MAKE THE DECISION WHETHER WE'RE OUR COMMUNICATIONS THE SUBJECT TO THE OPEN MEETINGS ACT OR NO, MY OFFICE WILL MAKE THAT.
AND IF SO, I'D LIKE THE JUSTIFICATION FOR WHY IT WOULD NOT BE OPEN TO THE OPEN MEETINGS ACT AND ALL OF OUR COMMUNICATIONS SUBJECT TO THAT.
UM, SHOULDN'T YOUR, DON'T YOU NEED NEW NAME PLATES THAT SAY OFFICE OF INSPECTOR GENERAL INSTEAD OF DIVISION
ALRIGHT, ANY OTHER DISCUSSION ABOUT THE 12 A AMENDMENTS WORKING GROUP, UH, MEMBERS OF COMMISSION? BUT I DID HAVE A QUESTION ABOUT, UH, YOUR ANTICIPATED START DATE.
I AM, WELL I HAVE APPOINTED THE SUBJECT TO THE ANY CONCERNS ABOUT THE COMMISSION, UH, BY THE COMMISSION.
I WILL ASK THE MEMBERS THAT I HAVE SUGGESTED, UH, WOULD THEY BE WILLING TO BE, TO SERVE.
SO WE WILL BE IN TOUCH WITH YOU QUICKLY AND AT YOUR DIRECTION WE'LL START THE PROCESS OF ANALYZING SUGGESTIONS YOU HAVE FOR THE AMENDMENTS.
DO YOU ALREADY HAVE THAT PREPARED, YOUR 18 SUGGESTIONS? I, I DO.
UM, AND THAT SHARED THOSE, THE CITY ATTORNEYS OFFICE.
WELL I THINK MAYBE STEP ONE WOULD BE TO FIGURE OUT THE MEETING SITUATION SO THAT WE CAN
[00:40:01]
FIGURE OUT HOW TO GO FORWARD.YEAH, THAT, I MEAN, I'M, I CAN START ANY WHENEVER WE'RE READY TO START.
AND WILL YOU BE PARTICIPATING IN THE OKAY.
ARE THERE ANY OTHER, IS THERE ANY OTHER DISCUSSION OR, UH, AMENDMENTS OR CONCERNS ABOUT THE APPOINTMENT OF THE WORKING GROUP? ITEM NUMBER FIVE, HEARING NONE, UH, ADAM, CITY ATTORNEY, UH, ARE WE, IS THAT WORK HERE COMPLETE? YEP, WE'RE AT THE END OF THE AGENDA.
SO THE LAST ORDER OF BUSINESS IS TO ADJOURN.
THE, UH, NEXT REGULAR SCHEDULED MEETING IS FOR APRIL 21ST, 2026 AT 9:00 AM THERE BEING NO NINE OR NINE, I'M NINE 30, I'M SORRY, 9:30 AM THERE BEING NO FURTHER BUSINESS.
THE MEETING IS ADJOURNED AT 10.
WELL, THANK YOU VERY MUCH, MEMBERS OF THE COMMITTEE.