[00:00:04]
GOOD MORNING, LADIES AND GENTLEMEN.
WELCOME TO THE MA - UH, TODAY'S MEETING OF THE ETHICS ADVISORY COMMISSION FOR THE CITY OF DALLAS.
IT IS 9:38 AM ON TUESDAY, OCTOBER 27TH.
AT THIS TIME, I WILL DO A ROLL CALL, PLEASE.
IF PRESENT, SAY HERE OR PRESENT.
UH, WE HAVE A QUORUM PRESENT AT THIS TIME.
THIS MEETING IS NOW CALLED TO ORDER.
WILL OTHERS PRESENT AT TODAY'S MEETING INTRODUCE THEMSELVES, STARTING WITH THE OFFICE OF THE INSPECTOR GENERAL? BARON ELIASON, INTERIM INSPECTOR GENERAL.
LAURA PHELAN, ASSISTANT INSPECTOR GENERAL.
AND THE CITY ATTORNEY'S OFFICE.
LAURA MORRISON, LEGAL COUNSEL TO THE COMMISSION.
AND WE WILL PROCEED WITH TODAY'S MEETING.
[1. Public Speakers on Item Nos. 2, 3, 4, and 5]
ALLOW FOR PUBLIC COMMENT ON TODAY'S MEETING.SPEAKERS ALLOW THREE MINUTES AND MUST STAY ON TOPIC.
MEMBERS OF THE BOARD ARE NOT ALLOWED TO ASK QUESTIONS.
THE FOLLOWING INDIVIDUALS HAVE REGISTERED TO SPEAK TO ADDRESS TODAY'S MEETING.
THANK YOU FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO EXPRESS THAT I'M SINCERELY SORRY FOR THIS MATTER.
I RESPECT THE PURPOSE OF THE ETHICS CODE AND TAKE THOSE OBLIGATIONS SERIOUSLY.
FOR 28 YEARS, I PROUDLY SERVED THE CITY WITH DEDICATION AND A DEEP SENSE OF PURPOSE.
AFTER RETIRING, I ACCEPTED A ROLE THAT ALLOWED ME TO CONTINUE SERVING THE CITY BY SUPPORTING A PUBLIC PARK THAT BENEFITS DALLAS.
THIS ROLE WAS KNOWN TO CITY STAFF.
I KNOW THAT CHAPTER 12A INCLUDES POST-EMPLOYMENT RESTRICTIONS.
AFTER LEAVING THE CITY, HOWEVER, I DID NOT KNOW THAT MY WORK REQUIRED DISCLOSURE TO THE CITY SECRETARY SINCE IT IS IN THIS SECTION CONCERNING PRIOR PARTICIPATION IN CONTRACTS, WHICH WAS NOT A FACTOR.
OF THE APPROXIMATELY 15 PEERS I'VE ASKED, NOT ONE KNEW ABOUT THE REQUIREMENT.
I HOPE THAT THE CITY INCREASES ITS EFFORT TO EDUCATE EMPLOYEES ABOUT THIS TECHNICAL PROVISION AND CREATES INSTRUCTIONS TO PREVENT OTHERS FROM MAKING THE SAME MISTAKE.
I UNDERSTAND THAT THE CODE MUST BE APPLIED AS WRITTEN AND I DO NOT WANT TO MINIMIZE THE IMPORTANCE OF STRICT COMPLIANCE.
ALTHOUGH I WOULD NEVER ACT AGAINST THE CITY'S INTEREST, I ACCEPT THAT I BREACHED THE CODE.
WITH THIS SAID, I WOULD LIKE TO TAKE PERSONAL PRIVILEGE TO SHARE CONCERNS I HAVE ABOUT THE IMPLEMENTATION OF 12A PROCEDURES MORE FULLY DESCRIBED IN MY WRITTEN STATEMENT.
FIRST, STAMPED INFORMATIONS REGARDING MY CASE WERE FILED BECOMING PUBLIC RECORD.
I DO NOT SEE A PROVISION IN THE CODE AUTHORIZING THIS.
I'M ALSO UNCLEAR HOW THE SETTLEMENT AGREEMENT WAS FILED IN AUGUST BEFORE YOUR CONSIDERATION.
AS AN ASIDE, MY FINAL SANCTION HAS BEEN FULFILLED.
THESE ARE SENSITIVE MATTERS AND I HOPE THAT RELEVANT OFFICIALS TAKE CARE TO FOLLOW THE CODE RELATED TO FILINGS.
LASTLY, I'VE BEEN TOLD THAT THIS SANCTION WILL BE CONSIDERED BY CITY COUNCIL.
COUNCIL MEMBERS ON THE AD HOC COMMITTEE ON GENERAL INVESTIGATING ETHICS WERE TOLD THAT QUOTE, "THE EAC WILL BE THE FINAL DECISION MAKER ON A SANCTION FOR A SETTLEMENT AGREEMENT." THE STATEMENT SEEMS TO BE CODIFIED IN THE 2023 CODE.
APPROVED SETTLEMENTS, WHICH MUST INCLUDE THE FINAL SANCTION ARE DEEMED APPROVED BY THE COMMISSION.
SECTION 4.2 OF THE RULES OF PROCEDURE USED TO JUSTIFY ADVANCING SANCTIONS TO CITY COUNCIL CONTAINS WORDING THAT
[00:05:01]
DOES NOT MIRROR THE ADOPTED CODE.THE RULES U- USE THE TERMINOLOGY RECOMMENDED SANCTION WHILE THE ADOPTED CODE REQUIRES THAT SETTLEMENT AGREEMENTS INCLUDE THE FINAL SANCTION.
PER 12A, CITY COUNCIL'S ROLE IS TO DECIDE OR TO DETERMINE SANCTIONS.
I AM UNCLEAR HOW THIS COULD BE THE CASE IN AN APPROVED SETTLEMENT.
AGAIN, I NOW REALIZE I DID NOT TAKE A STEP THAT WAS DICTATED BY THE CODE.
I HOPE THAT YOU WILL LOOK INTO THE ABOVE MATTERS SO THAT FUTURE ITERATIONS OF THE CODE AND RULES PROVIDE GREATER CLARITY TO FORMER EMPLOYEES.
THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME AND FOR YOUR CONSIDERATION.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH, MS. CLARK.
[2. Consideration of settlement agreement between the Office of the Inspector General and Dorcy Clark.]
TWO, AFTER SPEAKERS, UH, IS THE CONSIDERATION OF THE SETTLEMENT AGREEMENT BETWEEN THE OFFICE OF THE INSPECTOR GENERAL AND DARCY CLARK.MAY I HAVE A MOTION TO APPROVE THE SETTLEMENT AGREEMENT? UM, AND MR. INSPECTOR GENERAL, DO YOU HAVE ANY COMMENTS BEFORE WE PROCEED TO APPROVAL OR ANY DISCUSSION OF THIS PROPOSED SETTLEMENT? I'LL, I'LL DEFER TO ASSISTANT INSPECTOR GENERAL LAURA THELAN, IF THAT'S OKAY.
WELL, I WAS JUST GONNA READ THE SETTLEMENT AGREEMENT, BUT IF, UM, YOU ALL HAVE ALREADY DONE SO, THEN WE CAN, WE CAN PROCEED, UM, AND I'LL JUST ASK FOR YOUR, UH, APPROVAL OF THE NEGOTIATED SETTLEMENT THAT WE REACHED.
I BELIEVE MS. SANCHEZ, UH, SENT YOU ALL THIS REPORT OF SETTLEMENT AGREEMENT WITHIN THE LAST WEEK OR TWO.
SO LET ME KNOW IF YOU'D LIKE TO HEAR FROM ME.
OTHERWISE, I DEFER TO YOU ALL.
ARE THERE ANY QUESTIONS FOR, UH, FROM THE, UH, UH, THE BOARD, THE COMMISSION, UH, FOR, TO THE CITY ATTORNEY'S OFFICE AT THIS POINT? NO QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS.
UM, I GUESS I'M A LITTLE CONFUSED.
UH, I THINK MS. CLARK RAISED SOME ISSUES IN THE, UH, ITEM THAT WE RECEIVED, UH, TODAY.
I WAS WONDERING IF THE CITY ATTORNEY HAD ANY COMMENTS ABOUT THAT.
MS. CITY ATTORNEY, ANY COMMENTS? IS THIS ABOUT WHETHER THE SETTLEMENT AGREEMENT THEN GOES TO CITY COUNCIL? YEAH.
SO YOUR RULES OF PROCEDURE, UH, STATE THE COMMISSION'S APPROVED RECOMMENDED SANCTION.
THIS IS FOR SETTLEMENT AGREEMENTS.
UH, THIS IS 4.2 OF YOUR RULES OF PROCEDURE RECOMMENDATION OF THE SETTLEMENT AGREEMENT.
RECOMMENDED SANCTION WILL BE CONVEYED TO THE RESPECTIVE BOARD OR CITY COUNCIL FOR REVIEW AND APPROVAL AT THE NEXT AVAILABLE MEETING.
SETTLEMENT AGREEMENTS APPROVED BY THE ETHICS ADVISORY COMMISSION MUST INCLUDE THE FINAL RECOMMENDED SANCTION, IF ANY.
SO YES, IF, IF THE EAC APPROVES THE SANCTION, OR THE SETTLEMENT TODAY, IT WILL BE PUT ON THE NEXT AVAILABLE CITY COUNCIL AGENDA.
ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? ANY OTHER COMMENTS? SO MY QUESTION WOULD BE, IS THERE A CONFLICT BETWEEN THE RULE AND THE CODE? NO.
12A TALKS ABOUT THE FINAL SANCTION.
THAT'S THE FINAL AGREED UPON SANCTION BETWEEN THE INSPECTOR GENERAL AND THE RESPONDENT.
AND THEN IT GOES THROUGH THE NORMAL PROCESS WHERE THE EAC IS THE FINAL DETERMINING BODY WHEN IT COMES TO WHETHER OR NOT A VIOLATION OCCURRED.
AND THEN, UM, LATER ON IN THE CODE IN THE SANCTION SECTION, IT TALKS ABOUT THE DIFFERENT INDIVIDUALS, BODIES OR CITY COUNCIL THAT APPROVE THE FINAL RECOMMENDED SANCTION.
DOES THAT ANSWER YOUR QUESTION? NO, I'M JUST GONNA MAKE A MOTION TO APPROVE IF THERE'S NO OTHER DISCUSSION.
UH, YEAH, I WAS JUST GETTING READY TO ASK, IS THERE ANY, ARE THERE ANY FURTHER COMMENTS OR DISCUSSION REGARDING THE MOTION
[00:10:03]
REGARDING THE PROPOSED SETTLEMENT? IS THERE A MOTION? I SO MOVE.I MOVE FOR APPROVAL OF THE SETTLEMENT.
MS. CLARK? IS THERE A SECOND TO THE MOTION? MOTION HAS BEEN OPPOSED AND SECONDED.
UH, DO ANY MEMBERS OF THE BOARD WISH TO MAKE A COMMENT OR FURTHER DISCUSSION REGARDING THIS MATTER? HEARING NONE, THERE'S NO FURTHER DISCUSSION.
ALL THOSE IN FAVOR SIGNIFY BY SAYING AYE.
HEARING, UH, NO NAYS, THE MOTION IS APPROVED.
[3. Approval of minutes of July 21, 2026, Ethics Advisory Commission Regular Meeting.]
AGENDA ITEM IS THE APPROVAL OF MINUTES OF THE JULY 21ST, 2026 ETHICS ADVISORY COMMISSION REGULAR MEETING.IS THERE A MOTION TO APPROVE? MR. CHAIR, BEFORE WE GET A MOTION, I JUST WANNA POINT OUT I'VE ASKED THE CITY SECRETARY'S OFFICE TO CHANGE LAURA PHELAN'S TITLE ON THE MINUTES, UH, NOT TO REFLECT ASSISTANT CITY ATTORNEY, BUT ASSISTANT INSPECTOR.
IS THERE ANY OBJECTION TO THAT CHANGE? HEARING NONE, UH, ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION REGARDING THE MOTION? I'M HAPPY TO MAKE THE MOTION TO APPROVE THE MINUTES FOR JULY OF 21, 26.
IS THERE A SECOND TO THAT MOTION? IT'S BEEN MOVED AND SECONDED.
DO ANY MEMBERS OF THE BOARD COMMISSION WISH TO MAKE COMMENT ON THE MOTION? SO I JUST HAVE A QUESTION.
SO, UM, WE HAD MANY, UH, VOTES THAT WE TOOK, BUT, UH, WHY AREN'T THE VOTES REFLECTED? IT'S A QUESTION FOR THE CITY SECRETARY'S OFFICE.
MS. CITY SECRETARY, DO YOU HAVE A RESPONSE TO THAT PARTICULAR QUESTION BY THE COMMISSION MEMBER? IT LOOKS LIKE EXHIBIT B HAS THE ITEMS. I DIDN'T SEE ANYTHING ABOUT THE VOTES IN EXHIBIT B.
DID I MISS THAT? I THOUGH I JUST SAID THERE WAS DISCUSSION.
SO ITEM- ITEM FOUR, CONSIDERATION OF AMENDMENTS.
YEAH, WE MIGHT WANNA HOLD THE MINUTES BECAUSE THAT NEEDS...
THEY DID MORE THAN DISCUSS THAT ITEM.
THEY VOTED ON THAT ITEM, SO THAT NEEDS, THAT NEEDS TO BE REFLECTED IN THE MINUTES.
A- ANY COMMENT BY THE CITY SECRETARY'S OFFICE? OUR OFFICE WILL MI - EDIT THE MINUTES AND, UH, RETURN THOSE TO YOU.
AND SO THEREFORE I WOULD
SO WILL THOSE BE THEN PRESENTED AT A LATER TIME, MS. CITY ATTORNEY? UH, YEAH, CAN, CAN WE GET JUST A MOTION ON THE RECORD TO HOLD THIS ITEM UNTIL OUR JANUARY MEETING? SO MOVED.
MOTION AND A SECOND TO HOLD THIS ITEM UNTIL THE JANUARY MEETING.
IS THAT CORRECT? UM, ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION ON THE MATTER? HEARING NONE.
UH, ALL THOSE IN FAVOR SIGNIFY BY SAYING AYE.
[4. Discussion and consideration of Proposed 2027-2028 Commission Calendar]
FOUR IS THE DISCUSSION OF PROPOSED, THE PRO- PROPOSED[00:15:01]
2027 / 28 COMMISSION CALENDAR.IS THERE ANY DISCUSSION OF THE PROPOSED 27 - ' 28 COMMISSION CALENDAR? AND I'LL JUST CHIME IN.
SORRY, THIS IS LAURA MORRISON, CITY ATTORNEY'S OFFICE.
I'LL JUST CHIME IN WITH, UM, YOU KNOW, THIS, THIS COMMISSION MEETS QUARTERLY, UM, AND HISTORICALLY, THAT'S ALWAYS BEEN JANUARY, APRIL, JULY, AND OCTOBER.
UM, AND I'LL, I'LL JUST ASK THE COMMISSION TO KEEP IN MIND, BECAUSE I KNOW IT'S REALLY DIFFICULT TO PLAN YOUR YEAR, UM, IN ADVANCE.
IF FOR WHATEVER REASON, UM, A MEETING NEEDS TO BE CANCELED AND CALLED FOR A DIFFERENT DATE, THE CHAIR HAS THE ABILITY TO DO THAT.
FOR INSTANCE, IF IT LOOKS LIKE WE'RE NOT GONNA GET A FORUM FOR A MEETING, UH, THE CHAIR CAN CANCEL THAT REGULARLY CALENDARED MEETING AND THEN CALL A SPECIAL CALLED MEETING, UM, WHERE IT WOULD BE MORE CONVENIENT, UM, FOR A MAJORITY OF THE MEMBERS.
I DON'T WANT EVERYONE TO FEEL PRESSURED TO LOOK AT THEIR YEAR IN ADVANCE AND THINK I'M DEFINITELY AVAILABLE THAT DAY.
UM, SO THERE IS, UM, A LITTLE BIT OF FLEXIBILITY ONCE YOU'VE ADOPTED AN OFFICIAL CALENDAR.
ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION OR QUESTIONS REGARDING THE PROPOSED CALENDAR? HEARING NONE, ALL THOSE IN FAVOR OF THE MOTION SIGNIFIED BY SAYING AYE.
I - CAN WE GET A MOTION ON THE FLOOR AND THEN WE'LL JUST, UH, SEPARATE? I, I MOVE THAT WE ACCEPT THE CALENDAR THAT WE'VE BEEN PROVIDED.
THE MEMBERS OF THE COMMISSION WERE NOT ASKING FOR A MOTION.
HEAR- HEARING NO FURTHER DISCUSSION, ALL THOSE IN FAVOR, PLEASE SIGNIFY BY SAYING AYE.
[5. Office of the Inspector General briefing: Quarterly Report]
ON THE AGENDA IS THE BRIEFING BY THE, UH, INSPECTOR GENERAL'S OFFICE AND MR. INSPECTOR GENERAL AND STAFF, THE FLOOR IS YOURS.THANK YOU, AND GOOD MORNING AGAIN.
UH, THE FIRST AREA THAT, TO REPORT ON FOR THE QUARTER IS JUST UNDER THE RUBRIC OF INTEGRITY, AND THAT HAS TO DO WITH JUST SOME BASIC COMPLAINT AND TRAINING ME - UH, METRICS.
I HAVE SOME REALLY GOOD NEWS IN TERMS OF THE PRODUCTIVITY OF THE OFFICE.
UH, THAT'S REFLECTIVE OF A TREND OF MORE AND MORE CASES COMING IN.
UM, NEW CASES SUBMITTED AS COMPLAINTS, THAT NUMBER IS 158 AND CLOSED CASES IN THAT QUARTER, 137.
WHEN YOU BEGIN TO LOOK AT THAT FROM THE STANDPOINT OF ACCOUNTABILITY, UH, THE BREAKDOWN IS, IS LIKE THIS.
I, I DIVIDED INTO THREE CATEGORIES, CASES THAT ARE JUST DISMISSED BECAUSE IT'S NOT RELATED TO THE CITY OR WE DON'T HAVE JURISDICTION.
THEN WE HAVE A SET OF CASES THAT ARE REFERRED TO OUTSIDE AGENCIES OR DEPARTMENTS WITHIN THE CITY.
AND THEN WE HAVE CASES THAT WE DO HAVE JURISDICTION ON STRAIGHT UP UNDER THE CODE AND, AND THEY DESERVE A FULL INVESTIGATION.
UM, IN TERMS OF DISMISSED CASES, UH, THAT WAS 88% CAME IN.
SO 88% OF THE COMPLAINTS WE GOT REALLY WEREN'T RELATED TO THE CITY AND WE, OR WE DIDN'T HAVE JURISDICTION.
THAT'S ABOUT 64% OR TWO THIRDS, ROUGHLY.
THE OTHER ONE THIRD, UH, THERE WAS SOME ACCOUNTABILITY ACHIEVED.
SO 42 CASES WENT TO OUTSIDE AGENCIES AND, UH, SEVEN, OR EXCUSE ME, 27, UH, WERE FULLY INVESTIGATED.
OF THE 27, SEVEN OF THOSE, UH, IT LOOKS LIKE HAVE BEEN SUBS - OR EXCUSE ME, SIX OF THOSE HAVE BEEN SUBSTANTIATED OVER THE QUARTER.
SO THOSE ARE THE NUMBERS AS FAR AS THAT GOES.
IN TERMS OF ADMINISTRATION, THE EFFICIENCY OF THE OFFICE, STAFFING, CASE MANAGEMENT, THOSE KINDS OF THINGS, UM, AS YOU ALL HAVE BEEN AWARE, YOU KNOW, WE'VE BEEN WORKING ON GETTING TOOLS AND A NEW CASE MANAGEMENT SYSTEM, AND ALL OF THAT REALLY DID, UM, COME TO AN END IN THIS QUARTER AND REALLY PART OF THIS MONTH.
BUT IT'S, IT'S, SO IT'S FAIR TO TALK ABOUT,
[00:20:01]
I THINK, UH, CASEWARE IS BEING EXPEDITED, THAT'S OUR NEW CASE MANAGEMENT SYSTEM.THAT SHOULD BE APPROVED BY THE END OF NOVEMBER, WHICH WILL GIVE US CHANCE, A CHANCE TO HAVE THAT IMPLEMENTED BEFORE THE ETHICSPOINT, UH, ROLLS OFF.
SO WE DIDN'T HAVE TO RENEW ETHICSPOINT FOR ANOTHER YEAR, SO EVERYBODY'S REALLY HUSTLING TO GET THAT DONE.
UH, CLEAR, WHICH IS A TOOL, WE HAVE IT AND, UH, WE'RE USING THAT NOW.
COPILOT, WHICH IS A TOOL AT AN ENTERPRISE LEVEL, UH, WE OBTAINED THAT AND WE'RE WAITING FOR, UH, INSTRUCTION ON HOW TO USE THAT BETTER.
UH, NEXUS IS ANOTHER TOOL THAT WAS JUST APPROVED FOR INVESTIGATIONS, UH, THE TAC REVIEW IS WHAT IT'S CALLED, AND, AND, UH, WE'RE GONNA BE ORDERING THAT SOON.
THE BUDGET WAS A BIG PART OF THAT.
UM, AND THEN WHAT MADE A LOT OF THAT POSSIBLE WAS THE, UH, IN THE BUDGET PROCESS, IN A DIFFICULT YEAR, UH, THE CITY COUNCIL REALLY TOOK A HARD LOOK AT SOME OF THE CUTS THAT THE OIG, UH, WAS ASKED TO MAKE, AND THEY REFUNDED A SIGNIFICANT PORTION OF THAT, UH, AND THAT WAS ENOUGH TO GET THE PROCESS OF CASE MANAGEMENT AND TOOLS BACK ONLINE.
SO THERE'S THE GOOD NEWS THERE.
SO WE'RE REALLY LOOKING FORWARD TO, UH, A GREAT YEAR BASED ON WHAT'S HAPPENED IN THE LAST QUARTER.
UM, THE ONLY OTHER THING IS THAT, UH, THAT MONEY WILL ALSO ALLOW A LITTLE BIT OF SHIFTING IN OUR STRUCTURE, WHICH IS SOMETHING WE'VE TALKED ABOUT IN THE PAST.
AND, UH, SO THOSE PLANS HAVE NOW BEEN MADE NOW THAT THE BUDGET'S APPROVED AND, AND THAT SOMETHING CALLED THE GREEN SHEETS HAVE GONE OUT AND COME BACK.
UH, SO REALLY, I THINK A LOT OF GOOD NEWS, UH, COMING OUT OF THE QUARTER IN THIS, THIS LAST FEW WEEKS.
WITH RESPECT TO THE SIX SUBSTANTIATED, UH, COMPLAINTS, WHAT HAS HAPPENED OR WILL HAPPEN WITH THOSE? CAN, CAN YOU ADDRESS THAT, PLEASE? WHAT, WHAT WE'VE SEEN MOSTLY THIS WHOLE YEAR HAS BEEN, UH, SETTLEMENTS, LIKE THE ONES THAT WE DID TODAY.
THEY, JUST LIKE WE DISCUSSED, THEY'VE GONE ON TO COUN - THIS WILL BE THE NEXT ONE IN THE, UH, LINE OF CASES THAT GO TO COUNCIL ON THE CONSENT AGENDA WITH THE SETTLEMENT AGREEMENT ATTACHED.
SO THAT'S WHAT'S GOING TO HAPPEN.
YOU ANTICIPATE THAT IS WHAT WILL HAPPEN WITH RESPECT TO THE OTHER SUBSTANTIATED COMPLAINTS? IT IS, AND, AND SOME OF THOSE WEREN'T IN THIS QUARTER THAT...
WELL, TH- THOSE WERE IN THIS QUARTER, BUT YES, THAT'S WHAT I ANTICIPATE WILL HAPPEN.
AND THAT'S, THAT'S REALLY MOST LIKELY WHAT'S GONNA HAPPEN IN EVERY CASE THAT COMES BEFORE THE OIG THAT WE THINK WE CAN SUBSTANTIATE SO LONG AS IT'S NOT AN EMPLOYEE.
BUT ONCE, IF IT'S AN EMPLOYEE, YOU'RE GUARANTEED, UH, IF WE'RE GONNA SUBSTANTIATE IT, TO HAVE A HEARING AND THEN, THEN WHATEVER DISCIPLINE FOLLOWS WILL GO THROUGH THE EMPLOYMENT PROCESS AND PERSONNEL AND THOSE KINDS OF THINGS.
BUT IF IT'S JUST ABOUT ANYBODY ELSE, CITY COUNCIL MEMBER, CITY OFFICIAL, THEY HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO NEGOTIATE.
AND SO I, I'D ANTICIPATE MOST OF THOSE WOULD BE SETTLED AND BROUGHT TO THE EAC AT A REGULAR MEETING LIKE THE ONE WE HAD TODAY.
ARE THERE ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? YES.
SO I, THE, THE MOST RECENT MONTHLY REPORT I SAW WAS AUGUST.
IS THAT THE MOST RECENT ONE? IT IS.
SO I HAD SOME QUESTIONS, UM, KIND OF UPDATES IF YOU COULD GIVE US.
UM, SO FOR EXAMPLE, YOU SAY THE ADVANCED MANAGEMENT AD- ADVISORIES AND ALERTS...
UH, OH, YOU ADVANCED THE MANAGEMENT ADVISORIES AND ALERTS TOWARD FINAL APPROVAL.
WHERE DOES THAT STAND? THAT, UH, ADVANCED THROUGH THE GENERAL INVESTIGATION AND ETHICS COMMITTEE, AND FOR REASONS OUTSIDE OF MY CONTROL OR REALLY, I JUST, I THINK IT'S JUST HAPPENED THAT WAY.
WE'RE WAITING TO GET IT ON A COUNCIL AGENDA, AND I'M HOPEFUL THAT WE CAN GET THAT, UH, BEFORE COUNCIL IN, UH, NOVEMBER.
THAT MAY BE A STRETCH, BUT, UM, THAT'S COMING THROUGH THAT OTHER COMMITTEE.
AND IT'S THE SAME THING, UH, ANTICIPATING YOU MIGHT BE ASKING ABOUT THE 12A RECOMMENDATIONS.
UH, THAT'S THE EXACT SAME SITUATION.
I'M MORE HOPEFUL OR, OR, UH, MORE OPTIMISTIC THAT THAT WILL COME IN NOVEMBER.
AND, UM, YOU MENTIONED IMPROVED ACCESS TO CITY INFORMATION FOR OVERSIGHT WORK.
WHAT WAS, WHAT WAS THE ACCESS ISSUE AND WHAT HAS CHANGED?
[00:25:02]
SO FAR, UH, THERE'S JUST BEEN CONVERSATION.IN THAT, IN THAT PARTICULAR CASE, UH, THE OVERSIGHT OR THE INFORMATION ACCESS ISSUE HAD TO DO WITH, UH, SOME INVESTIGATING WE WERE DOING INTO OVERTIME.
UM, AND, BUT, BUT REALLY THE LARGER AND BIGGER PICTURE FOR EVERY OIG, AND THIS ONE WOULD BE NO DIFFERENT, IS JUST THE BETTER FLOW OF INFORMATION, THE FREER, THE LESS DOORS WE HAVE TO KNOCK ON TO GET IT, UH, THE STRONGER THE CONFIDENTIALITY, THE BETTER OUR INVESTIGATIONS ARE GONNA BE, ET CETERA.
AND SO WE ARE IN CONVERSATION OVER GETTING ACCESS TO A SYSTEM IN THE CITY CALLED E-DISCOVERY, WHICH WILL, WILL HELP OUR OFFICE A, A GREAT DEAL ALONG THOSE LINES, WHICH IS NOT TO SAY THAT PEOPLE ARE UNCOOPERATIVE GIVING INFORMATION PER SE, BUT IT'S BETTER, UH, FOR THE OFFICE IF WE CAN JUST GO GET IT AND NOT GO BACK AND FORTH, YOU KNOW, YOU COULD UNDERSTAND.
AND THEN, UM, FOR THE, UH, ETHICS TRAINING, YOU SAY THAT THE PROCESS FOR BOARDS AND COMMISSIONS IS IN USE AND STILL BEING REFINED.
IS THERE ANY PROBLEM WITH THE PROCESS? NO, THERE'S NO PROBLEM WITH THE PROCESS.
I'M NOT SURE WHAT I MEANT WHEN I, WHEN I WROTE THAT.
THAT MAY BE ALL I MEANT BY THAT.
THERE'S NO, NO ISSUES TO DISCUSS OR ANYTHING.
BUT YOU ARE DOING TRAININGS TO THE BOARDS AND COMMISSIONS? YES.
BY REQUEST, AS THEY REQUEST THEM.
NOW, THEY HAVE OTHER - WOULD IT BE BETTER IF IT WASN'T BY REQUEST AND IT WAS JUST A STANDARD PROCESS? THERE ARE TWO WAYS FOR CITY OFFICIALS TO, UH, GET TRAINING RIGHT NOW.
ONE IS, UH, IF THE CHAIR DETERMINES THAT THEY WANNA TAKE TIME OUT OF THEIR MEETING AND HAVE THE TRAINING AND REQUEST IT.
I THINK THAT'S PROBABLY THE, THE BEST.
BUT THE SECOND WAY IS THAT I, I OFFER GENERAL ETHI- ETHICS TRAINING EVERY MONTH, THE FIRST TUESDAY AT, AT NOON, AND, AND I'M HAPPY TO DO IT, YOU KNOW, AS NEEDED, BUT THEY'VE GOT THOSE TWO OPPORTUNITIES, BUT WHEN THE CHAIR MAKES THE CALL AND FORCES IT, YOU KNOW, YOU OBVIOUSLY GET THAT, THAT BUTTON, UH, PUSHED.
AND THEN, UM, YOU GAVE US COPIES OF THE DALLAS MORNING NEWS ARTICLES.
AND IT SAYS, THIS IS A QUOTE FROM YOU, I THINK, UH, "THERE ARE MANY MORE CASES UNDER REVIEW TOTALING MORE THAN $1.7 MILLION IN PAYMENTS UNDER SCRUTINY AND TO EXPECT MORE NEWS BEFORE CHRISTMAS." IS THAT STILL SOMETHING THAT - IT, IT'S STILL, IT IS STILL POSSIBLE.
THERE'S, UH, UH, PART OF IT HAS TO DO WITH GETTING THE MANAGEMENT ADVISORY AND ALERT PROCESS COMPLETED, BECAUSE IN ONE CASE IN PARTICULAR, IT'S, UH, A SIX-FIGURE TYPE ADVISORY THAT'LL BE COMING OUT.
UM, AND I, I CAN SAY WITHOUT MAYBE SAYING TOO MUCH, I JUST...
THINGS ALWAYS GO SLOWER THAN I THINK THEY WOULD, TO BE HONEST.
UH, BUT WE HAVE, UM, 13 CASES RIGHT NOW, UH, AND I BELIEVE EVERY ONE OF THEM WILL BE SUBSTANTIATED.
THEY WON'T BE HIGH DOLLAR, BUT EVERYONE WILL BE SUBSTANTIATED.
UM, WE'RE JUST NOT SURE AT THIS POINT.
WE GOTTA, WE GOTTA WORK THROUGH THEM ALL.
YOU KNOW, WE CAN'T JUST ASSUME THAT THIS ONE'S LIKE THE NEXT ONE BECAUSE THEY'RE ALL VERY SIMILAR.
UH, BUT THERE'LL BE SOME GOOD THINGS, REALLY GOOD CASES ARE, ARE FLOWING TOWARDS THE EAC, TOWARDS COUNCIL.
UM, AND SO MY FINAL QUESTION IS, AND THIS KINDA GOES BACK TO THE STATEMENT THAT WE HEARD, THE PUBLIC STATEMENT, UM, AND THAT IS, I KNOW THAT WHEN I WAS APPOINTED TO THE COMMISSION, I CAREFULLY READ THROUGH THE RULES.
I CAREFULLY READ THROUGH THE CODE, AND I CAREFULLY READ THROUGH THE RULES, BECAUSE I THINK, YOU KNOW, WE'RE...
AND I ABSOLUTELY, LIKE, I MADE NOTES ALL THROUGH THOSE RULES THAT THERE WERE DISCREPANCIES THAT I SAW BETWEEN THE TWO.
AND I THINK THIS COMMENT TODAY WAS BRINGING FORWARD ONE WHERE AT LEAST THIS CITIZEN, UH, THOUGHT THAT THERE WERE DISCREPANCIES.
AND I'M WONDERING IF IT MIGHT BE WISE FOR US TO SCHEDULE A REVIEW OF THE RULES.
IF YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT THE RULES OF PROCEDURE - UH-HUH.
SURE, IT, IT'S ALWAYS WISE TO LOOK AT THINGS.
THERE WE START GETTING REALLY INTO THE PURVIEW OF THE...
[00:30:01]
TO, TO MAKE SURE THOSE THINGS, UH, ARE IN ALIGNMENT.I, I PERSONALLY DIDN'T SEE A CONFLICT, BUT I, YOU KNOW, WHEN THAT WAS RAISED, UH, BY MS. CLARK, I WAS HAPPY TO TAKE IT TO THE CITY ATTORNEY'S OFFICE TO, TO VERIFY.
UM, BUT, BUT SHE DID, AND, AND I UNDERSTAND.
I'M CONSTANTLY GOING BACK IN FRONT OF MY - WELL, I MEAN, MY POINT IS THAT WE HAVE, THAT WE ARE MANDATED TO GO THROUGH THE CODE - RIGHT.
BUT IF WE DON'T THEN LOOK AT THE COMPARISON BETWEEN WHAT THE CODE NOW PROVIDES AND OUR RULES, THEN IT SEEMS TO ME THAT THAT COULD BE AN ISSUE.
OH, I'LL, I'LL DEFINITELY CHIME IN ON THAT.
THAT IS SOMETHING THAT WILL BE COMING BEFORE THE COMMISSION.
AND KEEP IN MIND, THOSE RULES OF PROCEDURE ARE THIS BODY'S RULES OF PROCEDURE.
SO ANYTIME THIS BODY WANTS TO TAKE A LOOK AT THEM AND TAKE A DEEP DIVE AND SEE WHAT NEEDS TO BE AMENDED, ANYTIME, UM, WE CAN DO THAT AT A REGULARLY CALENDAR MEETING.
BUT, YOU KNOW, THE, ALL OF THE RECOMMENDED CHANGES TO CHAPTER 12A THAT Y'ALL HAVE WORKED SO HARD ON THIS YEAR ARE, UM, THEY STILL NEED TO BE BRIEFED TO FULL COUNCIL.
THEY'VE GOTTEN THROUGH THE COUNCIL COMMITTEE.
AND SO, UM, COUNCIL MEMBER WILLIS IS, UM, STILL WORKING WITH THE INSPECTOR GENERAL TO TRY TO FIND A FULL COUNCIL BRIEFING DAY TO GET THAT ON SO IT CAN BE BRIEFED TO FULL COUNCIL.
THEY, YOU KNOW, THEY GO THROUGH BUDGET, WHICH IS A VERY HEAVY BRIEFING TIME OF YEAR, AND THEY'VE GOT SOME OTHER BIG THINGS COMING UP.
SO IT'S, IT'S JUST A MATTER OF FINDING THAT SPACE ON AN AGENDA.
AND THEN IT'LL GO FOR A FULL VOTE.
AND THEN ONCE THAT HAPPENS, I WILL GO THROUGH THE RULES AND TRY TO MARRY THE CHANGES TO THE RULES.
AND THAT'LL BE ON AN AGENDA FOR E- EVERYONE TO TAKE A LOOK AT AND MAKE THOSE CHANGES TO MARRY THOSE UP.
YEAH, I THINK THAT'D BE GREAT.
MR. INSPECTOR GENERAL, I HAVE ONE LAST QUESTION.
YOU MENTIONED YOUR OFFICE'S USE OF EDISCOVERY.
CAN YOU TELL ME WHAT THAT IS AND HOW YOUR OFFICE USES THAT? WHAT, WHAT IS THAT? WELL, WE D - WE DON'T USE IT RIGHT NOW.
UH, WE'RE, WE'VE, WE HAD A MEETING WITH A LOT OF, UH, OF THE IT FOLKS AND A REPRESENTATIVE FROM MICROSOFT AND THEY, AND THE MICROSOFT REP SAID THEY SHOULD HAVE EDISCOVERY.
AND, UH, I, WHAT I KNOW ABOUT IT IS THIS.
IT'LL JUST GIVE US ACCESS TO INFORMATION IN THE, IN THE CITY.
AND THAT'S REALLY THE EXTENT OF, OF, OF WHAT I COULD SAY WITH ANY KIND OF INTELLIGENCE.
BUT THE MICROSOFT PERSON SAID THAT'S SOMETHING YOU NEED.
SOME OTHER FOLKS ON IT AGREED.
I, I THINK THE ISSUE IS FIGURING OUT ACCESS TO WHAT WITHIN THAT SYSTEM.
'CAUSE I THINK IF YOU HAD ACCESS TO THAT SYSTEM, JUST A, A TURNKEY BLANK PAGE, YOU COULD GET ANYTHING.
AND THAT'S NOT NECESSARILY APPROPRIATE.
SO ALONG WITH THE, THE, THE PROJECTS THAT EVERYONE ELSE HAS, YOU KNOW, THAT THEY'RE TRYING TO FIGURE OUT WHAT'S THE ACCESS, WHAT INFORMATION IS IT THAT WE SHOULD HAVE ACCESS TO JUST BY TURNING ON OUR COMPUTERS AND LOOKING AND WHAT SHOULD BE MORE RESTRICTIVE? THAT'S THE BEST I CAN DO.
BUT, UM, I UNDERSTAND IT, IT WOULD HELP US TO NOT HAVE TO CALL SOMEBODY UP AND ASK FOR SOMETHING.
MAYBE THEY MISUNDERSTAND AND WE DO THE BACK AND FORTH AND WE'RE RINGING THE BELL ABOUT WHAT INFORMATION WE'RE LOOKING AT AND WHAT ISSUES ARE OUT THERE.
UH, SO IT WOULD, IT WOULD SPEED THINGS ALONG AND BE MORE EFFICIENT.
SO THAT, THAT IS STILL IN, IN PROCESS AS - IT IS.
AS WE SPEAK, AND YOU'LL BE FURTHER, THERE'LL BE FURTHER DISCUSSION OF THAT IN THE FUTURE.
SO ON THAT E-DISCOVERY, I MEAN, I KNOW WHAT E-DISCOVERY IS FOR LITIGATION.
IS, IS IT, IS THAT A, A, SOME KIND OF SPECIFIC, UH, PLATFORM THAT MICROSOFT IS TRYING TO SELL OR? IT'S, IT'S NOT THAT THEY'RE TRYING TO SELL IT.
IT ALREADY EXISTS WITHIN THE CITY.
THE QUESTION IS, UH, THE OIG HAVING ACCESS TO IT AND WHAT PARTS? I, I HAD ANOTHER QUESTION OR COMMENT.
AND MR. ELIASON AND I HAD, HAD A BRIEF EMAIL EXCHANGE ABOUT THIS, UH, A FEW WEEKS AGO.
WHEN I SEE THE TYPES OF, UH, COMPLAINTS RECEIVED, UM, THE FIRST THING I NOTICED WAS THE UNCATEGORIZED OTHER NEEDS TO PACK.
AND I, UH, UH, WHEN WE HAD THAT, OUR EXCHANGE, I UNDERSTAND THAT THERE COULD BE 20 SEPARATE ODD KINDS OF CASES.
I'M JUST HOPEFUL THAT, UH, WITH THE UPGRADED IN TECHNOLOGY AND, UH, AND, AND, AND THAT WE
[00:35:01]
LOOK AGAIN AT HOW TO CATEGORIZE THESE BECAUSE, UH, OTHER DOESN'T TELL ME ANYTHING.AND, UH, YOU KNOW, UH, UH, YOU KNOW, FOUR COMPLAINTS REGARDING A DISAGREEMENT WITH THE DEPARTMENT, DEPARTMENTAL ACTION, THAT DOES TELL ME SOMETHING, UH, SO ON AND SO FORTH.
SO THAT'S JUST MY COMMENT ABOUT HOPE- HOPEFULLY WE CAN GET THAT RESOLVED SO THAT OTHER DWINDLES AND WE HAVE, UH, UH, MORE S - UH, SPECIFICITY IN THE KINDS OF CASES, UH, THAT THE, UH, INSPECTOR GENERAL IS RECEIVING.
UH, I'M GONNA ASK, UH, MS. TO CHIME IN.
YEAH, I CAN GIVE A LITTLE MORE INFORMATION ON THE OTHER.
UM, WE GET A FAIR AMOUNT OF COMPLAINTS THAT ARE NOT RELATED TO THE CITY.
UM, SOMEONE COMPLAINING ABOUT SOMETHING THAT HAPPENED IN ANOTHER CITY.
UM, SO WHILE THAT PERSON IS SELECTING A, AN ISSUE FROM ALL OF OUR DIFFERENT PRIMARY ISSUE TYPES, WE CHANGE IT TO OTHER BECAUSE, UM, WE DON'T WANT IT CLOUDING OUR ISSUE TYPES BECAUSE IT'S NOT RELATED TO THE COMPLAINTS INVOLVING CITY OF DALLAS PERSONNEL OR FACILITIES OR EMPLOYEES OR OFFICIALS.
SO THE OTHERS ARE PROBABLY NOT GONNA GO DOWN.
UM, ANOTHER, UM, THING THAT HAPPENS MODERATELY IS WE'LL GET AN INCOMPLETE COMPLAINT IN THAT SOMEONE BEGINS THE PROCESS AND THEN THEY HANG UP, UM, THE CALL WITHOUT COMPLETING THE INTAKE PROCESS, WITHOUT SAYING WHAT THEIR COMPLAINT IS ABOUT.
SO WE'RE CATEGORIZING THAT AS OTHER.
UM, SO WHEN YOU SEE OTHER, IT'S REALLY THAT IT'S JUST GONNA BE GENERALLY NOT RELATED TO THE CITY AND IT'S NOT GONNA FALL INTO...
AND I DON'T, I DON'T THINK THAT IT SHOULD CLOUD OUR, OUR ISSUE TYPE.
BUT WE PROBABLY COULD SET A CATEGORY OF INCOMPLETE IF THERE'S QUITE A NUMBER OF THOSE.
WE HAVE, WE HAVE THAT CATE - WE ARE ALREADY TRACKING THINGS THAT ARE INCOMPLETE.
UH, IT'S JUST, IT'S A MATTER OF, OF HOW GRANULAR, UH, WE NEED TO BE TO, TO GIVE EVERYBODY THE INFORMATION THEY NEED FOR TRANSPARENCY.
AFTER I RECEIVED EMAIL AND I, I TALKED TO MS. BELAND AND IT JUST SOUNDS LIKE RIGHT NOW THE, THE CASES THAT GO INTO OTHER, WELL, AS SHE SAID, THEY'RE JUST NOT RELATED TO THE CITY.
NOW WE COULD, WE COULD ALLOW THEM TO, UH, BE TRACKED, BUT THEN I THINK WHAT I'M HEARING HER SAY IS THAT WILL AFFECT THE STATISTICS OF THE CASES THAT REALLY ARE RELATED TO THE CITY.
UM, BUT THERE'S NOTHING IN THERE TO SEE IS, IS THE THING.
THEY'RE INCOMPLETE OR THERE'S JUST NOTHING WE CAN DO ABOUT IT.
BUT I'M JUST THINKING IT'S, IT...
I GET THE OTHER C- CITY ONES, I DON'T KNOW HOW YOU, YOU KNOW, YOU DON'T WANNA, UM, YOU KNOW, MAKE IT, UH, APPEAR THAT THEY ACTUALLY ARE IN ONE OF THOSE CATEGORIES.
BUT THE INCOMPLETES, WE COULD HAVE A CATEGORY THAT SAYS INCOMPLETE INSTEAD OF STICKING IT IN OTHER.
AND, AND JUST FOR MORE CLARIFICA - NOT, OR JUST MORE INSIGHT, WE DO HAVE THAT.
IT'S USUALLY ONE OR TWO A MONTH.
SO, SO WE DON'T TRACK THE OTHER CATEGORY.
THAT'S SOMETHING THAT IS REALLY OUTSIDE OF - SO THE OTHER...
OUR, OUR STATISTICAL ANALYSIS.
SO THE OTHER IS A PRIMARY ISSUE TYPE, LIKE A CONFLICT OF INTEREST OR CHALLENGE TO A CODE ENFORCEMENT CITATION OR DISAGREEMENT WITH THE PERSONNEL DIV - DECISION.
THOSE ARE ALL PRIMARY ISSUE TYPES THAT, UM, THAT WE SELECT FOR THE COMPLAINT ONCE WE READ IT AND DECIPHER IT AND PULL OUT W- WHAT THE ALLEGATIONS ARE.
UM - I CAN GIVE YOU A RECENT EXAMPLE OF, OF ONE THAT HAD TO DO WITH, UH, SOMEBODY THAT WAS AT A LOCAL PET STORE AND THEY SAW A LIZARD.
IT WAS A GECKO THAT THEY THOUGHT WAS UNDERFED.
AND THAT'S AN EXAMPLE OF THE...
I MEAN, NOT ALL OF THEM ARE LIKE THAT, BUT THEN SOME OF THEM ARE LIKE, "WELL, MY LANDLORD HASN'T FIXED MY SINK," OR IT'S THINGS LIKE THAT.
AND IT COULD BE THINGS THAT ARE MORE SUBSTANTIVE AND REAL, BUT, BUT IF IT ENDS UP IN OTHER, IT'S BECAUSE IT'S IN ANOTHER CITY.
IT'S NOT EVEN IN DALLAS OR IT'S, IT'S JUST NOTHING WE CAN DO ANYTHING ABOUT.
ARE, ARE THOSE TYPES OF COMPLAINTS, UH, IN THE TOTAL COMPLAINTS CLOSED CATEGORY? YES.
WHEN I, WHEN I WENT THROUGH THE, THE THREE CATEGORIES OF DISMISSED OR REFERRED OR FULL INVESTIGATION,
[00:40:02]
THEY'RE UNDER THE DISMISSED CATEGORY, THE 88 NUMBER IN THIS CASE.I HAVE TO GIVE THAT SOME THOUGHT.
I'LL, I'LL, I'LL DEFER ANY MORE QUESTIONS TODAY ON THE OTHER CATEGORY.
I DON'T WANNA COMPLICATE YOUR WORK AND YOUR MISSION.
UM, I, I'LL SAY THAT MAYBE THIS WILL BE HELPFUL.
WE CAN TRACK WHATEVER WHEN WE...
THE NEW CASE MANAGEMENT SYSTEM THAT WE'RE GETTING WILL ACTUALLY HELP US A GREAT DEAL IN TRACKING, BECAUSE RIGHT NOW WE'RE TRACKING THESE THINGS WITH SPREADSHEETS AND...
BUT, UM, IT'S NOT, IT'S NOT A GREAT BURDEN ON US TO TRACK IT.
THE QUESTION IS JUST, UH, TRANSPARENCY ON THE ONE HAND AND THEN EFFECTIVENESS, OR YOU'RE NOT GIVING SO MANY DETAILS ABOUT THINGS THAT WE, WE CAN'T DO ANYTHING ABOUT, THAT YOU MISSED THE HEADLINE OVER HERE OF GOOD STUFF.
AND SO IT'S JUST A CHOICE IN THERE, AND THERE'S A SWEET SPOT, AND, UM, THERE'S NO REASON WHY WE CAN'T KEEP TALKING ABOUT IT AND FIND THAT IF WE'RE NOT THERE RIGHT NOW.
UH, ANY OTHER QUESTIONS OR CONCERNS ABOUT THE INSPECTOR GENERAL'S REPORTS? ALL RIGHT.
MS. CITY ATTORNEY, IS OUR WORK DONE? APPEARS SO.
UNLESS THERE, UH, ARE ANYTHING, UH, ANY OTHER COMMENTS TO BE BROUGHT BEFORE THE COMMISSION, UH, AT THIS POINT, UH, THE REGULARLY SCHEDULED MEETING OF, UH, OF TODAY'S MEETING IS ADJOURNED, UH, ON TUESDAY, OCTOBER 27TH AT 10:20 AM.
WELL, THANK YOU VERY MUCH, MEMBERS OF THE COMMISSION.
AND THANK YOU VERY MUCH, MR. AND INSPECTOR GENERAL AND STAFF.