ETHICS REVIEW COMMISSION REGULAR MEETING MARCH 23, 2022 at 6:00 P.M. Austin City Hall, Boards & Commissions Room, # 1101 301 W 2nd Street, Austin, Texas 78701 Some members of the Ethics Review Commission may be participating by videoconference. Public participation will be allowed in-person or by telephone. The meeting may be viewed online on ATXN2 at: http://www.austintexas.gov/page/watch-atxn-live Public Speakers: Speakers providing in-person testimony can register to speak either online or in- person prior to the meeting. Following are instructions for registering for Remote Public Communication (formerly “Citizen Communication”): • All interested in speaking remotely during public communication or on an agenda item must register in advance no later than: Tuesday, March 22, 2022 by noon. • Call or email the staff liaison at 512-974-2915 or lizette.benitez@austintexas.gov, no later than noon, (the day before the meeting). The information required is the speaker’s name, telephone number (must be the same number the speaker will use to call into the meeting), and e-mail address. If speaking on an agenda item, please provide the agenda item number(s) you wish to speak about. • • Once a request to participate has been made to the liaison, the information about how to call into the meeting on the day of the scheduled meeting will be provided either by email or phone call. Additional Instructions for Public Speakers, including how to register in person during the thirty minutes prior to when the meeting being begins, are provided at the end of this Agenda. COMMISSION MEMBERS: Chair Luis Soberon Debra Danburg Michael Lovins Mikki Teneyuca Vice-Chair Mary Kahle Betsy Greenberg Donna Beth McCormick Sidney Williams AGENDA Secretary Robin Lerner Raafia Lari Nguyen Stanton CALL TO ORDER PUBLIC COMMUNICATION: GENERAL (formerly CITIZEN COMMUNICATION) There is no limit on the number of speakers who may speak on agenda items. A maximum of ten persons will be allowed to speak during general citizen communications on non-agenda items. 1 Each person must register to speak prior to the call to order of the meeting. Each speaker who registers to speak will be allowed three minutes to speak. Please also see the “NOTICE Regarding Public Communication (formerly “Citizen Communication”) at the end of this agenda. 1. EXECUTIVE SESSION The Ethics Review Commission may announce it will go into Executive Session pursuant to Chapter 551 of the Texas Government Code to receive advice from legal counsel on any matters specifically listed on this …
ETHICS REVIEW COMMISSION MEETING MINUTES Wednesday, March 23, 2022 The Ethics Review Commission (“Commission”) convened in a regular meeting on Wednesday, March 23, 2022, Austin, Texas. Vice-Chair Mary Kahle called the meeting to order at 6:13 p.m. Location: City Hall, Room 1101, 301 W 2nd Street, Austin, Texas and via Videoconference. Commissioners in Attendance: Chair Luis Soberon, Vice-Chair Mary Kahle, and Commissioners: Betsy Greenberg, Raafia Lari, Michael Lovins, Donna Beth McCormick, Nguyen Stanton, and Sidney Williams were present at City Hall. Commissioners Debra Danburg and Mikki Teneyuca attended via videoconference. Members Absent: Secretary Robin Lerner. City Staff in Attendance: Lizette Benitez, Staff Liaison; Meredith Mooney, Executive Assistance; Lynn Carter, Commission Executive Liaison & Assistant City Attorney; Myrna Rios, City Clerk, attended via videoconference. PUBLIC COMMUNICATION: GENERAL (formerly CITIZEN COMMUNICATION) Each person who signed up to speak prior to the meeting being called to order and who designated this item on which to speak, or who did not designate an agenda item on which to speak will be allowed three minutes to speak Diane Land signed an oath form and spoke on Item 2 on the agenda. 1. EXECUTIVE SESSION The Ethics Review Commission may announce it will go into Executive Session pursuant to Chapter 551 of the Texas Government Code to receive advice from legal counsel on any matters specifically listed on this agenda (Private Consultation with Attorney-Section 551.071). The Commission may go into executive session to discuss: A complaint filed by Loree Misch against Steve Adler, Mayor, which complaint alleges violations of City Code of Chapter 2-7 (Ethics and Financial Disclosure) Section 2-7-75 (Sworn Financial Disclosure Statements). The Commission went into Executive Session at 6:22 p.m. and the open meeting resumed at 7:32 p.m. Outside counsel, Steve Sheets, advised the Commission. 1 2. PRELIMINARY HEARING Discussion and possible action regarding the following: A complaint filed by Loree Misch against Steve Adler, Mayor, which complaint alleges violations of City Code of Chapter 2-7 (Ethics and Financial Disclosure) Section 2-7-75 (Sworn Financial Disclosure Statements). Outside counsel, Steve Sheets, advised the Commission during the preliminary hearing. Parties Attending: Complainant Loree Misch appeared by remote connection. Respondent Steve Adler and Respondent’s attorney, Andrew Cates, appeared in person. Complainant Misch and Respondent’s attorney, Cates, made presentations during preliminary hearing and the Commission asked questions of the parties. At the conclusion of the preliminary hearing, Commissioner Lovins made a motion to dismiss allegations in the …
ETHICS REVIEW COMMISSION MEETING MINUTES Wednesday, March 23, 2022 The Ethics Review Commission (“Commission”) convened in a regular meeting on Wednesday, March 23, 2022, Austin, Texas. Vice-Chair Mary Kahle called the meeting to order at 6:13 p.m. Location: City Hall, Room 1101, 301 W 2nd Street, Austin, Texas and via Videoconference. Commissioners in Attendance: Chair Luis Soberon, Vice-Chair Mary Kahle, and Commissioners: Betsy Greenberg, Raafia Lari, Michael Lovins, Donna Beth McCormick, Nguyen Stanton, and Sidney Williams were present at City Hall. Commissioners Debra Danburg and Mikki Teneyuca attended via videoconference. Members Absent: Secretary Robin Lerner. City Staff in Attendance: Lizette Benitez, Staff Liaison; Meredith Mooney, Executive Assistance; Lynn Carter, Commission Executive Liaison & Assistant City Attorney; Myrna Rios, City Clerk, attended via videoconference. PUBLIC COMMUNICATION: GENERAL (formerly CITIZEN COMMUNICATION) Each person who signed up to speak prior to the meeting being called to order and who designated this item on which to speak, or who did not designate an agenda item on which to speak will be allowed three minutes to speak Diane Land signed an oath form and spoke on Item 2 on the agenda. 1. EXECUTIVE SESSION The Ethics Review Commission may announce it will go into Executive Session pursuant to Chapter 551 of the Texas Government Code to receive advice from legal counsel on any matters specifically listed on this agenda (Private Consultation with Attorney-Section 551.071). The Commission may go into executive session to discuss: A complaint filed by Loree Misch against Steve Adler, Mayor, which complaint alleges violations of City Code of Chapter 2-7 (Ethics and Financial Disclosure) Section 2-7-75 (Sworn Financial Disclosure Statements). The Commission went into Executive Session at 6:22 p.m. and the open meeting resumed at 7:32 p.m. Outside counsel, Steve Sheets, advised the Commission. 1 2. PRELIMINARY HEARING Discussion and possible action regarding the following: A complaint filed by Loree Misch against Steve Adler, Mayor, which complaint alleges violations of City Code of Chapter 2-7 (Ethics and Financial Disclosure) Section 2-7-75 (Sworn Financial Disclosure Statements). Outside counsel, Steve Sheets, advised the Commission during the preliminary hearing. Parties Attending: Complainant Loree Misch appeared by remote connection. Respondent Steve Adler and Respondent’s attorney, Andrew Cates, appeared in person. Complainant Misch and Respondent’s attorney, Cates, made presentations during preliminary hearing and the Commission asked questions of the parties. At the conclusion of the preliminary hearing, Commissioner Lovins made a motion to dismiss allegations in the …
