Agenda — original pdf

Agenda

ETHICS REVIEW COMMISSION REGULAR MEETING DECEMBER 8, 2021 AT 6:00 P.M. Austin Energy Assembly Room No. 1111 4815 Mueller Blvd. Austin, TX 78723 Some members of the Ethics Review Commission may be participating by videoconference. The meeting may be viewed online at: http://www.austintexas.gov/page/watch-atxn-live Vice-Chair Mary Kahle Betsy Greenberg Donna Beth McCormick Sidney Williams Secretary Robin Lerner Raafia Lari Nguyen Stanton CURRENT COMMISSION MEMBERS: Chair Luis Soberon Debra Danburg Michael Lovins Mikki Teneyuca AGENDA CALL TO ORDER CITIZEN COMMUNICATION: GENERAL 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. 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 Citizen Communication and Public Testimony” 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 agenda (Private Consultation with Attorney-Section 551.071). The Commission may go into executive session to discuss: A complaint filed by Zenobia C. Joseph against Caleb Pritchard, which complaint alleges violations of City Code of Chapter 2-7 (Ethics and Financial Disclosure) Section 2-7-62 (Standards of Conduct), subsections (K) and (O). 1  2. PRELIMINARY HEARING Discussion and possible action regarding the following: A complaint filed by Zenobia C. Joseph against Caleb Pritchard, which complaint alleges violations of City Code of Chapter 2-7 (Ethics and Financial Disclosure) Section 2-7-62 (Standards of Conduct), subsections (K) and (O). 3. NEW BUSINESS Discussion and possible action regarding the following: Candidate Forum -- District 4 City Council Candidates: tentatively scheduled at City Hall on Thursday, January 6, 2022 at 6:00 p.m. (January 25, 2022 is election day; first day of early voting is January 10, 2022.) 4. OLD BUSINESS Discussion and possible action regarding the following: a. Review and evaluation of the dollar limits established in Chapter 2-2 (Campaign Finance) and consider making recommendations to the city council as to those limits. b. Statement and/or Video of What the Commission Does & How the Public can use the Commission and Statement on Equity, Access, and the Need for Reform by the Working Group on Race, Identity, and Equity c. Content of the agenda for future meetings, including description of Commission’s jurisdiction and/or functions. d. Working group status reports and/or recommendations on the following. i. Working Group on Sanctions, Procedures, and other Issues (Chair Soberon and Commissioners Greenberg, Stanton, and Teneyuca) on the following subjects: - Commission sanctions including effectiveness, past cases, and - Potential amendments to City Code, Chapter 2-7 (Ethics and Financial recommendations. Disclosure). recommendations. - Commission procedures including effectiveness, past cases, and - Scope of work of the Commission (powers, duties, and obligations), including effectiveness, past cases, and recommendations. - Potential amendments to the Rules of the Ethics Review Commission. - Best practices for city attorney opinions including effectiveness, past cases, and recommendations. - Dollar Limits in Chapter 2-2 (Campaign Finance Code) - Campaign Finance Brochure ii. Working Group on Race, Identity, and Equity (Commissioners Kahle, Lari, and Soberon) status report and/or recommendations on: addressing issues of race, identity, and equity including: 2  (i) (ii) planning for presentations or trainings by the Equity Office; helping focus the Commission’s evaluation of racial injustice and how the Commission can operate more fairly and effectively in light of racial injustice. 5. APPROVAL OF MINUTES: OCTOBER 27, 2021 SPECIAL CALLED MEETING AND NOVEMBER 10, 2021 REGULAR COMMISSION MEETING Discussion and possible action regarding the minutes for: (a) the October 27, 2021 special called meeting (b) the November 10, 2021 regular commission meeting. 6. FUTURE AGENDA ITEMS AND ANNOUNCEMENTS The City of Austin is committed to compliance with the American with Disabilities Act. Reasonable modifications and equal access to communications will be provided upon request. Meeting locations are planned with wheelchair access. If requiring Sign Language Interpreters or alternative formats, please give notice at least two (2) days (48 hours) before the meeting date. Please call Lynn Carter or Meredith Mooney at the Law Department at (512) 974-2268 for additional information; TTY users route through Relay Texas at 711. For more information on the Ethics Review Commission, please contact Lynn Carter at (512) 974-2171. ERC STANDARD CITIZEN COMMUNICATION INSTRUCTIONS NOTICE Regarding Citizen Communication and Public Testimony: Sign-in required: Please sign in to speak with the staff liaison prior to the meeting being called to order. Please indicate the item or items on the agenda on which you are speaking, if you are speaking on an agenda item. A speaker who fails to indicate an agenda item on which the speaker desires to speak will be called to speak during General Citizen Communication. Time Limits: Speakers are limited to a maximum time limit of three minutes per speaker. A time period of six minutes will be allowed for a speaker who addresses the Commission through a translator or a speaker who needs an accommodation of a disability. General Citizen Communication Speakers: A maximum of ten persons may speak during general citizen communications at the beginning of the meeting on any topic. Speakers will be called in the order in which the speaker signed up. Citizen Communication or Public Testimony on a Numbered Agenda Item: A speaker who signs up to speak on a numbered agenda item will be called to speak at the beginning of the 3 meeting, or secondly, at the beginning of the agenda item and will be called in the order in which the speaker(s) signed up. Speaker comments must be relevant to the agenda item. 4