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[Ethics and Governance Committee on February 19, 2026.]
MEETING.MY NAME IS, UH, COUNCILOR JOKI MARTINEZ, AND I'M THE CHAIR OF THE COMMITTEE.
I'D LIKE TO START BY RECOGNIZING MY COLLEAGUES JOINING US TODAY, BEGINNING WITH VICE CHAIR, UH, COUNCIL MEMBER CARTER.
UH, WE'VE ALSO BEEN JOINED BY COUNCIL MEMBER PECK AND COUNCIL MEMBER RAMIREZ AND STAFF FROM COUNCIL MEMBER CASTILLO'S OFFICE, AND CAYMAN, UH, VICE CHAIR IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO SHARE ANY OPENING REMARKS.
AND, UH, ROBIN, WE LOOK FORWARD TO YOUR PRESENTATION.
AND WE'VE NOW BEEN JOINED BY COUNCIL MEMBER ALCORN AND STAFF FROM MAYOR PRO TE, UH, CASSIS TATUM'S OFFICE STAFF, STAFF FROM HER OFFICE.
UM, AS A REMINDER FOR COUNCIL MEMBERS, PLEASE HOLD YOUR QUESTIONS UNTIL THE END OF THE PRESENTATION.
WHEN YOU'RE RECOGNIZED, PLEASE BE SURE TO SPEAK CLEARLY INTO YOUR MICROPHONE.
I WILL LET LET YOU KNOW WHEN YOU'RE THREE MINUTES, UH, FOR QUESTIONS HAS ENDED.
UM, NOW SWITCHING INTO THE MEETING AGENDA TODAY, UH, THE COMMITTEE WILL BE RECEIVING AN OVERVIEW OF, OF THE OFFICE OF INSPECTOR GENERAL FROM THE INSPECTOR GENERAL ROBIN CURTIS.
UH, SO LET ME TURN IT OVER TO, UH, ROBIN TO BEGIN THE PRESENTATION.
IF YOU PLEASE INTRODUCE YOURSELF, UH, FOR THE RECORD AS WELL, UM, AS ANY OTHER MEMBERS OF YOUR TEAM THAT MAY HAVE JOINED YOU.
I'M THE INSPECTOR GENERAL FOR THE CITY OF HOUSTON.
I'M GONNA GIVE AN OVERVIEW TODAY OF THE OFFICE OF INSPECTOR GENERAL.
UH, WHAT I'D LIKE TO DO NEXT SLIDE IS GIVE YOU A ROADMAP OF WHERE WE'RE GOING.
AND I BELIEVE YOU HAVE THE PRESENTATION IN FRONT OF YOU AS WELL, SO YOU CAN HAVE A SENSE OF WHAT'S GOING ON.
WE'RE GONNA START WITH THE FOUNDATION OF OIG, UH, OIG BY THE NUMBERS, UH, THE SPLIT UP ABOUT THE TYPES OF CASES TO THAT COME TO OIG.
AND WE'RE GONNA TALK ABOUT THE PART THAT YOU HAD A SPECIAL INTEREST IN, THE FRAUD, WASTE AND ABUSE PORTION OF WHAT OIG DOES, THE ETHICS COMMISSION, AND THEN OF COURSE, IT'S ELECTION SEASON.
SO THOSE ARE THE AREAS THAT WE WILL HIT TODAY.
SO OIG WAS FORMED, ESTABLISHED, UH, BY EXECUTIVE ORDER ONE DASH 39.
YOU MIGHT SAY TO YOURSELF, WHAT DOES OIG HAVE THE AUTHORITY TO DO? AND THE ANSWER IS, IT'S QUITE BROAD.
WE INVESTIGATE MISCONDUCT BY CITY EMPLOYEES, OFFICIALS, VENDORS, FOLKS RELATED TO THE CITY.
AND MISCONDUCT, AS YOU CAN SEE FROM YOUR SCREEN, IS AN ACT OR FAILURE TO ACT THAT VIOLATES BASICALLY A LAW OR A POLICY.
SO WHAT DOES THAT MEAN FOR EVERYDAY PEOPLE TRYING TO GET A RESOLUTION WHEN MISCONDUCT IS AN ISSUE? THERE ARE THREE AREAS THAT INDIVIDUALS GO TO TO GET RESOLUTION.
GENERALLY, THEY GO THROUGH THE CHAIN OF COMMAND, THEY GO TO HR, AND THEY GO TO OIG.
SO THE THREE, UH, UH, THE THREE BRANCHES OF THE TREE, AS YOU LOOK FOR RESOLUTION IN A MISCONDUCT ISSUE.
AND SO YOU MIGHT SAY, WHAT REALLY DOES OIG DO ON A REGULAR BASIS? WHAT KINDS OF THINGS REALLY COME TO OIG? AND SO THE OIG INVESTIGATES DISCRIMINATION RETALIATION, UM, TEXAS WHISTLEBLOWER HAS A SPECIAL ACT, UH, FRAUD, WASTE AND ABUSE, OF COURSE, VIOLATIONS OF FEDERAL, STATE, AND LOCAL LAW, UH, REFERRALS FROM THE ETHICS COMMITTEE, WORKPLACE VIOLENCE AND WAGE THEFT AND CITY CONTRACTS AND SUBCONTRACTS ARE AMONG THOSE THINGS THAT WE SEE NEXT.
SO, OIG BY THE NUMBERS, THE NUMBER OF CASES THAT COME TO OIG HAS RISEN FAIRLY DRAMATICALLY OVER THE YEARS.
UH, LAST YEAR IN 2025, UH, WE CLOSED 449 CASES, HUGE NUMBER SIX INVESTIGATORS.
SPECIAL SHOUT OUT TO EACH AND ONE OF THEM.
SO WHEN YOU THINK ABOUT THOSE 449 CASES, HOW ARE THOSE SPLIT UP? SO, IN GENERAL, ABOUT 75% OF THE CASES THAT OIG GETS ARE CONNECTED TO DISCRIMINATION,
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RETALIATION, OR RELATED ALPHABET SUIT OF EMPLOYMENT RELATED MATTERS.UH, THE LAWS RELATED TO EMPLOYMENT ARE QUITE LENGTHY, SO A SINGLE PERSON CAN ALSO MAKE A COMPLAINT ABOUT MORE THAN ONE THING.
SO YOU CAN HAVE FOLKS WHO MAKE A COMPLAINT ABOUT BOTH A DISCRIMINATION MATTER AND A, UH, FRAUD WASTE AND ABUSE MATTER.
AND SO WHILE THE NUMBERS ARE NOT GONNA ADD UP TO A HUNDRED PERCENT BECAUSE OF THAT OVERLAP, YOU CAN TAKE A LOOK AT THE NEXT SLIDE AND YOU CAN SEE THAT, UH, ABOUT, THAT'S ABOUT 75%, UH, DISCRIMINATION, RETALIATION AND RELATED.
AND THEN ON THE NEXT SLIDE, YOU'LL SEE THOSE ARE CONNECTED TO THE LAWS THAT HAVE TO DO WITH THOSE EMPLOYMENT RELATED MATTERS.
SO TITLE VII, THE TEXAS HUMAN RESOURCE, UH, UH, TEXAS COMMISSION ON HUMAN, UH, UH, RIGHTS ACT.
AND THEN HERE IN THE CITY YOU HEAR PEOPLE TALK ABOUT EXECUTIVE ORDER, ONE DASH 50 IS THE POLICY THAT'S CONNECTED TO THAT.
SO 75% OF THE MATTERS THAT WE HANDLE ARE THOSE.
UH, NEXT, THE NEXT SLIDE TALKS ABOUT THE DIFFERENT AREAS OF DISCRIMINATION BASED ON PROTECTED CLASSES.
UM, NEXT, BUT THE REASON WE ARE HERE TODAY IS THE COMMITTEE WANTED, UH, MORE OF A DEEP DIVE INTO THE PORTION OF THE CASES THAT OIG HANDLES THAT HAVE TO DO WITH FRAUD, WASTE, AND ABUSE.
SO THOSE ARE ABOUT 25% OF THE CASES NEXT.
AND SO YOU'LL SEE THAT WITH THE OVERLAP, SORT OF THE INVERSE OF THE PREVIOUS SLIDE.
NEXT ONE THING I'D LIKE TO ADD IS THAT OIG ALSO, UH, DIRECTLY TAKES REFERRALS FROM FEDERAL, STATE, AND LOCAL MATTERS.
SO WE GET SOME OF THOSE AND THOSE SHOW UP AS FRAUD, WASTE, AND ABUSE MATTERS AS WELL.
OKAY, SO A NUMBER OF YOU MIGHT HAVE CONSTITUENTS WHO NEED TO COME TO OIG, SO YOU MIGHT SAY, ROBIN, UH, TELL US HOW DOES A COMPLAINT GET TO OIG? SO, EMPLOYEE COMPLAINTS.
UH, THE RESIDENT, YOUR RESIDENT, YOUR CONSTITUENT, THE CON MAYORAL REFERRALS, DIRECTOR, REFERRALS, THE CITY ATTORNEY REFERS, WE GET CIVIL SERVICE COMMISSION, APPEALS, AND THEN OF THE F UH, FEDERAL AND STATE AGENCIES NEXT.
SO, IF A CONSTITUENT COMES TO YOU AND SAYS, I HAVE AN ISSUE AND I DON'T KNOW WHERE TO GO WITH IT, AND YOU BELIEVE IT'S AN OIG MATTER, OF COURSE, YOU CAN ALWAYS JUST CALL, WE'RE HAPPY TO HELP.
BUT ANOTHER WAY IS RIGHT ON THE CITY OF HOUSTON WEBSITE IS THE ONLINE COMPLAINT PORTAL 24 7.
A PERSON WITH A COMPLAINT IN THE MIDDLE OF THE NIGHT CAN MAKE A COMPLAINT AND GET AN INSTANT NUMBER.
SO THEY WILL GET AN IMMEDIATE ACKNOWLEDGEMENT THAT THEY HAVE A COMPLAINT WITH THE NUMBER AND IT'S GONNA BE INVESTIGATED.
SO, UH, THE NEXT SLIDE WILL SHOW WHAT IT LOOKS LIKE, UH, WHEN I, UH, YOU LOOK AT THE PORTION OF THE CITY OF HOUSTON WEBSITE, AND THEN, THEN THE SLIDE CURRENTLY TALKS ABOUT THE INSTANT RECEIPT NUMBER.
IF YOU EVER HAVE ANY ISSUES, PLEASE FEEL FREE TO CALL US.
OKAY, THE NEXT SLIDE HAS TO DO WITH WHO DOES OIG NOT INVESTIGATE? WE DO NOT INVESTIGATE BUSINESSES UNRELATED TO THE CITY, AND WE DON'T INVESTIGATE ANYONE FROM THE POLICE DEPARTMENT, WHETHER THEY'RE CLASSIFIED OR CIVILIAN.
SO THOSE ARE THE FOLKS THAT WE DON'T INVESTIGATE NEXT.
SO THE PORTION THAT, UH, THIS COMMITTEE HAD A SPECIAL INTEREST IN HAD TO DO WITH FRAUD, WASTE, AND ABUSE.
SO THE NEXT SLIDE SHOWS THE SIX WAYS THAT WE SPLIT IT OUT FOR THE ONES THAT YOU SEE FAIRLY COMMONLY.
SO THE SIX ARE, UH, EMPLOYEE STANDARDS OF CONDUCT CONDUCT RIGHT OUT OF THE ORDINANCE.
SO 14,183 IS THE LEGISLATION, UH, THAT SAYS HOW EMPLOYEES ARE SUPPOSED TO BEHAVE.
AND IT'S SO SERIOUS, UH, THE CITY PUT IT IN AN ORDINANCE.
SIMILARLY, THERE'S ONE FOR CITY OFFICIALS, UH, THAT'S 18 DASH THREE.
UH, THE THIRD AREA IS CONFLICTS.
THIS IS AN, UM, UH, POLICY SET FORTH AT AP TWO DASH 22 THAT GIVES A, A SOURCE LIST OF TYPES ABOUT THE MANY, MANY PLACES THAT CONFLICTS CAN OCCUR.
AND THE DIFFERENT, UH, MATTERS THAT, UH, RULES THAT MIGHT APPLY.
AND ANOTHER ONE THAT'S FAIRLY COMMON IS UNAUTHORIZED OUTSIDE EMPLOYMENT OR EMPLOYMENT THAT'S
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AUTHORIZED, BUT ISN'T WHAT THE PERSON IS ACTUALLY DOING.THE NEXT ONE IS, UH, THE MAYOR'S POLICY, UH, ON GIFTS.
AND THE LAST ONE IS THE MAYOR'S POLICY ON HIRING RELATIVES, SOMETIMES CALLED THE NEPOTISM POLICY.
SO ON CHAPTER 14, 180 3, THIS IS THE EMPLOYEE STANDARDS OF CONDUCT, AND I'M JUST GOING TO MENTION A COUPLE OF THEM THAT WE SEE, UH, GIFTS SHOWS UP AGAIN, SO YOU'LL SEE THAT AT THE TOP.
UM, AND, UH, UNAUTHORIZED OUTSIDE EMPLOYMENT AGAIN, SHOWS UP SEPARATELY FROM THE POLICY.
AND THEN THE LAST ONE ON THERE, YOU SEE ATTEMPTS TO USE A CITY POSITION FOR SPECIAL PRIVILEGE FOR A PERSON THEMSELVES OR FOR OTHERS.
SO WHEN YOU THINK ABOUT THOSE TYPES OF ISSUES, UH, YOU MIGHT THINK TO YOURSELF WHAT KINDS OF THINGS MIGHT COME UP IN CONNECTION WITH EACH OF THOSE.
SO IF YOU HAVE A QUESTION ABOUT THAT, HAPPY TO ANSWER THOSE.
THE NEXT SECTION HAS TO DO WITH CITY OFFICIAL STANDARDS OF CONDUCT AND THE CITY OFFICIALS VERY SIMILAR.
UH, AND THE ONES AGAIN, THAT, UH, UH, WE SEE ARE CONNECTED TO THE SAME ONES THAT HAPPEN WITH EMPLOYEES.
UH, BUSINESS AND PROFESSIONAL ACTIVITIES THAT MAY CON CONFLICT WITH OFFICIAL DUTIES, UH, WHETHER OR NOT GIFTS ARE INVOLVED, UH, MATTERS OF PRIVATE GAME OR SELF ADVANTAGE, UH, USE OF CITY EMPLOYEES WHO ARE ON DUTY FOR, UH, UH, NON-CITY MATTERS, THAT SORT OF THING IS WHAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT FOR CITY OFFICIALS.
AND NEXT, AND I, NEXT, NEXT, I HAVE A LOT OF THESE, BUT I'M NOT GONNA READ YOU THE SLIDES.
SO THE NEXT SECTION IS THE CONFLICT LIST.
AND THE REASON THAT IS SO IMPORTANT TO HAVE, UH, FRONT AND CENTER IS YOU CAN SEE BY THE KINDS OF THINGS THAT COME TO OIG, THAT A LOT OF THEM ARE ABOUT CONFLICTS, EVEN IF THEY SHOW UP IN DIFFERENT PLACES.
SO IN THE SAME WAY THAT AN EMPLOYEE, UH, HAS, UH, MAY BE INVESTIGATED FOR FRAUD, WASTE, AND ABUSE, A LOT OF TIMES IT'S, IT'S SOME VERSION OF A CONFLICT.
AND SO THE KINDS THAT, UH, WE SEE IN CONNECTION WITH, UH, AP TWO DASH 22 ABOUT THE CONFLICTS POLICY THAT IS DIFFERENT FROM THOSE THAT WE'VE ALREADY SPOKEN ABOUT, IS THAT THERE IS A DEFINITION IN AP TWO DASH 22 ABOUT THE APPEARANCE OR AN APPARENT CONFLICT OF INTEREST.
AND SO, UM, AN APPARENT CONFLICT OF INTEREST, WHICH IS SOMETIMES CALLED THE APPEARANCE OF A CONFLICT, AND YOU SEE THIS IN THE NEWSPAPER ALL THE TIME, MEANS WHEN CIRCUMSTANCES ARE SUCH THAT A REASONABLE PERSON WITH KNOWLEDGE OF THE FACTS WOULD QUESTION THE IMPARTIALITY OF THE CITY PERSON AND THEIR PARTICIPATION IN A PROGRAM OR RECEIPT OF A BENEFIT.
SO THAT DEFINITION COMES UP IN CONNECTION WITH LET'S TRAIN TO NOT HAVE EVEN THE APPEARANCE OF A CONFLICT OF INTEREST.
AND SO A AP TWO DASH 22 GIVES THAT LIST OF WHERE A CONFLICT MIGHT GO.
SO IF YOU TAKE A LOOK AT THE NEXT SLIDE, A COUPLE OF THEM THAT MAY BE UNUSUAL TO YOU ARE, UH, THE LOCAL GOVERNMENT CODE HAS ITS OWN SECTION HAVING TO DO WITH, UM, PUBLIC SERVANTS AND WHETHER THEY HAVE A SUBSTANTIAL INTEREST IN A BUSINESS ENTER ENTITY OR REAL PROPERTY, UH, DISCLOSURE OF RELATIONSHIPS WITH LOCAL GOVERNMENT OFFICIALS CAME UP IN, UM, A A RECENT MATTER THAT MADE THE NEWSPAPERS WHERE, UM, ARE, WERE THE FORMS FILLED OUT CORRECTLY ABOUT WHO WAS AN OFFICIAL, UM, UH, WHO HAD A RELATIONSHIP WITH A LOCAL GOVERNMENT OFFICIAL.
UH, NEXT, ANOTHER ONE THAT COMES UP IN CONNECTION WITH THE APPEARANCE OF A CONFLICT OF INTEREST IS THAT RIGHT IN THE CITY CHARTER WE HAVE, UH, THE STRONG STATEMENT THAT, UH, IT IS AGAINST THE PUBLIC POLICY OF THE CITY, UH, FOR ANY EMPLOYEE OF THE CITY TO BID ON, BE AWARDED,
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OR ANY CONTRACT BEING LED BY THE CITY OR TO BE, AND HERE'S THE MAGIC WORDS TO BE PE INTERESTED IN.THAT'S HARD TO SAY, ISN'T IT? IT'S ABOUT THE MONEY.
SO DIRECTLY OR INDIRECTLY, EMPLOYEES CAN'T BE INVOLVED IN THE MONEY IN CONNECTION WITH THE CITY, UH, WHERE THE RIGHTS OF THE LIABILITY, UH, OR THE LIABILITIES OF THE CITY ARE INVOLVED.
SO THEY CAN'T BE INVOLVED IN A CONNECTION WITH A CONTRACT WHERE THEY WOULD GET MONEY DIRECTLY OR INDIRECTLY.
SO THE NEXT ONE THAT COMES UP FOR US IS FEDERAL MONEY.
THE CITY IS GRATEFUL TO BE THE RECIPIENT OF FEDERAL GRANTS.
AND FEDERAL RULES ARE ABOUT, CONFLICTS ARE DIFFERENT.
THEY RUN A A DIFFERENT SET OF RULES, ALTHOUGH, OF COURSE THERE'S A LOT OF OVERLAP AND THEY HAVE A GREAT INTEREST IN THE CONFLICT PROVISIONS.
UM, IF A PERSON HAS A FINANCIAL OR OTHER INTEREST, UH, IN A TANGIBLE PERSONAL BENEFIT FROM A FIRM, THIS CAN COME UP WHEN A PERSON OWNS A SIDE BUSINESS AND ALSO WORKS FOR THE CITY OR THEIR FAMILY MEMBERS DO.
SO, THE, UH, FEDERAL GOVERNMENT'S VERY INVOLVED AND WE WORK WITH THEM CLOSELY.
UH, ON THE NEXT SLIDE, UH, WHEN WE TALK ABOUT WHAT SHOULD A PERSON DO WHEN AN APPARENT CONFLICT OF INTEREST COMES UP, THE ANSWER IS THE POLICY SAYS WE HAVE TO MANAGE THAT CONFLICT THROUGH TO RESOLUTION BECAUSE IT MAY BE AN APPARENT CONFLICT, BUT IT MAY NOT TURN OUT TO BE AN ACTUAL CONFLICT, OR IT MAY BE A REAL ONE.
AND THE CITY ATTORNEY IS INVOLVED IN THAT ALL THE WAY UP TO THE TOP.
NEXT, THE NEXT SECTION IS ON THE GIFT POLICY.
SURPRISING HOW OLD THIS POLICY IS.
THE GIFT POLICY IS, UH, GOES BACK DECADES, AND IT'S EO ONE DASH 28.
AND BEFORE THAT, IT WAS A MAYOR'S POLICY.
UM, A CITY EMPLOYEE SHALL NOT DIRECTLY OR INDIRECTLY, SO AS BROADLY AS THEY COULD WRITE THIS, UH, CITY EMPLOYEE MAY NOT ACCEPT A BENEFIT.
AND SO YOU, AS YOU CAN IMAGINE, WE GET A LOT OF CALLS ABOUT WHAT CONSTITUTES A BENEFIT.
AND THE BENEFIT INCLUDES ANY GIFT OF FOOD, GOODS, SERVICES, MONEY, LODGING, TRANSPORTATION, OR ANY OTHER THING OF VALUE.
THE REASON THAT THIS COMES UP SO OFTEN IS YOU CAN IMAGINE THAT IT'S WRITTEN TO BE SO BROAD THAT A PERSON WHO IS WORKING VERY HARD, DIGGING A DITCH IN A CONSTITUENTS FRONT YARD IS OFFERED, UH, UH, UH, A BOTTLE OF WATER, RIGHT? UM, WE, WE DON'T INVESTIGATE THOSE OBVIOUSLY, BUT YOU CAN IMAGINE WHERE DOES IT END, RIGHT? WHERE ARE THE EDGES OF THAT? AND THE ANSWER IS, WE WANT PEOPLE TO CALL SO WE CAN FIND OUT WHO MIGHT BE, UH, OFFERING BENEFITS THAT NEED TO BE LOOKED INTO.
SO THAT'S A BIG HELP TO US AS WELL.
NEXT, ANOTHER POLICY THAT'S QUITE OLD IS ON THE HIRING OF RELATIVES, SOMETIMES CALLED, UH, NEPOTISM.
AND, UH, THERE'S NOTHING WRONG WITH HAVING RELATIVES THAT ALSO WORK AT THE CITY.
WE HAVE 22,000 EMPLOYEES, SO NOT SURPRISING THAT PEOPLE MIGHT BE RELATED TO EACH OTHER.
HOWEVER, WE DISCOURAGE BY POLICY THE HIRING OF RELATIVES INTO CERTAIN POSITIONS, AND THEY'RE PROBABLY WHAT YOU WOULD EXPECT.
AND PEOPLE WHO ARE RELATED TO EACH OTHER SHOULD NOT BE DECIDING ON THEIR RELATIVE'S BUSINESS.
THEY SHOULDN'T BE REPORTING TO A RELATIVE, AND THEY SHOULDN'T, UH, SUPERVISE EACH OTHER OR REPORT TO THE SAME SUPERVISOR.
SO THAT ONE COMES UP, AS YOU CAN IMAGINE, AND HOW CAN THAT BE HANDLED, COMES UP IN CONNECTION WITH THE INDIVIDUAL'S MANAGEMENT SITUATIONS.
SO THE NEXT SYSTEM, UH, PORTION IS THE ETHICS COMMISSION.
SO THE ETHICS COMMISSION, IF YOU LOOK ON THE NEXT PAGE, INVOLVES THE ETHICS COMMISSION BOARD.
THE LEGISLATION AROUND THE ETHICS COMMISSION WAS TO CREATE A BOARD THAT INVOLVED NO CITY EMPLOYEES OR PEOPLE WHO MIGHT BE PERCEIVED TO BE, UH, UH, BEHOLDEN TO THE CITY IN SOME WAY.
AND SO THERE ARE SEVEN POSITIONS.
THEY COME FROM DIFFERENT AREAS OF OUR CITY, THE HOUSTON BAR ASSOCIATION, UH, FOR THE, THE LAW COMMUNITY, THE A-F-L-C-L-I-O COMES WITH THE LABOR SIDE OF OUR COMMUNITY.
UH, THE MEDICAL CENTER HAS A NOMINATION.
AND THEN, UH, EACH OF YOU AS COUNCIL MEMBERS,
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UH, UH, NOMINATE AND PUT ON CITY COUNCIL MEMBERS ONTO THIS BOARD.UH, THE CITY COUN, UH, THEY, UH, UH, THEY DON'T HAVE A PRESCRIBED MEETING CADENCE.
RATHER, THEY RETAIN THE FLEXIBILITY TO CONVENE AS NEEDED AND RESPOND PROMPTLY TO MATTERS WITHIN THEIR JURISDICTION.
SO, AS YOU CAN IMAGINE, THEY, WHEN THEY HAVE SOMETHING THAT HAS COME FORWARD TO BE WORKED ON, THEY NEED TO WORK ON IT IN CONNECTION WITH THAT MATTER.
SO NEXT, SO THAT SEVEN MEMBER BOARD HAS THE DUTY AND THE POWER TO REVIEW ALL ALLEGATIONS OF IMPROPRIETY.
MAGIC WORD THERE, MAGIC WORD IMPROPRIETY BY CITY OFFICIALS.
UH, AS WE TALKED ABOUT, BOARD MEMBERS CAN'T BE CITY OFFICIALS OR CITY EMPLOYEES TO AVOID EVEN THE APPEARANCE, AGAIN, OF IMPROPRIETY.
THERE NEEDS TO BE A SWARM SWORN WRITTEN COMPLAINT SO THAT IT'S NOT, UH, UH, ANONYMOUS RUMORS, THAT SORT OF THING.
UM, ALTHOUGH THE ETHICS COMMISSION CAN, ON ITS OWN INITIATIVE, REVIEW AN ACT OF IMPROPRIETY, UH, WHEN THEY COMMISSION NEEDS ASSISTANCE, THEY CALL ON OIG TO INVESTIGATE.
AND THAT'S WHY IT'S A PART OF THIS SLIDE DECK.
INVESTIGATIONS ARE CONDUCTED IN A CONFIDENTIAL MATTER, AND RECORDS ARE CONFIDENTIAL TO THE FULL EXTENT PERMITTED BY LAW.
AND OF COURSE, THAT PURPOSE OF THAT IS, UH, WE CALL IT TRR, UH, TRANSPARENCY, REPUTATION, RETALIATION.
THERE IS A NATURAL, UH, UH, TENSION BETWEEN THOSE THINGS, BUT YOU CAN, UH, OBVIOUS ABOUT HOW THAT NEEDS TO BE HANDLED.
SO THE NEXT SLIDE HAS TO DO WITH WHAT THE ETHICS COMMISSION ACTUALLY CAN DECIDE.
SO THEY CAN CHOOSE TO FIND REASONABLE CAUSE THAT THE SWORN COMPLAINT IS TRUE, OR THEY CAN FIND NO CAUSE IF THEY FIND IT TO BE TRUE, THEY WRITE A WRITTEN REPORT THAT COMES TO YOU AS THE COUNCIL MEMBERS TO THE MAYOR, UH, TO THE CITY ATTORNEY.
AND IF, IF APPROPRIATE GOES TO, UH, FOR EXAMPLE, TO THE DIRECTOR, THAT, UH, THAT WRITTEN REPORT LEAVES YOU AS THE LEGISLATURES IN THE POSITION TO DECIDE WHAT TO DO NEXT, WHAT THE REPERCUSSIONS WOULD BE IF THE COMMISSION DOES NOT FIND REASONABLE CAUSE IT IS THE COMMISSION'S DUTY TO NOTIFY BOTH THE COMPLAINING PERSON AND THE RESPONDENT THAT THE INVESTIGATION IS COMPLETE AND THAT NO CAUSE WAS FOUND.
SOME PEOPLE HAVE ASKED, WELL, WHAT HAPPENS IF IN THE MIDST OF THE INVESTIGATION, WE DETERMINE THAT THE MATTER IS FAR BEYOND AN IMPROPRIETY? AND THE ANSWER TO THAT IS, IN THE LEGISLATION ITSELF, IN THE ORDINANCE, THE COMMISSION HAS A DUTY TO STOP AND INVOLVE LAW ENFORCEMENT OR THE APPROPRIATE MATTERS.
IT'S ALMOST ALWAYS, IT'S, IT'S WRITTEN CAREFULLY, BUT IT'S ALMOST ALWAYS, IF IT LOOKS LIKE IT MIGHT BE A CRIMINAL MATTER, WE NEED TO HAVE LAW ENFORCEMENT HANDLE THAT RIGHT NEXT.
SO THERE IS A SPECIFIC, UH, PORTION OF, UH, THE CITY OFFICIAL RULES FOR WHICH IT IS THE, UH, COMMISSION.
WHEN THERE THEY DECIDE THAT THERE HAS BEEN REASONABLE CAUSE TO BELIEVE THAT A, A CITY OFFICIAL HAS USED HIS OR HER POSITION TO HARASS OR DISCRIMINATE, THE COMMISSION HAS THE POWER WITHOUT GOING TO ANYBODY ELSE TO ISSUE A PUBLIC REBUKE OR REP REPRIMAND, OR TO RECOMMEND THAT THE CITY OFFICIAL BE REMOVED AND RELIEVED OF ALL DUTIES RELATED TO THE SAME.
ANOTHER ISSUE THAT HAS COME UP IS INDIVIDUALS HAVE SAID, WHAT ABOUT AN ADVISORY OPINION? WHAT IF WE DON'T KNOW ENOUGH TO KNOW WHETHER OR NOT WE SHOULD GO FORWARD WITH A SWORN WRITTEN COMPLAINT? WHAT IF WE NEED SOME ADVICE FROM THE ETHICS COMMISSION IN THAT SITUATION? THE ORDINANCE SAYS THAT THE COMMISSION MAY ALSO ISSUE WRITTEN ADVISORY OPINIONS, AND THAT'S TRUE WHETHER THE WRITTEN ADVISORY OPINION HAS TO DO WITH SOMETHING THAT IS EXISTING, LIKE A REAL ISSUE WITH REAL FACTS AND REAL PEOPLE IN FRONT OF IT, OR AN ADVISORY OPINION CAN BE REQUESTED ON A HYPOTHETICAL MATTER
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THAT GIVES AN OPPORTUNITY.AGAIN, ETHICS IS ABOUT STOPPING THAT KIND OF MISBEHAVIOR BEFORE IT HAPPENS.
SO THAT IS AN OPTION OF NOT EVERYBODY KNOWS ABOUT.
UH, IF A MAJORITY OF THE COMMISSION DETERMINES THAT A WRITTEN ADVISORY OPINION WOULD BE IN THE PUBLIC INTEREST, THE COMMISSION CAN DO THAT AS WELL, BUT IT CAN ONLY DO SO AS LONG AS IT DOESN'T USE THE NAME OF A PERSON WHO MIGHT BE AFFECTED BY THAT OPINION.
AGAIN, THAT'S TRR, TRANSPARENCY IN CONNECTION WITH, UH, REPUTATION AND RETALIATION CONCERNS.
RIGHT? SO NEXT, SO THE NEXT SECTION IS THE, THE LAST PART OF THIS, AND THAT HAS TO DO WITH ITS ELECTION SEASON.
HAD A SPECIAL INTEREST IN MAKING SURE WE HAD A COUPLE OF SLIDES ON ELECTION SEASON, SO HAPPY TO DO THAT.
SPECIAL REMINDERS DURING THE ELECTION SEASON, UH, OBVIOUSLY DON'T ENGAGE IN BUSINESS OR PROFESSIONAL ACTIVITIES THAT MIGHT CONFLICT, UH, WITH CAMPAIGN MATTERS, RIGHT? UH, DON'T USE CITY EMPLOYEES TO PERFORM, UH, ACTS OR SERVICES ON CAMPAIGN BUSINESS.
EVERY ONCE IN A WHILE WE GET SOMEBODY WHO CALLS AND SAID, I, I SAW SOMEBODY PUTTING UP A SIGN, AND I THINK IT WAS DURING BUSINESS HOURS.
I DON'T THINK THEY SHOULD BE DOING THAT.
UH, BUT I DON'T, I DON'T KNOW WHO IT WAS AND I DON'T KNOW WHEN IT HAPPENED, THAT SORT OF THING.
SO, UH, THANK YOU GUYS FOR YOUR, UH, WANTING TO HAVE THIS, UH, UH, GET TOGETHER TO TALK ABOUT THESE ISSUES.
UH, DON'T ACCEPT CONTRIBUTIONS IN CITY OWNED OR OPERATED BUILDINGS.
UM, CITY EMPLOYEES CANNOT SOLICIT CONTRIBUTIONS FOR ANY CANDIDATE, INCLUDING THEMSELVES, UH, OR PARTICIPATE IN ELECTION OR CAMPAIGN ACTIVITIES UNLESS THEY'RE DOING SO OFF-DUTY OR UNDULY APPROVED.
SOUNDS PRETTY OBVIOUS, RIGHT? UH, AND THE NEXT SLIDE, UM, THE TEXAS ELECTION CODE ITSELF, UH, PROHIBITS AN OFFICER OR AN EMPLOYEE OF A PUBLIC SUBDIVISION FROM KNOWINGLY SPENDING OR AUTHORIZING THE SPENDING OF PUBLIC FUNDS FOR POLITICAL ADVERTISING.
WE LIKE TO MAKE SURE THIS GETS OUT BECAUSE IT'S NOT OBVIOUS TO, UH, EVERYONE WHEN YOU SAY POLITICAL ADVERTISING, I THINK PEOPLE THINK ABOUT COMMERCIALS ON TV.
UH, BUT IN FACT, UH, THE TEXAS ETHICS COMMISSION DETERMINED THAT THE USE OF PUBLIC FUNDS INCLUDES CITY TIME, CITY RESOURCES, AND CITY FACILITIES.
SO THOSE, THAT IS, UH, THE END OF MY PREPARED PRESENTATION.
DOES ANYBODY HAVE ANY QUESTIONS? UH, THANK YOU, ROBIN, FOR, FOR THIS PRESENTATION.
UM, I, I THINK WE CAN ALL AGREE THAT, UM, YOU KNOW, THE MAYOR'S PRIORITY AND IN THE HEALTH OF THE FINANCES IS SOMEWHAT PARALLEL TO MAKING SURE THAT WE'RE GETTING RID OF THE FRAUD, WASTE AND ABUSE.
AND I THINK WE'VE BEEN TALKING ABOUT IT AROUND THE HORSESHOE A LOT AS WELL.
SO THIS WAS IMPORTANT FOR US TO MAKE SURE THAT IT'S A REMINDER FOR NOT JUST OURSELVES AS, AS, UH, CITY COUNCIL, BUT ALSO TO EMPLOYEES, WHETHER IT WORKED FOR US OR IN, IN, IN WHETHER THE 2000 PLUS EMPLOYEES THAT WE HAVE RIGHT AT, AT THE CITY OF HOUSTON.
AND SO I APPRECIATE, UM, YOU KNOW, THE, THIS PRESENTATION.
UM, ALSO, UM, I, I WANTED TO ASK A QUICK QUESTION ON THE ETHICS COMMISSION.
WELL, FIRST, YOU KNOW, YOU SAID YOU, THERE'S ABOUT 490 CASES.
UM, HOW MANY WITHIN YOUR DIVISION, UH, ARE ABLE TO ADDRESS THESE 490 CASES? AND THEN IS IT A REFERRAL TO THE ETHICS COMMISSION, OR DO THEY REFER JUST TO YOU ALL CERTAIN, CERTAIN, UH, UH, CHALLENG OR ISSUES? SO, GREAT QUESTIONS.
SO WE HAVE SIX INVESTIGATORS WHO WORK VERY, VERY HARD.
UM, UH, WHEN YOU GET TO 450 CASES A YEAR, YOU'RE TALKING JUST HUGE, HUGE VOLUME.
UM, THE, UH, THE QUESTION ABOUT THE ETHICS COMMISSION, IT COMES UP, UH, YOU SORT OF ASK WHICH COMES FIRST, THE CHICKEN OR THE EGG? THE ANSWER IS THE ETHICS COMMISSION IS THE BOSS.
THEY CALL US AND THEY SAY, WE HAVE A CONCERN, AND WE'D LIKE TO HAVE IT INVESTIGATED.
UH, BEFORE I, UH, PASS IT OVER TO SOME OF MY COLLEAGUES, I JUST WANNA RECOGNIZE STAFF FROM COUNCIL MEMBER JACKSON'S OFFICE, COUNCIL MEMBER THOMAS' OFFICE, AND COUNCIL MEMBER DAVIS'S OFFICE AS WELL.
UH, FIRST WE HAVE, UH, COUNCIL MEMBER PECK, THANK YOU CHAIR.
AND THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR THE PRESENTATION AND FOR ALL THE WORK THAT YOU DO IN YOUR WHOLE OFFICE.
AND WE DON'T ALWAYS HEAR ABOUT EVERYTHING THAT YOU'RE DOING, BUT IT'S CRUCIAL, ESPECIALLY WHEN WE'RE, WE'RE TALKING ABOUT PUBLIC DOLLARS AND THAT KIND OF THING.
SO THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR THAT.
UM, IS THERE A WAY TO REPORT EITHER TO YOU OR TO THE COMMISSION ANONYMOUSLY? I COULD SEE HOW THAT COULD BE PROBLEMATIC, BUT AT THE SAME TIME, BECAUSE YOU WANNA QUESTION THE PERSON WHO'S, YOU KNOW, SAYING THAT THERE'S AN ISSUE.
UM, BUT AT THE SAME TIME, I COULD SEE
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CIRCUMSTANCES WHERE SOMEONE MIGHT WANT TO REPORT SOMETHING BUT NOT USE THEIR NAME.SO IS THERE AN OPPORTUNITY FOR THAT? YES.
SO GREAT QUESTION, AND YOU CAN UNDERSTAND BOTH SIDES OF IT, BECAUSE I, I CAN TELL BY HOW DELICATELY YOU ASKED THE QUESTION THAT, YOU KNOW, UM, THERE'S AN OLD SAYING ABOUT, YOU KNOW, UH, THROW THE ROCK AND HIDE THE HAND, RIGHT? SO, UH, OBVIOUSLY WE TAKE ANONYMOUS COMPLAINTS, AND YOU CAN FILE, YOU COULD COME OUT TODAY AND YOU COULD FILE ONE ANONYMOUSLY THROUGH THE PORTAL.
I WILL TELL YOU THAT IT'S PRETTY HARD TO INVESTIGATE AN ANONYMOUS COMPLAINT.
SO YOU CAN ALL IMAGINE WE'LL DO THE ENDS OF THE SPECTRUM, RIGHT? IF THE ANONYMOUS COMPLAINT SAYS, JOE BOB STOLE THE CITY'S MONEY AND IT'S BURIED UNDER THE TREE IN FRONT OF CITY HALL, WE COULD GO DIG IT UP AND SEE IF THAT WAS TRUE, RIGHT? SO THAT'S ONE END OF THE SPECTRUM.
AT THE OTHER END OF THE SPECTRUM IS SOMEBODY WHO SENDS AN ANONYMOUS COMPLAINT THAT SAYS, I HEARD A RUMOR THAT JOE BOB DID SOMETHING BAD, AND NOW WE DON'T HAVE A PERSON TO CALL AND ASK FOR THE DETAILS THAT WOULD ALLOW A THOROUGH INVESTIGATION.
AND SO, CAN YOU FILE ONE OR COULD A PERSON FILE ONE? YES, YOU CAN.
AND YOU CAN FILE IT ON THE PORTAL, AND WE WILL TAKE A LOOK AT IT.
THE, I WANNA MANAGE THE EXPECTATIONS OF THE PEOPLE WHO FILE ANONYMOUS COMPLAINTS, UH, BECAUSE IT'S SO HARD TO INVESTIGATE ONE WHILE BEING SENSITIVE TO TRR, TRANSPARENCY, REPUTATION, RETALIATION, RIGHT? AND SO WE'RE TAKING ALL THAT INTO ACCOUNT, BUT THOSE ENDS OF THE SCALE ARE WHAT WE'RE WORKING WITH.
DID I ANSWER YOUR QUESTION? YES.
THANK YOU, UH, MR. CHAIR AND THANK YOU INSPECTOR FOR YOUR PRESENTATION.
UM, THERE'S A LOT IN IT, AND I DON'T KNOW HOW MUCH TIME I HAVE, BUT I DID WANT TO ASK YOU, SINCE YOU MENTIONED THE ETHICS COMMISSION CAN GET THE BALL ROLLING, UH, WITH, WITH THE COMPLAINT, UH, THAT OIG WILL INVESTIGATE O OF, UH, THE COMPLAINTS THAT YOU GUYS HAVE RESOLVED, UM, HOW MANY COME FROM THE ETHICS COMMISSION AND HOW MANY COME THROUGH THE OTHER PROCESS WHERE SOMEONE COMES IN AND FILES A SWORN COMPLAINT? OH, VERY FEW.
SO OF THE 450, WE DON'T HAVE ANY CURRENT FROM THE ETHICS COMMISSION.
SO RIGHT NOW, 0% HAVE COME FROM THE ETHICS COMMISSION? THAT IS CORRECT.
AND, AND ALL OF THEM COME FROM SWORN COMPLAINTS OR ANONYMOUS COMPLAINTS, UH, MADE DIRECTLY TO OIG, IS THAT RIGHT? NOT SWORN COMPLAINTS, SIR.
SO COMPLAINTS CAN COME TO US THROUGH THE DIFFERENT WAYS YOU MIGHT REFER ONE, LIKE WE TALKED ABOUT.
ONE OF YOUR CONSTITUENTS MIGHT REFER, ONE, WE WOULD NOT REQUIRE YOUR, UH, CONSTITUENT TO, TO, TO FILE A SWORN COMPLAINT.
UM, LET ME ASK YOU ABOUT THE, THE WAY YOU CONDUCT YOUR INVESTIGATIONS.
YOU MENTIONED YOU HAVE SIX INVESTIGATORS.
ARE THEY ALL ATTORNEYS OR, OR NOT? NO.
THE ONES WHO AREN'T ATTORNEYS, ARE THEY, UH, PEACE OFFICERS OR FORMER PEACE OFFICERS? THEY HAVE BEEN IN THE PAST.
SO I HAVE FIVE ATTORNEYS AND ONE WHO'S A NON-ATTORNEY, UH, WITH ENORMOUS EXPERIENCE, OBVIOUSLY.
AND THE ATTORNEYS, UH, NOT ONLY HAVE THE, UH, THE TRAINING THROUGH THEIR, UH, INVESTIGATIONS INVOLVING, UH, MATTERS THAT TOUCHED THE LAW, UM, BUT WE ALSO, UH, BIG SHOUT OUT TO HPD FOR ALLOWING US TO ATTEND THEIR, UH, LAW ENFORCEMENT TRAININGS AS WELL.
AND CURIOUS TO KNOW, UM, WHEN, WHEN AN INVESTIGATION IS COMPLETE, THAT OIG HAS DONE, IS ALL OF IT PROTECTED BY ATTORNEY-CLIENT PRIVILEGE? SO THERE IS A CLOSURE LETTER THAT GOES OUT TO THE INDIVIDUALS WHO MADE THE COMPLAINT.
THAT IS, THAT IS NOT PRIVILEGED.
SO THE PERSON, OBVIOUSLY, IF YOU WERE A PERSON WHO MADE A COMPLAINT, YOU WOULD, YOU WOULD WANT TO KNOW THE ANSWER.
UM, I'LL GIVE YOU, I'LL, I'LL GIVE YOU A REAL LIVE EXAMPLE SO IT'LL MAKE MORE SENSE.
A PERSON MIGHT, WE MIGHT INVESTIGATE AND FIND THAT A PERSON ENGAGED IN SOME VERSION OF FRAUD, WASTE, AND ABUSE.
AND LET'S, FOR OUR EXAMPLE, USE AN, UH, UNAUTHORIZED OUTSIDE JOB WITH A CONFLICT OF INTEREST THAT WOULD, THAT PERSON WOULD BE NOTIFIED.
AND THEN THE NEXT STEP WOULD BE, IT WOULD GO THROUGH THE PUBLIC PROCESS THAT GOES ALL THE WAY UP TO CIVIL SERVICE.
SO THERE WOULD BE A, UH, UH, UH, REFERRAL, UH, FOR WHATEVER THE DISCIPLINARY ACTION WOULD BE UP TO AND INCLUDING INDEFINITE SUSPENSION.
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AND THEN THAT WOULD GO TO THE LOUDERMILL HEARING, AND THAT WOULD GO TO CIVIL SERVICE AS THE PERSON APPEALS, UH, THROUGH THE PROCESS.SO DOES THAT GIVE YOU A SENSE? I, I THINK SO.
SO APART FROM THE CLOSURE LETTER, THE EN ENTIRE OIG INVESTIGATION, AS I UNDERSTAND IT, IS PROTECTED BY ATTORNEY-CLIENT PRIVILEGE.
UNDER WHAT CIRCUMSTANCES CAN MEMBER OF THE PUBLIC MEDIA FIND OUT WHAT THAT INVESTIGATION BY OIG REVEALED, IF IT'S PROTECTED BY ATTORNEY CLIENT PRIVILEGE? UH, WHAT IF THEY WENT TO THE HEARING, UH, THE CIVIL SERVICE HEARING, THEY WOULD HEAR THE RESULTS.
I'M, I'M SURE THAT'S NOT WHAT YOU MEAN.
IF YOU MEAN, DO WE HAND IT OVER TO THE MEDIA IN SPITE OF THE FACT THAT IT'S PRIVILEGED? OF COURSE, THE ANSWER'S NO.
SO I THINK, I'M NOT ANSWERING YOUR QUESTION.
CAN YOU HELP ME A LITTLE BIT? YOU, YOU DID.
AND, AND IF IT GETS TO A LOUDERMILL PROCESS, UM, THAT DOESN'T MEAN THE ENTIRE INVESTIGATION IS MADE PUBLIC, DOES IT? NO.
UH, OBVIOUSLY PEOPLE TESTIFY THOUGH.
SO INSTEAD OF HEARSAY, I MEAN, A REPORT IS A PIECE OF PAPER, RIGHT? SO A AS A I I BELIEVE YOU HAVE MUCH EXPERIENCE WITH HEARSAY IS NOT VERY GOOD.
AND SO YOU WANT THE REAL PERSON TO BE AT THE LOUDERMILL OR CIVIL SERVICE GIVING THAT FIRSTHAND TESTIMONY, AND THAT'S WHO TESTIFIES, RIGHT? MY UNDERSTANDING IS THAT NOT ALL JURISDICTIONS DO IT THE WAY WE DO IT.
IN OTHER WORDS, PROTECT THE ENTIRE INVESTIGATION BY ATTORNEY-CLIENT PRIVILEGE, AND THEREFORE MAKE IT, UH, NOT DISCOVERABLE BY, BY THE PUBLIC OR THE MEDIA.
WHY, WHY DOES HOUSTON CHOOSE TO PROTECT THE ENTIRE OIG INVESTIGATION, UH, THROUGH ATTORNEY-CLIENT PRIVILEGE? UH, YOU KNOW, I DON'T KNOW THE ANSWER TO THAT QUESTION.
SO, SO THAT IS SOMETHING THAT, THAT CITY COUNCIL COULD ALTER, UM, IF WE THOUGHT IT WAS WISE, UH, IN ORDER TO BE MORE TRANSPARENT.
WE ARE ALL ON THE SAME SIDE ABOUT ETHICS, AND SO I LEAVE THE LEGISLATING TO YOU GUYS.
UM, SO WHILE I'VE STILL GOT A LITTLE TIME, SO I, I GOT THIS, UM, OFFER FROM THE SPORTS AUTHORITY, UH, TO ATTEND A, UH, WORLD CUP MATCH
UM, AND THERE WAS A VALUE ATTACHED TO IT FOR REPORTING PURPOSES.
LET'S, LET'S JUST LEAVE IT AT THAT.
ARE THERE ANY, UM, CITY RULES THAT IMPACT THE, UH, ACCEPTANCE OF THAT, THAT YOU CAN THINK OF AT THIS POINT? UH, MY GRANNY WOULD SAY, HEAVENS TO BETSY.
SO JUST LIKE THE, YOU KNOW, THE WORLD SERIES, UH, IT'S, UH, THE PEOPLE AROUND THIS HORSESHOE ARE POWERFUL PEOPLE AND FOLKS WOULD LIKE TO HAVE TIME WITH YOU GUYS.
UH, THAT'S JUST NORMAL HUMAN BEHAVIOR.
BUT ALL THE RULES WE'VE TALKED ABOUT TODAY ARE FOR THAT VERY REASON TO NOT EVEN GIVE THE APPEARANCE OF IMPROPRIETY.
SO YOU CAN IMAGINE, UH, WHAT SHOWS UP IN THE NEWSPAPER IS PEOPLE SAYING, WELL, I WONDER IF THAT PERSON WAS IMPARTIAL.
WELL, I APPRECIATE THIS TRAINING.
MAYBE YOU COULD OFFER THIS TRAINING TO OTHER GOVERNMENTAL ENTITIES AS WELL.
WELL, FUNNY YOU SHOULD SAY THAT.
WE DO, WE, UH, WE PROVIDE IT TO, UH, WE PROVIDE IT TO THE UNIONS, UH, WE PROVIDE IT TO THE UNIONS.
WE PROVIDE MANAGEMENT TRAINING AND LEADERSHIP TRAINING.
UH, SO WE DO TRY TO GET THE WORD OUT.
AND I GOTTA SAY, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR YOUR SUPPORT IN THE REALM OF ETHICS.
IT IS, UH, IT'S EASY TO SAY ETHICS, BUT IT'S A LOT HARDER TO WALK THE WALK.
UM, AND, AND THIS IS ONE OF THE REASONS WHY, UM, AND I'VE SAID THIS PRIOR TO, UM, WELL, EVEN AT MY FIRST, UH, COMMITTEE CHAIR, UH, AS A COMMITTEE CHAIR, UH, FOR THIS, THIS, UH, FOR ETHICS COM COMMITTEE, IS THAT PRIOR TO, THERE WAS PROBABLY HAD TO HAVE BEEN AT LEAST 10 YEARS THAT NO ETHICS COMMITTEE MEETINGS HAVE BEEN HELD.
UH, WE'VE BEEN REALLY TRYING TO KIND OF RAISE, RAISE THE BAR, MAKE SURE THAT FOLKS AROUND THIS HORSESHOE UH, STAFF, UM, EMPLOYEES UNDERSTAND THAT, YOU KNOW, WE NEED TO TAKE THIS, UH, IN HIGH REGARD.
WE WANNA MAKE SURE THAT FOLKS KNOW THAT, THAT, UM, AS ELECTED OFFICIALS THAT WE'RE HOLDING, UH, THAT INTEGRITY THAT FOLKS HAVE PUT IN ENTRUSTED IN US.
SO, UM, YOU KNOW, I, WE REALLY APPRECIATE THIS PRESENTATION.
UH, ROBIN, UH, JUST, JUST A REMINDER, UH, BECAUSE I REALLY WANNA MAKE SURE THAT OUR COLLEAGUES AND OF COURSE, STAFF AROUND THE HORSESHOE, UM, WE'VE RECEIVED CALLS FROM CONSTITUENTS SOMETIMES.
SO REALLY WANT TO JUST HIGHLIGHT THAT, UH, THE ONLINE COMPLAINT PORTAL.
UH, IF Y'ALL HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO SHARE ON YOURS, UH, ON YOUR NEWSLETTERS OR SOCIAL MEDIA,
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LET FOLKS KNOW HOW TO, UH, BE ABLE TO, UH, SUBMIT A COMPLAINT IF, IF NEED BE.UM, BECAUSE AGAIN, THIS IS, THIS IS, UH, HOLDING US ALL ACCOUNTABLE, INCLUDING EVERY EMPLOYEE FOR THE CITY OF HOUSTON.
UM, THERE'S NO ONE ELSE IN THE QUEUE.
SO THIS, THIS CONCLUDES THE PRESENTATION FROM COUNCIL.
UM, AND I DON'T KNOW, I DON'T THINK WE HAVE ANY PUBLIC COMMENTS.
UM, AND SO JUST WANT TO, OKAY.
COUNCILMAN ALCORN ON, ON THE GIFT POLICY.
I LOOKED AT IT, IT, IT HASN'T BEEN REVISED SINCE LIKE ANISE PARKER'S DAY, RIGHT? RIGHT.
IS THAT, I'M LOOKING AT THE RIGHT ONE.
THAT, THAT I TRIED TO MENTION HOW OLD SOME OF THESE ARE.
I MEAN, SOME OF THE JUST GO BACK A VERY LONG WAY.
AND THE, AND THE, THERE'S NOT REALLY A MONETARY, I MEAN, SOME PEOPLE USED TO SAY $50 OR WHATEVER IS THERE, OH, I'M SO GLAD YOU MENTIONED THAT.
UH, THERE IS A STATE ONE THAT YOU GUYS MAY BE FAMILIAR WITH THAT HAS MONEY ATTACHED TO IT, AND WE HAVE HAD A FAIR NUMBER OF PEOPLE, UH, THINK THAT THE ONE FOR THE CITY IS THE SAME AS THE ONE FOR THE STATE.
I'M MAKING THIS UP 'CAUSE I'M NOT LOOKING AT IT, BUT $50 OR SOMETHING, Y'ALL KNOW WHAT I'M TALKING ABOUT, RIGHT? RIGHT.
AND SO, UH, OURS HAS ZERO, SO, RIGHT.
WE, WE HAVE A MUCH STRONGER BAR THAN OTHERS.
SO, UH, THANK YOU FOR GETTING THE WORD OUT ABOUT THAT.
WHICH ACTUALLY BRINGS UP, YOU KNOW, AND COUNCILOR ED HAS BROUGHT UP A POSSIBLE, UH, POLICY CHANGE OR ORDINANCE.
UH, AND PLEASE SUBMIT THOSE, UH, RECOMMENDATIONS.
WE'RE HAPPY TO TAKE THOSE ON AND TALK TO THE ADMINISTRATION ABOUT, UH, IDENTIFYING WAYS WHERE WE CAN UPDATE SOME OF THESE OLDER, UH, POLICIES OR ORDINANCES AS WELL.
AGAIN, LEAVE THE LEGISLATION TO THE LEGISLATORS.
AND THIS CONCLUDES, UH, OF COURSE, THE PUBLIC COMMENT ASPECT OF IT AS WELL.
UH, FOR ANY MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC WATCHING, YOU MAY SEND QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS BY EMAILING MY OFFICE DISTRICT I AT HOUSTON TX DOT GLV, UH, SEEING NO ADDITIONAL COMMENTS OR QUESTIONS FROM COUNCIL MEMBERS.
I WANNA THANK EVERYONE FOR PARTICIPATING, AND THIS MEETING'S ADJOURNED.