HomeMy WebLinkAboutMinutes_Ethics Ad Hoc Committee 03.26.2018Minutes of a Meeting of the
Ethics Ad Hoc Committee
Of the City of Georgetown, Texas
Monday, March 26, 2018
The Ethics Ad Hoc Committee met on Monday, March 26, 2018 at 6:00 PM in the
Main Floor Conference Room of City Hall,113 E. 81" Street, Georgetown, Texas.
REGULAR SESSION
A. Call Meeting to Order - Tim Smith, Chair
Chair, Tim Smith, called the meeting to order at 6:02 PM.
All of the Ethics Ad Hoc Committee members were present, with the
exception of Bob Glandt and Peggy Moore. Jerry Lawhon, Kelly
McClennahan, Camarie Perry, Tim Smith, Paula Trietsch Chaney and Cass
Wheeler were in attendance.
B. Consideration and possible action to approve the minutes from the
meeting held February 26, 2018 - Tim Smith, Chair
Chair, Tim Smith, asked the Committee if they had reviewed the minutes
of the February 26, 2018 meeting and if anyone had any comments or
concerns.
Motion by Wheeler, second by Lawhon to approve the minutes from the
February 26 2018 meeting.
Approved: 6-0 (Glandt and Moore absent)
C. Discussion, consideration and possible action regarding
recommendations to the City of Georgetown City Council on amendments
to the City of Georgetown Ethics Ordinance - Tim Smith, Chair
Chair, Smith, noted that the Committee had received comments for review
from Councilmember Anna Eby and Ethics Ad Hoc Committee member,
Cass Wheeler. Ms. Eby had asked the Committee to review the City of
Austin ordinance regarding registration requirements for lobbyists. Each
member was given a copy of the ordinance for review.
At the February 26, 2018 meeting, the Committee had asked the City
Secretary to contact Councilmember Rachael Jonrowe for clarification of
one of her comments that had been reviewed at the February 26, 2018
meeting. Jonrowe's written clarification was distributed to the
Committee. Part of the clarification referred to the Ethics Ordinance from
San Antonio, which was provided for each of the Ethics Ad Hoc
Committee members, as well.
Committee Member, Wheeler, waived discussion of the comments that he
had provided.
Discussion of terms of family and relationships took place. City Attorney,
Charlie McNabb, provided the members with a list of descriptions from
various city ordinances for consideration. The Committee spoke on terms
for spouse, domestic partner and common law spouse. It was decided
that the term for spouse from the Austin ordinance would be
recommended, as it encompassed all three within the description. The
Committee also elected to use the term describing relationships of family
members from the El Paso ordinance.
Motion by Trietsch-Chaney, second by Smith, to direct the City Attorney
to combine the definitions, check them for consistency, and add them to
the existing language of the ordinance to be recommended to the City
Council.
Approved: 6-0 (Glandt and Moore absent).
Discussion followed regarding the suggestion to review requiring
lobbyists to register with the City. It was suggested that only very large
cities have these type of ordinances and Georgetown does not have a need
to register lobbyists. It was also determined by the Committee that such
an ordinance would not be an Ethics Ad Hoc Committee responsibility
and should be brought before a different work committee or the City
Council. McNabb said that the Ethics Ad Hoc Committee has not been
instructed to examine this by the City Council, and he would speak to
Councilmember Eby to let her know that she should take the lobbyist
registration suggestion to the City Council for direction.
Discussion took place regarding the San Antonio ordinance, suggested by
Councilmember Jonrowe for review. Nepotism was discussed. McNabb
noted that this is already addressed in the state law and the City Charter.
The Committee decided to recommend removing the language for degrees
of consanguinity and use the definitions for family instead. McNabb was
asked to delete employee language from the nepotism referral and
provide meshing and consistency, without repetition.
Chair, Smith, suggested postponing further discussion of the Austin
ordinance on lobbyist registration and the San Antonio ethics ordinance,
until the members have a better opportunity to review these and be better
prepared for discussion.
Motion by Smith, second by Trietsch-Chaney to postpone these
discussions to the following meeting.
Approved: 6-0 (Glandt and Moore absent)
Smith suggested setting a deadline for any further input or comments for
review submitted to the Ethics Ad Hoc Committee.
Motion by Trietsch-Chaney, second by Wheeler, to set a deadline of April
9, 2018 for the submission of input or suggestions for review to the Ethics
Ad Hoc Committee.
Approved: 6-0 (Glandt and Moore absent)
D. Discussion regarding future agendas and meeting dates and times - Tim
Smith, Chair
The Committee discussed a date and time for the next meeting. The next
meeting was set for Monday, April 23, 2018 at 6:00 PM at City Hall.
ADJOURNMENT
Motion by Trietsch-Chaney, second by Perry to adjourn the meeting.
Approved: 6-0 (Glandt and Moore absent)
Chair, Tim Smith, adjourned the meeting at 6:35 PM.
Approved by the Ethics Ad Hoc Committee
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