EAST PALO ALTO
CITY COUNCIL
STAFF REPORT
DATE: February 15, 2022
TO: Honorable Mayor and Members of the City Council
VIA: Jaime M. Fontes, City Manager
BY: Greg Henry, Senior Management Analyst
SUBJECT: Code of Ethics and Conduct for Elected and Appointed Officials - Advisory Bodies Review
Recommendation
By motion, require that all Board and Commission members review, sign and return to the City Attorney’s office the City’s Code of Ethics and Conduct for Elected and Appointed Officials.
Alignment with City Council Strategic Plan
This recommendation is primarily aligned with:
Priority No. 3: Increase Organizational Effectiveness and Efficiency Priority No. 6: Create a Healthy and Safe Community
Background
On September 6, 2016, the City Council adopted the “City Council Rules of Procedure.” The City Council Rules of Procedure (“Rules of Procedure”) established conduct rules for how members of the City Council interact with one another and City staff. The Rules of Procedure also established guidelines for how City Council members are to interact with advisory body members, other government agencies, the media, and members of the public.
On June 1, 2021 the Council adopted Code of Ethics and Conduct for Elected and Appointed Officials (“Code of Conduct”) (attached). Ethics training is required by Government Code section 53234 et seq (AB 1234). The basic thrust of AB 1234 is to require covered officials to take two hours of training in ethics principles and laws every two years. The requirement applies to those elected or appointed officials who are compensated for their service or reimbursed for their expenses.
The Code of Conduct is separate from and in addition to the requirements of AB 1234. Since adoption the Code of Conduct has applied to all appointees of City Advisory Bodies (list of applicable Boards and Commissions attached) and the City Attorney has provided training to City Advisory Bodies, excluding the Senior Advisory Committee which cancelled their November meeting.
Analysis
While the Code of Conduct has applied to all appointees, staff are asking that the Council have all City Advisory Bodies agenized a review of the Code of Conduct for their next meeting and have all members return a signed copy of the Code of Conduct to the City Attorney’s Office within a week of that meeting. Staff are asking that the Council include submission of a signed copy of the Code of Code as a requirement of for holding appointment on a City Advisory Body. This will ensure that all appointees are fully aware of the requirements of their appointment.
Fiscal Impact
There is Fiscal Impact to this item.
Public Notice
N/A
Environmental
The action being considered does not constitute a “Project” within the meaning of the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA), pursuant to CEQA Guideline section 15378 (b)(5), in that it is a government administrative activity that will not result in direct or indirect changes in the environment.