City Council Memorandum
TO: HONORABLE MAYOR AND CITY COUNCIL DATE: JANUARY 14, 2025 FROM: CITY CLERK’S OFFICE WARDS: ALL
SUBJECT: REVISIONS TO RIVERSIDE MUNICIPAL CODE CHAPTER 2.78 - CODE OF ETHICS AND CONDUCT ISSUE:
Amend Riverside Municipal Code (RMC) Chapter 2.78 – Code of Ethics and Conduct.
RECOMMENDATION:
That the City Council introduce and subsequently adopt an ordinance reflecting the revisions as outlined in the attached ordinance.
BACKGROUND:
Riverside Municipal Code (RMC) Section 2.78.110 requires annual monitoring and oversight of the Code of Ethics and Conduct in the following cadence:
Before the end of July of each year, all boards and commissions shall review and discuss the Code of Ethics and Conduct and submit recommendations, if any, to the BOE for their consideration.
Then before the end of August, the BOE shall review and discuss the effectiveness of the Code of Ethics and Conduct and the recommendations of the other boards and commissions, then submit their recommendations to the GPC.
Subsequently, in September, the GPC will review and discuss the effectiveness of this Code of Ethics and Conduct, in addition to the recommendations from the Boards and Commissions, then instruct the City Manager to prepare a report to the City Council for their consideration.
Then lastly, prior to the end of each year, the Chair of the GPC will present a report to the City Council, which shall include the recommendations from the Boards and Commissions and GPC. At which time, the City Council conducts a public hearing to review the report and make an independent evaluation of the effectiveness of this chapter. After their discussion, City Council may direct the Attorney to make any necessary changes to this chapter it deems appropriate.
DISCUSSION:
On December 3, 2024, the City Council held a public hearing to review the Code of Ethics and Conduct. Following this, they approved the proposed revisions to RMC Section 2.78 put forth by the Governmental Processes Committee. The City Attorney was then instructed to draft an ordinance amending RMC 2.78 as summarized below and outlined in the ordinance attached:
Revise Riverside Municipal Code (RMC) Section 2.78.060.M regarding Violations of federal, state, or local law prohibited to read as proposed:
M. Violations of local law prohibited. No public official of the City of Riverside shall intentionally or repeatedly violate the Charter of the City of Riverside, the Riverside Municipal Code, or any established policies of the City of Riverside affecting the operations of local government.
Add “Riverside Municipal Code (RMC) Section 2.78.060.N as proposed with the insertion of the bold underlined text recommended by the GPC:
N. Convictions of Federal or State Laws affecting their office prohibited. No public official of the City of Riverside shall be convicted, or enter a plea of no contest, of a violation of any state or federal law that affects the performance of their duties in the office that they hold.
Under RMC 2.78.080.O, add "to include a recommendation for sanctions" to the end of the second sentence to read:
All findings shall be approved by a majority vote of the hearing panel and recorded by the City Clerk. The hearing panel may approve such findings at the conclusion of the hearing and direct the City Clerk to prepare the statement of findings or designate members of the hearing panel to prepare the statement of findings to include a recommendation for sanctions.
Minor revisions to RMC 2.78.075(A), which pertains to the timing of filing amended complaints, and a correction to the sequential numbering of Section 2.78.075(D).
FISCAL IMPACT:
There is no fiscal impact associated with this report.
Prepared by: Donesia Gause, City Clerk
Approved as to form: Jack Liu, Interim City Attorney
Attachment: Ordinance
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