ORDINANCE NO.
AN ORDINANCE OF THE CITY OF RIVERSIDE, CALIFORNIA, AMENDING SECTIONS 2.08.010 AND 2.08.020 AND ADDING SECTION 2.09 OF THE RIVERSIDE MUNICIPAL CODE REGARDING THE OFFICE OF THE INSPECTOR GENERAL AS AN ADMINISTRATIVE OFFICE AND DEPARTMENT OF THE CITY AND RETENTION OF OUTSIDE COUNSEL BY THE INSPECTOR GENERAL The City Council of the City of Riverside does ordain as follows:
Section 1: Section 2.08.010 of the Riverside Municipal Code is amended as follows:
2.08.010 - Title—Authority of City Manager.
This chapter shall be known as the administrative regulations of the City and may be referred to as such. The departments, divisions of departments, and department heads, excepting the City Attorney, City Clerk, the Inspector General and their respective offices, set out in the chapter shall constitute the administrative organizational structure of the City, and shall be under the control and direction of the City Manager, in accordance with the provisions of the City Charter.
Section 2: Section 2.08.020 of the Riverside Municipal Code is amended as follows to add Subdivision R:
“Section 2.08.020 Offices, departments, divisions of departments, and office/department heads established.
The following departments and department heads are established:
The City Manager's Office, the head of which shall be the City Manager; . . .
Q. The Marketing and Communications Department, the head of which shall be the Marketing and Communications Director.
R. The Office of the Inspector General, the head of which shall be the Inspector General.” Section 3: Section 2.09 of the Riverside Municipal Code entitled “Retention of Outside Council by the Inspector General” is added as follows:
“Section 2.09 - Retention of Outside Legal Counsel by the Inspector General.
The City Attorney, or his or her designee, may serve as a resource to the Inspector General to assist the Inspector General in all legal matters pertaining to his/her office.
The Inspector General can seek the retention of outside counsel to provide legal advice for investigations to be conducted by the Office of the Inspector General. If the Inspector General requests outside legal counsel, the City Attorney shall: approve an expenditure for such outside legal counsel in an amount not to exceed $25,000 per his/her delegated authority, issue an Engagement Letter indicating the approved budget amount as a public record, ensure the outside legal firm has executed a Legal Services Agreement, and incorporate any outside counsel expenditures incurred by the Inspector General into the public quarterly expenditure reports to City Council in compliance with the City’s Outside Counsel Policy. If the Inspector General requests to use an outside law firm that is not on the City’s approved panel of outside counsel due to potential conflicts of interest, the Inspector General shall request and City Council shall add the law firm requested by the Inspector General to the City’s approved panel to ensure independence. Any proposed budget for outside counsel to advise on an investigation that exceeds $25,000 must be approved by City Council and such approval cannot be withheld unless the proposed budget is excessive. If the Inspector General determines that three (3) or more members of the City Council may be or are the subject of an investigation to be conducted by the Office of the Inspector General which would prevent City Council from having a quorum to approve a proposed budget for outside counsel, the City Manager can approve an expenditure in excess of $25,000 for outside legal counsel to advise on investigations to be conducted by the Inspector General.” Section 4: The City hereby finds that this ordinance is not subject to review under the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) pursuant to CEQA Guidelines sections 15060, subdivision (c)(2) (the activity will not result in a direct or reasonably foreseeable indirect physical change in the environment) and 15061, subdivision (b)(3) (there is no possibility the activity in question may have a significant effect on the environment). In addition to the foregoing general exemptions, the City Council further finds that this ordinance is categorically exempt from review under CEQA under the Class 8 Categorical Exemption (regulatory activity to assure the protection of the environment), CEQA Guidelines section 15308.
Section 5: The City Clerk shall certify to the adoption of this ordinance and cause publication once in a newspaper of general circulation in accordance with Section 414 of the Charter of the City of Riverside. This ordinance shall become effective on the 30th day after the date of its adoption.
ADOPTED by the City Council this ____ day of ________________, 2025. _____________________________________
PATRICIA LOCK DAWSON
Mayor of the City of Riverside
Attest:
______________________________
DONESIA GAUSE
City Clerk of the City of Riverside
I, Donesia Gause, City Clerk of the City of Riverside, California, hereby certify that the foregoing ordinance was duly and regularly introduced at a meeting of the City Council on the _______ day of _______________, 2025, and that thereafter the said ordinance was duly and regularly adopted at a meeting of the City Council on the _________day of _____________, 2025, by the following vote, to wit:
Ayes:
Noes:
Absent:
Abstain:
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand and affixed the official seal of the City of Riverside, California, this ________ day of _____________, 2025. _____________________________________
DONESIA GAUSE
City Clerk of the City of Riverside
312524 SW 11/13/25
https://riversideca-my.sharepoint.com/personal/eroyle_riversideca_gov/Documents/Desktop/Ordinance.docx 2 City Attorney’s Office3750 University Ave., STE. 250Riverside, CA 92501(951) 826-5567City Attorney’s Office3750 University Ave., STE. 250Riverside, CA 92501(951) 826-5567 City Attorney’s Office
3750 University Ave., STE. 250
Riverside, CA 92501
(951) 826-5567
City Attorney’s Office
3750 University Ave., STE. 250
Riverside, CA 92501
(951) 826-5567
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