* This transcript was created by voice-to-text technology. The transcript has not been edited for errors or omissions, it is for reference only and is not the official minutes of the meeting. [00:00:03] OKAY, [ CITY OF BAYTOWN NOTICE OF MEETING BAYTOWN ETHICS BOARD MEETING MONDAY, JULY 7, 2025 4:30 P.M. COUNCIL CHAMBER, CITY HALL 2401 MARKET STREET, BAYTOWN, TEXAS 77520 AGENDA CALL TO ORDER AND ANNOUNCEMENT OF QUORUM ] WE'RE GONNA KIND OF GO AHEAD AND GET STARTED HERE. UM, BUT BEFORE WE DO, AS YOU KNOW, THIS IS A NEWLY APPOINTED BOARD, UM, AND THERE HAS NOT BEEN A CHAIR OR VICE CHAIR THAT HAS BEEN SELECTED YET. SO WHAT WE'RE GONNA DO TO BEFORE WE GET STARTED IS SELECT A TEMPORARY PROCEEDING OFFICER. OKAY? OKAY. SO I'M GONNA ASK, ARE THERE ANY NOMINATIONS? OKAY, MR. MR. BOACHER. OKAY. ARE THERE ANY MORE NOMINATIONS? OKAY. WITH THERE BEING NONE, I NOW CLOSE THIS, UM, NOMINATION. UM, AND SO, MR. BOACHER, UM, MAY I GET A MOTION AND A SECOND? A MOTION? I'LL SECOND. OKAY. ALL IN FAVOR? AYE. AYE. AYE. I. OKAY. I SAID IT. I WAS LIKE, WAIT. MISSING WHAT? OKAY. UM, SO THAT WOULD MAKE MR. BOEN BAER WAS SERVED AS OUR TEMPORARY PRESIDING OFFICER FOR THIS MEETING. OKAY. SO WOULD YOU TAKE YOUR SEAT AND JUST UPON OH, I WAS ABOUT TO ASK WHERE YEAH. WHERE HER SCRIPT WAS. OKAY, GOOD. ALRIGHT. OKAY. SO JUST REMEMBER TO READ ALL THIS MM-HMM . FROM, YOU KNOW, YOU REMEMBER FROM BEFORE. YEAH. AND THEN READ BACK OVER THERE IS YOUR SCRIPT IF YOU NEED IT, WHICH IT DOESN'T LOOK LIKE. THEN YOU JUMPED DOWN HERE. OKAY. ALL RIGHTY. ARE YOU READY, MR. PRESIDING OFFICER, IF I MAY, BEFORE WE GET STARTED, YES. I JUST WANTED TO INTRODUCE MYSELF TO THE BOARD SO THAT YOU ALL KNOW WHO I AM AND WHY I'M SITTING UP HERE WITH YOU. MY NAME IS SCOTT LAMONT, I'M THE CITY ATTORNEY, AND I'LL HELP ADVISE AND COUNSEL YOU ALL THROUGH, UH, THIS PROCESS AND THROUGH ANY FUTURE MEETINGS THAT WE MIGHT HAVE. AND SEATED OVER HERE IS ASSISTANT CITY ATTORNEY KRISTIN HOLMES, AND HE'S GONNA BE, UH, GIVING A PRESENTATION FOR YOU ALL TODAY. SO THANK YOU. UH, WELCOME. WE APPRECIATE YOUR SERVICE. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. WE READY MS. ANGIE? ALL RIGHTY. SO CALLED THIS MEETING TO ORDER FOR THE BAYTOWN ETHICS BOARD MEETING MONDAY, JULY THE THE SEVENTH, 2025. WE ARE BEGINNING AT 4:34 PM HERE IN THE CHAMBER, UH, COUNCIL CHAMBER AT CITY HALL IN BAYTOWN, TEXAS. I NOW CALL THIS MEETING TO ORDER AND ANNOUNCE THAT WE DO HAVE A QUORUM AT 4:34 PM ANYONE, UH, CITY CLERK, HAS ANYONE SIGNED UP TO SPEAK TODAY? NO, SIR. THANK YOU. SO, NOT HAVING ANYONE SIGNED UP TO SPEAK, WE ARE GOING TO MOVE INTO OUR, UH, OR THERE BEING NO ONE, UH, DESIRING TO SPEAK. THIS CONCLUDES THE CITIZEN'S COMMENT PORTION OF THE AGENDA. SO WE'RE GONNA [a. Receive training regarding the Texas Open Meetings Act and Public Information Act, and provide an overview of the Baytown Ethics Board Rules of Procedure.] MOVE TO ITEM TWO, WHICH IS THE BUSINESS ITEMS. AND THE FIRST, UH, TWO ITEM TWO A IS GOING TO BE RECEIVE TRAINING REGARDING THE TEXAS OPEN MEETINGS ACT AND PUBLIC INFORMATION ACT, AND PROVIDE AN OVERVIEW OF THE BAYTOWN ETHICS BOARD RULES AND PROCEDURES. AND I'M GOING TO TURN THAT TO ATTORNEY KRISTEN HOLMES. GOOD AFTERNOON. LEMME JUST GET THE SHOW STARTED HERE. GIMME ONE SECOND. ALL RIGHT. GOOD AFTERNOON, BOARD. MY NAME IS KRISTEN HOLMES. I'M AN ASSISTANT CITY ATTORNEY WITH THE LEGAL DEPARTMENT. AND SO PART OF WHAT I AM HERE TO TALK TO YOU ABOUT TODAY IS WITH REGARD TO YOUR PUBLIC MEETINGS AND THEN ALSO THE PUBLIC INFORMATION ACT. AND SO OUR, UH, CITY COUNCIL, CITY COUNCIL HAS EXPRESSED, YES, SIR. HOLD, UH, TO THE LEFT OR TO THE SIDE OF YOUR, UH, SCREENS. UP HERE IS A RED BUTTON. IF YOU WILL PRESS IT ONE TIME. IT WILL TAKE YOU TO THE PRESENTATION THAT MS. HOLMES IS ABOUT TO, UH, GO THROUGH PRETTY COOL TECHNOLOGY. YES, IT'S, THANK YOU FOR THAT. EVERYBODY READY? WE'RE GOOD. ALL RIGHT, GOOD. AND SO PART OF WHAT I'M GONNA TALK TO YOU ABOUT TODAY IS OUR PUBLIC MEETINGS. AND SO THE CITY COUNCIL HAS EXPRESSED DESIRE THAT MEETINGS SUCH AS THESE BE OPEN TO THE PUBLIC. OKAY. SO AS YOU'LL SEE ON THE AGENDA THIS EVENING, UH, THIS AFTERNOON THAT WE WENT OVER WITH MS. ANGIE AND MR. BOEN BARKER JUST WENT OVER THIS PORTION WHERE CITIZENS WILL BE ALLOWED TO COME AND PARTICIPATE IN THE MEETINGS. UM, CITY COUNCIL WANTS THE, UH, MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC, IF THEY WANNA MAKE COMMENT OR ANYTHING LIKE THAT, THEY'RE ABLE TO SIGN UP AND COME AND SPEAK. UH, WITH REGARD TO THE [00:05:01] ITEMS, UM, THAT WILL BE BEFORE YOU, BUT, UM, JUST GENERALLY GOING OVER PUBLIC MEETINGS. SO I KNOW YOUR AGENDA SAYS OPEN MEETINGS ACT THAT AS I SAID, IT'S THE WILL OF COUNCIL, THAT THESE KINDS OF MEETINGS WHEN WE HAVE OUR CITIZEN ADVISORY BOARDS, THAT THEY BE PUBLIC MEETING AND NOT NECESSARILY HELD UNDER THE, UH, OPEN MEETINGS ACT AS THAT IS NOT A STATUTORY REQUIREMENT FOR AN ADVISORY BOARD. AND SO, UM, LIKE I SAID, THE MEETINGS OF THIS BOARD WILL BE OPEN TO THE PUBLIC. ANY CITIZEN, THEY CAN SIGN UP, THEY CAN COME AND SPEAK, UH, THEIR CITIZEN COMMENT SECTION. AND ALSO IF THERE'S AN ITEM ON THE AGENDA, THEY MAY BE ABLE TO SPEAK ON THAT AS WELL. UM, AND SO THE AGENDA, SO BEFORE EACH MEETING, THE CITY CLERK WILL POST A NOTICE OF SUFFICIENT TO ALERT THE PUBLIC IN GENERAL TERMS OF THE SUBJECTS THAT WILL BE DISCUSSED AND CONSIDERED AS WELL AS THE DATE, TIME, AND PLACE OF THE MEETING. AND SO YOU HAVE AN EXAMPLE OF THAT IN FRONT OF YOU, OR YOU MAY HAVE SEEN THAT THE AGENDA. AND SO IT WILL LOOK LIKE THAT AND THE CITY CLERK WILL, UH, PREPARE THAT DOCUMENT TO ALERT THE PUBLIC, HEY, THAT THERE IS A MEETING FOR THIS BOARD. THIS IS WHERE IT'S BEING, WHERE IT'S BEING HELD. THIS IS THE TIME, AND THESE ARE THE SUBJECTS THAT WILL BE DISCUSSED. WHEN CAN A MEETING START? SO A MEETING MAY START AT THE POSTED TIME WHEN A QUORUM IS PRESENT. SO IT'S IMPORTANT THAT A QUORUM OF THE BOARD BE HERE. AND THEN EVEN WHEN A QUORUM OF THE BOARD IS HERE, WE ARE LIMITED TO START AT THE TIME THAT WAS POSTED. SO WE CAN'T START BEFORE THAT. AND JUST FOR CLARIFICATION MM-HMM . WHAT IS THE, WHAT IS THE NUMBER OF COMMITTEE MEMBERS FOR THIS? IT'S FIVE. IT IS FIVE. OKAY. YES, SIR. THANK YOU. BY EXTENSION, SIR. UH, QUORUM WOULD BE THREE WITH, OKAY. OKAY. SO WHAT CAN MEMBERS OF A COMMITTEE DO IF AN UNPOSTED ISSUE IS RAISED AT AN OPEN MEETING? SO YOU GOT SOMEBODY THAT SHOWS UP AND WANTS TO TALK ABOUT SOMETHING THAT IS NOT POSTED. TYPICALLY, YOU'RE LIMITED TO, UM, DELVING INTO THOSE ITEMS THAT ARE ON A POSTED AGENDA. AND SO A MEMBER OF THE COMMITTEE MAY RESPOND WITH A STATEMENT OF SPECIFIC FACTUAL INFORMATION OR RECITE THE COMMITTEE'S EXISTING POLICY ON THAT ISSUE. UH, YOU MAY DIRECT THE PERSON TO MAKE THE INQUIRY TO VISIT WITH ANY CITY STAFF ABOUT THE ISSUE OR OFFER TO PLACE THE ITEM ON A FUTURE AGENDA FOR FUTURE DISCUSSION AT A LATER DATE. OKAY. SO YOU'RE KIND OF LIMITED TO DELVE INTO THOSE ITEMS THAT ARE ACTUALLY ON YOUR AGENDA. OKAY. AND SO NOW WE'RE GONNA MOVE INTO TALKING ABOUT THE PUBLIC INFORMATION ACT. AND SO SIMILARLY TO THE OPEN MEETINGS ACT, THE PUBLIC INFORMATION ACT GOVERNS THE DOCUMENTS. OKAY? SO HERE FOR YOU ALL, WE'LL MOSTLY BE TALKING ABOUT EMAILS, WRITTEN COMMUNICATIONS, BUT IT CAN ALSO GO INTO NOTES AND DELIBERATIONS AND THINGS OF THAT NATURE THAT YOU MAY HAVE IN YOUR DUTY AS THE BOARD. SO WE WANT TO GO OVER WHAT IS THE PUBLIC INFORMATION ACT. SO IT'S THE LAW THAT ENSURES THAT EACH PERSON IS ENTITLED UNLESS OTHERWISE EXPRESSLY PROHIBITED BY LAW AT ALL TIMES TO COMPLETE INFORMATION ABOUT THE AFFAIRS OF THE GOVERNMENT AND THE OFFICIAL ACT OF PUBLIC OFFICIALS AND EMPLOYEES. AND SO SINCE YOU ARE SERVING ON THIS BOARD, YOU ARE A CITY OFFICIAL OR PUBLIC OFFICIAL AS THAT WOULD BE USED UNDER THE PUBLIC INFORMATION ACT REQUEST. SO THOSE, LIKE I SAID, EMAIL COMMUNICATIONS, DIFFERENT TYPES OF DOCUMENTS THAT ARE CREATED, UH, WITH REGARD TO YOUR ROLE IN THIS BOARD, WOULD BE OPEN TO A PUBLIC INFORMATION ACT REQUEST. MEANING THAT ANY CITIZEN FROM THE PUBLIC WOULD HAVE A RIGHT TO FILE A REQUEST AND HAVE ACCESS TO THOSE RECORDS SUBJECT TO ANY SORT OF EXCEPTIONS UNDER THE LAW. AND SO THIS KIND OF JUST BRIEFLY GOES INTO WHAT IS PUBLIC INFORMATION. IT'S INFORMATION THAT IS COLLECTED, ASSEMBLED, OR MAINTAINED BY A GOV BY OR FOR A GOVERNMENTAL BODY REGARDLESS OF ITS FORMAT. AND SO THE ACT HERE IS ACTIVATED BY A WRITTEN REQUEST OR FAX OR EMAIL TO THE CITY CLERK'S OFFICE. AND SO ONCE, UM, A PUBLIC INFORMATION ACT, UH, REQUEST IS RECEIVED, THERE ARE SPECIFIC TIMEFRAMES BY WHICH THE CITY MUST RESPOND OR REQUEST AN ATTORNEY GENERAL OPINION IN RESPONSE TO THAT REQUEST. UM, AND SO SOMETIMES YOU MAY SEE A EMAIL OR SOMETHING COME ACROSS FROM THE CITY CLERK'S OFFICE ASKING FOR, DO YOU HAVE ANY SORT OF DOCUMENTS RESPONSIVE TO A SPECIFIC REQUEST. SO YOU WILL KNOW THAT THAT'S IN RELATION TO A PUBLIC INFORMATION ACT REQUEST THAT THE CITY HAS RECEIVED. AND SO THE PUBLIC INFORMATION ACT REQUIRES THAT MEMBERS OF A GOVERNING BODY COMPLETE A COURSE OF TRAINING WITHIN 90 DAYS OF TAKING THE OATH OF OFFICE. OKAY? AND SO THE AG HAS PRO PRODUCED A VIDEO WHICH CAN BE USED TO SATISFY THAT TRAINING REQUIREMENT. AND SO WHILE WE'RE GENERALLY KIND OF GOING OVER THINGS ON TODAY, YOU ALSO NEED TO COMPLETE THAT, UM, TRAINING THAT'S PRODUCED BY THE ATTORNEY GENERAL'S DEPARTMENT. AND YOU CAN SEE THE CITY CLERK IF YOU NEED MORE INFORMATION ABOUT THAT, I THINK IT MAY BE INCLUDED IN YOUR WELCOME PACKET, [00:10:01] BUT ANY EVENT THAT IT'S NOT, PLEASE MAKE SURE TO SEE THE CITY CLERK TO TAKE CARE OF THAT. UM, AND THEN ONCE YOU'VE COMPLETED, UH, THE COURSE, THE CERTIFICATE OF COURSE COMPLETION MUST BE FILED WITH THE CITY CLERK. SO KEEP THAT ON YOUR RADAR AS SOMETHING TO GET DONE PRETTY QUICKLY HERE. OKAY. AND SO ALONG THOSE LINES, WE WANT TO TALK TO YOU ABOUT THE CITY EMAIL POLICY. AND SO, UM, IF YOU HAVEN'T ALREADY RECEIVED, YOU WILL SOON RECEIVE YOUR EMAIL AS A PARTICIPANT IN THIS BOARD, YOU WILL HAVE AN OFFICIAL CITY EMAIL. UM, AND SO THESE ARE THE POLICIES THAT GOVERN THE USE WITH REGARD TO THAT EMAIL. SO AS I STATED EARLIER, EMAILS ARE SUBJECT TO THE PUBLIC INFORMATION, UH, ACT, AND THEY MUST BE TIMELY GATHERED. ALL INFORMATION MUST BE GATHERED, AND IT'S SUBJECT TO OUR RECORDS RETENTION POLICY. SO THAT'S WHEN I WAS SAYING YOU MAY RECEIVE A REQUEST FOR EMAILS AND SUCH. THAT'S WHAT I'M TALKING ABOUT. SO OUR POLICY IS APPLICABLE TO CITY COUNCIL AND ALL OF ITS BOARDS AND COMMISSIONS. SO THAT WOULD INCLUDE YOU AND IT REQUIRES THAT WRITTEN COMMUNICATION, TRANS TRANSMITTED ELECTRONICALLY MUST BE DONE SO THROUGH PUBLIC RATHER THAN PRIVATE ACCOUNTS. SO THAT IS THE WHOLE POINT OF YOU HAVING THAT, UH, OFFICIAL CITY SPONSORED EMAIL SO THAT YOU WON'T BE TEMPTED TO DO CITY BUSINESS ON YOUR PERSONAL ACCOUNT. SO THAT JUST KIND OF HELPS WITH KEEPING TRACK FOR, UH, RETENTION POLICIES, KEEPING TRACK FOR PUBLIC INFORMATION ACT REQUESTS. YOU DO ALL OF YOUR CITY BUSINESS THROUGH YOUR CITY EMAIL. EACH MEMBER HAS BEEN ASSIGNED AN EMAIL ACCOUNT AND I'VE GONE OVER THAT. AND SO, UM, THINGS YOU'LL SEE THERE, YOU'LL SEE MEETING AGENDAS, EMAIL CORRESPONDENCE, ALL OF THOSE THINGS WILL BE SENT TO YOUR CITY EMAIL ACCOUNT. AND THEN AS FAR AS RECORDS RETENTION, SO RETENTION BASICALLY MEANS THAT THE TIMEFRAME BY WHICH YOU MAY KEEP THESE EMAILS BEFORE YOU CAN DELETE THEM OR OTHERWISE DISCARD THEM. SO GENERALLY THE RECORDS RETENTION PERIOD FOR EMAILS IS AS LONG AS THE RECORDS ARE ADMINISTRATIVELY VALUABLE TO THE ACCOUNT HOLDER. SO THAT GIVES, I DON'T KNOW, IT'S NOT A, HEY, THIS 1, 2, 3 DAYS ADMINISTRATIVELY VALUABLE TO THE ACCOUNT HOLDER. SO EMAILS THAT ARE NO LONGER OF VALUE TO YOU MAY BE DELETED IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE CITY'S POLICY. UH, EMAIL ACCOUNTS HAVE A 90 DAY AUTO DELETE FUNCTION. SO IF THERE'S ANYTHING SPECIAL IN THERE OR THAT YOU THINK MAY HAVE AN EXTENDED ADMINISTRATIVE ADMINISTRATIVELY VALUABLE COMPONENT, THEN YOU SHOULD MOVE THOSE EMAILS INTO A SEPARATE FOLDER SO THAT YOU CAN KEEP THEM AND THEY WON'T BE DELETED BY THE 90 DAY AUTO DELETION POLICY. AND THEN YOUR DIRECTIONS FOR ACCESSING YOUR EMAIL, ET CETERA, HOW TO YOUR PASSWORDS, ALL OF THOSE THINGS CAN BE FOUND IN YOUR WELCOME PACKET, WHICH THE CITY CLERK MAY HAVE ALREADY GIVEN TO YOU. IF SHE HASN'T, PLEASE SEE HER ABOUT THAT. IF YOU NEED HELP, THIS IS HOW YOU CAN GET SOME HELP. SOME OF YOU MIGHT NOT BE GREAT AT TECH. I KNOW I'M , I STRUGGLE A LOT WITH TECH, SO I UTILIZE THIS ITSA LOT. SO, UH, THE CITY CLERK CAN HELP YOU. THEY ARE REALLY HELPFUL IN THAT OFFICE. AND THEN IF IT'S AFTER HOURS AND YOU NEED SOME HELP, CONTACT ITS. ANYBODY HAVE ANY QUESTIONS? ANY OF THE PUBLIC MEETING STUFF OR, UH, PIA PUBLIC INFORMATION ACT REQUESTS? YES, SIR. SO ON THE EMAILS, IS IT LIKE, UH, IT'S OWN SEPARATE ENTITY? IT'S NOT THROUGH LIKE, LIKE OUR YAHOO OR OUTLOOK OR ANYTHING LIKE THAT? IT IS ITS OWN SEPARATE ENTITY THAT WE'RE DEALING WITH THERE, RIGHT? SO YES, ITS WILL SET UP YOUR EMAIL AND IT IS THROUGH OUTLOOK. OKAY. UM, BUT IT, LIKE I SAID, IT IS YOUR OWN PERSONAL FOR CITY BUSINESS ONLY. OKAY? YES, SIR. OKAY, COOL. AND THEY WILL GET, GET IN CONTACT WITH YOU WITH THAT SOON. OKAY. ANY MORE QUESTIONS? YES, MA'AM. UM, REGARDING THE VIDEOS THAT WE WERE REQUIRED TO WATCH MM-HMM . IF WE'VE WATCHED 'EM ALREADY, DO WE, WHO DO WE TURN THAT INFORMATION INTO? THE EMAIL THAT YOU RECEIVED FROM MS. ROXANNE? SHIRLEY? JUST RETURN IT BACK TO HER. OKAY. IT THROUGH EMAIL? YES. OKAY. OKAY. ANYTHING ELSE? ALL RIGHT, THANK YOU. I THINK WE CAN MOVE TO THE NEXT ITEM. ALL RIGHT. WHICH I'LL STILL BE TALKING, SO I'LL JUST STAY UP HERE. , . ALRIGHTY. THANK YOU MS. HOLMES. UM, WE WILL NOW MOVE [b. Review and discuss the complaint process.] TO ITEM, UH, BUSINESS ITEM TWO B, AND THAT IS REVIEW AND DISCUSS THE COMPLAINT PROCESS. SO MS. HOLMES? YES. LET ME FIGURE OUT HOW TO GET OUT OF THIS ONE. SEE, I TOLD YOU GUYS, I'M NOT THAT GREAT AT TECH. I'M LOOKING FOR ES ESCAPE AND IT IS ESCAPING ME. LITERALLY. THERE IT IS. ALL RIGHT, SO WE'RE GONNA SWITCH GEARS A BIT HERE. AND NOW WE ARE GOING TO TALK ABOUT, UH, REPORTING AND PROCESSING AN ETHICS VIOLATION COMPLAINT. AND SO OBVIOUSLY YOU'VE DONE YOUR RESEARCH AND YOU KNOW, THE REASON THAT YOU'RE ON THIS BOARD, [00:15:01] UH, YOUR PRIMARY DUTY AND ROLE WILL BE TO INVESTIGATE, UM, INVESTIGATE PROCESS AND GIVE A RECOMMENDATION WITH REGARD TO ANY ETHICS COMPLAINTS THAT ARE FILED WITHIN THE CITY AS A VIOLATION OF OUR, UH, CODE OF ETHICS. AND SO THIS PORTION, I JUST KIND OF WANTED TO HIGH LEVEL GO OVER WITH YOU ALL WHAT THE REPORTING PROCESS IS AND THE, UM, PROCESSING. SO ONCE YOU RECEIVE A COMPLAINT, WHAT THE NEXT STEPS SHOULD BE. AND SO WE WILL DEFINITELY DELVE MORE IN DETAIL IN THIS IN THE FUTURE WHEN THERE ARE, UH, ETHICS COMPLAINTS FOR YOU TO INVESTIGATE. BUT MY GOAL FOR TODAY IS TO JUST KIND OF GIVE YOU A HIGH LEVEL OVERVIEW SO YOU UNDERSTAND WHAT YOU'RE DOING HERE. AND SO WE'RE GONNA START UNDER SECTION 2 8 0 6 OF OUR CODE OF ORDINANCES. AND SO MANY OF YOU MAY KNOW THAT THE, UH, CITY COUNCIL RECENTLY ADOPTED A NEW CODE OF ETHICS AND THEN THEY ALSO CREATED A NEW ETHICS BOARD. SO YOU CAN FIND, UH, THESE ORDINANCES IN OUR, THE CITY OF BAYTOWN CODE OF ORDINANCES. THEY MAY NOT BE UP THERE JUST YET BECAUSE IT WAS REALLY RECENT. AND SO THEY'RE ALWAYS SENT TO MUNI CODE AND THEN MUNI CODE PROCESSES. AND SO YOU MIGHT MAY NOT BE ABLE TO SEE THEM AT JUST THIS TIME, BUT IN THE VERY NEAR FUTURE, I WOULD SUGGEST GOING INTO THE ORDINANCES AND JUST KIND OF READING OVER THE CODE OF ETHICS, WHICH CAN BE FOUND, UM, IN ARTICLE TWO SO THAT YOU CAN, UH, FAMILIAR FAMILIARIZE YOURSELF WITH THE PROCESS. BUT LET ME JUST GO OVER TWO DASH 8 0 6. SO THIS IS REPORTING AN ETHICS VIOLATION. SO ANY PERSON IN THE CITY OR WHO BELIEVES OR NOT NECESSARILY LIMITED TO THE CITY, ANY PERSON WHO BELIEVES THAT A VIOLATION OF ANY PORTION OF SECTION TWO DASH 8 0 3 OF THE STANDARDS OF CONDUCT, AND YOU CAN FIND THOSE LISTED OUT IN THE CODE OF ORDINANCES, MAY FILE AN ETHICS COMPLAINT VIOLATION. OKAY? AND SO THEY WILL FILE THAT ON A FORM, THAT FORM, UM, IS BEING PUT TOGETHER BY THE CITY CLERK'S OFFICE, AND THEY WILL SUBMIT THAT FORM TO THE CLERK'S OFFICE. THEY HAVE TO ALLEGE A VIOLATION OF SECTION 28 0 3, WHICH IS OUR STANDARDS OF CONDUCT. AND THEN THEY ALSO, UH, MUST HAVE THAT FORM SWORN OUT BEFORE A NOTARY. OKAY? AND SO ONCE THEY'VE FILLED OUT THE FORM, THE CITY CLERK WILL ACCEPT THE COMPLAINT. SHE WILL DETERMINE, OR HER OFFICE WILL DETERMINE IF THAT COMPLAINT IS ADMINISTRATIVELY COMPLETE. SO BASICALLY THEY'RE LOOKING FOR FOUR CORNERS OF THE DOCUMENT. HAVE WE FILLED EVERYTHING OUT CORRECTLY? IS IT ALLEGING A VIOLATION? IS IT SWORN TO ALL OF THE TECHNICAL KIND OF DETAILS? OKAY? AND SO THEN ONCE THAT'S DONE UNDER TWO DASH 8 0 7 THAT'S PROCESSING AND INVESTIGATING A COMPLAINT, THEN IT KIND OF GOES INTO YOUR BALL FIELD. SO THIS IS WHEN YOU WILL COME INTO PLAY. SO THIS IS THE PRELIMINARY MEETING AND JURISDICTIONAL DETERMINATION. SO ONCE YOU RECEIVE THAT COMPLAINT FROM THE CLERK'S OFFICE, YOU'LL HAVE A PRELIMINARY MEETING. UH, THE GOAL OF THAT IS TO DETERMINE IF A COMPLAINT IS WITHIN THE ETHICS BOARD'S JURISDICTION. SO SOME THINGS THAT WE LOOK AT WHEN DETERMINING JURISDICTION, DOES IT FALL? IS IT ALLEGED VIOLATION THAT FALLS WITHIN 2 28 0 3? UM, HAS THE STATUTE OF LIMITATIONS RUN? MEANING IS THIS OUTSIDE OF THE TIME PERIOD BY WHICH YOU CAN CONSIDER THESE TYPES OF VIOLATIONS, WHICH IS, I THINK IT'S UP TO ONE YEAR OR 45 DAYS FROM WHICH THE COMPLAINANT SHOULD HAVE KNOWN ABOUT THE VIOLATION. AT THIS PRELIMINARY HEARING, YOU ALSO HAVE THE RIGHT TO CONSIDER ANY EVIDENCE THAT YOU WANT TO CONSIDER. AT THE END OF THAT PRELIMINARY HEARING, YOU'LL MAKE SOME DETERMINATIONS. YOU'LL DETERMINE WHETHER YOU WANT TO DISMISS THAT COMPLAINT, SAY SET A DATE TO HOLD A DETERMINATION HEARING, WHICH IS IN A SENSE THE TRIAL IN THIS MATTER, OR REFER THE COMPLAINT TO ANOTHER AGENCY. SO LET'S SAY YOU PICK THE OPTION TO HOLD A DETERMINATION HEARING. SO FROM THAT POINT, WE WILL MOVE FORWARD AND THAT WILL DETERMINATION HEARING MUST BE HELD WITHIN 30 BUSINESS DAYS OF THE PRELIMINARY HEARING. OKAY? AND SO, LIKE I SAID, IF YOU WANT TO CONCEPTUALIZE, THIS IS KIND OF LIKE A TRIAL, YOU WILL BE THE FACT FINDER. YOU WILL LISTEN TO THE EVIDENCE THAT IS PRESENTED. AND SO THE COMPLAINANT AND THE CITY OFFICIAL WILL HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO PRESENT THEIR CASES TO THE BOARD. THERE WILL BE QUESTIONING AND CROSS-EXAMINING OF WITNESSES, EXHIBITS AND TESTIMONIES THAT WILL BE CONSIDERED FROM BOTH SIDES PRESENTED TO YOU GUYS. ASK THE FACT FINDERS AND THEN THE ETHICS BOARD. YOU GUYS, YOU MAY CALL AND QUESTION ANY COMPLAINANT, THE CITY OFFICIAL, AND ANY WITNESSES, ANYTHING THAT YOU THINK YOU NEED TO CONSIDER TO HELP YOU ARRIVE AT YOUR DETERMINATION. AND SO AFTER THE CONCLUSION OF THE EVIDENCE, DURING THE TERM DETERMINATION HEARING, YOU WILL MAKE FINDINGS AND RECOMMENDATIONS. SO YOU CAN, UH, MAKE AN OFFICIAL REPORT OF YOUR FINDINGS AND RECOMMENDATIONS FOR DISPOSITION TO THE CITY COUNCIL. SO THAT WOULD BE YOUR RECOMMENDATION. THE REPORT MUST BE IN WRITING AND IT MUST BE SIGNED BY THE PRESIDING PRESIDING OFFICER 10 DAYS AFTER THE DETERMINATION HEARING IS WHEN THAT REPORT WILL BE DUE. AND THEN THAT KIND OF CONCLUDES YOUR PORTION OF IT, AND THEN IT GOES TO CITY COUNCIL FOR THEM TO MAKE THEIR DETERMINATION. AND THERE'S [00:20:01] JUST ONE OTHER PART THAT I WANTED TO POINT OUT TO YOU UNDER 22 DASH 8 0 6 A, UH, UNDER THE PROCESSING AND INVESTIGATING A COMPLAINT. SO CON CONFIDENTIALITY, A COMPLAINT THAT HAS BEEN SUBMITTED TO THE CITY IS DEEMED CONFIDENTIAL AND TELL THE TIME THAT THE COMPLAINT IS EITHER DISMISSED OR SCHEDULED FOR A DETERMINATION HEARING UNLESS OTHERWISE REQUIRED BY LAW A CITY OFFICIAL, WHICH YOU GUYS WOULD BE CONSIDERED CITY OFFICIAL OR EMPLOYEE, MAY NOT REVEAL INFORMATION RELATING TO THE FILING OR PROCESSING OF A COMPLAINT, EXCEPT AS REQUIRED FOR THE PERFORMANCE OF THE OFFICIAL OR EMPLOYEES OFFICIAL DUTIES ARE AS REQUIRED BY LAW. AND THAT IS JUST HIGH LEVEL OF THE, UH, PROCESS. AND OBVIOUSLY WE WILL GO INTO MORE DETAIL AS COMPLAINTS NEED TO BE, UM, INVESTIGATED AND PROCESSED. ALRIGHT, THANK YOU. ALL RIGHT, THANK YOU. SO THAT CONCLUDES, UH, BUSINESS ITEM TWO B. UM, BUSINESS ITEM [c. Consider a resolution authorizing the adoption of the Baytown Ethics Board Rules of Procedure.] TWO C IS CONSIDER A RESOLUTION AUTHORIZING THE ADOPTION OF THE BAYTOWN ETHICS BOARD RULES OF PROCEDURE. HOWEVER, WE WILL NOT TAKE ACTION ON THIS AT THIS TIME AND WE WILL MOVE ON. [d. Consider the election of officers for the Chair and Vice Chair and the appointment of the Secretary.] UM, ITEM, UH, BUSINESS ITEM 2D IS GOING TO BE CONSIDERED THE ELECTION OF OFFICERS FOR THE CHAIR AND VICE CHAIR AND THE APPOINTMENT OF SECRETARY. SO WE'LL NOW OPEN THE FLOOR FOR A NOMINATION FOR THE CHAIR. ARE THERE ANY NOMINATIONS? AND I'LL NOMINATE MYSELF FOR THE CHAIR. AND ARE THERE ANY OTHER NOMINATIONS? NO. YOU SEEM TO KNOW WHAT YOU'RE DOING. . I GOT Y'ALL FOOLED. NO, , YEARS OF BEING A PARLIAMENTARIAN. UM, UH, SO LET'S SEE. ARE THERE NO OTHER IN HEARING NONE? I WILL NOW CLOSE THE NOMINATIONS. AND SO WE HAVE ONE NOMINATION FOR MYSELF. UH, MAY I HAVE A MOTION AND A SECOND TO PROCEED WITH THE ELECTION? I SECOND IT. OKAY. I MOTION YOU MAKE SECOND A MOTION. OKAY. UH, IS THERE ANY DISCUSSION THAT WE NEED TO ON THIS? DO QUESTIONS FROM MYSELF? ALL RIGHTY. WE WILL NOW VOTE ON THE NOMINATION TO ELECT ERIC BOEN BAER AS CHAIR. ALL IN FAVOR SAY AYE. AYE. AYE. ALL OPPOSED? SAME SIGN. ALL RIGHTY. UM, LET'S SEE. SO ERIC BOEN BAER HAS BEEN VOTED IN, UH, BY MAJORITY AS THE CHAIR. WE WILL NOW OPEN THE FLOOR FOR NOMINATION FOR THE VICE CHAIR. ARE THERE ANY NOMINATIONS? I CAN DO IT. ALL RIGHT. YEAH. AND WOULD YOU CLEARLY STATE YOUR NAME JUST SO WE HAVE IT ON RECORD AND BONITA, MITCHELL LETTI, BONITA TI AND ANY OTHER, ANY OTHER, UH, NOMINATIONS? ALL RIGHT. SO WE HAVE ONE NOMINATION FOR BENNET BEN BONITA TI. MAY I HAVE A MOTION AND A SECOND TO PROCEED WITH THE ELECTION? A MOTION. ALL RIGHT. AND DO I HAVE A SECOND? SECOND IT. SECOND IT. ALL RIGHTY. ANY DISCUSSION FOR THIS NOMINATION? ALL RIGHTY. SO WE WILL NOW VOTE FOR THE MO FOR THE MOTION TO ELECT THE VICE CHAIR. UH, ALL IN FAVOR OF, UH, ELECTING MS. MITCHELL. LETTY, MITCHELL, LETTY. I CAN'T GET THAT IN MY MIND YET. MITCHELL A I'LL WRITE IT PHONETICALLY FOR YOU. THERE WE GO. . ALL IN FAVOR SAY AYE. AYE. AYE. ALL THE SAME? UH, ALL OPPOSED? SAME SIGN AND IT IS CARRIED. UM, AND SO NOW WE'RE GONNA MOVE TO THE THIRD, UH, NOMINATION. AND I NEED A MOTION AND A SECOND TO APPOINT THE CITY CLERK AS THE BOARD SECRETARY. I MOTION TO APPOINT THE CITY CLERK AS THE SECRETARY. ALL RIGHTY. THANK YOU. AND DO I HAVE A SECOND? I SECOND. AND ARE THERE ANY QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS BEFORE WE PROCEED? ALL RIGHTY. ALL IN FAVOR OF APPOINTING THE CITY CLERK AS THE SECRETARY OF THIS BOARD. ALL IN FAVOR SAY AYE. AYE. AYE. ALL ALL OPPOSED? SAME SIGN. AND IT IS CARRIED. SO THIS DOES CONCLUDE TODAY'S MEETING. AND SINCE ALL AGENDA ITEMS HAVE BEEN ADDRESSED, THIS MEETING IS NOW ADJOURNED AT 5 4 56. * This transcript was created by voice-to-text technology. The transcript has not been edited for errors or omissions, it is for reference only and is not the official minutes of the meeting.