Ethics Commission

November 13, 2013 6:00 pm Roseville City Hall 2660 Civic Center Drive

 

I.    Call to Order

Chair Fjelstad called the meeting to order at 6:00 p.m.

 

Members Present: 

Anne Collopy, Nancy O?Brien, Matthew Becker, Margo Fjelstad, and Ben Lehman

 

Members Absent: 

None.

 

Others Present: 

Patrick Trudgeon, Interim City Manager and Mark Gaughan, City Attorney

 

II.          Open Meetings Law Presentation by City Attorney Mark Gaughan

City Attorney Gaughan reviewed the state?s open meeting law and how it affects the Ethics Commission.

 

Lehman and O?Brien raised questions on the open meetings law and its applicability to the Ethics Commission.  Attorney Gaughan indicated that it is his opinion that all City commissions are subject to the open meeting law.

 

III.        Approve Minutes of August 14, 2013

Approve with spelling correction noted on page two.

 

Lehman moved to approve the corrected August 14 minutes, seconded by Becker.

Ayes All.

IV.         Consider Subcommittee Recommended Changes to Ethics Code, Section B: Use of Confidential Information

 

Reviewed changes proposed by the Commission regarding use of confidential information. The City Attorney indicated he has reviewed the information and has no issues with the proposed language. He mentioned that the language should be brought forward to the City Council for approval.

 

The City Attorney then discussed potential changes to the Ethics Code, Section 5. The City Attorney discussed how the Ethics Code deals with complaints with the City Council or City Manager. The City Attorney suggested that the Commission should look at amending the Ethics Code to look at designating another body, such as the Ethics Board to make a finding.

 

The City Attorney then reviewed the matter of dealing with private information and data and pointed out that the Data Practices Law limits what can be shared.

 

Commissioner Lehman raised a concern that there may be a need for the Ethics Commission to have access to some of the data to help make a decision for recommendation. The City Attorney talked about what information would be redacted - typically personal information that could identify the person.

 

Commissioner O?Brien and Commissioner Collopy raised questions on knowing what is redacted and what is not.

 

The City Attorney and Commission discussed hypotheticals and what levels of information would be shared.

 

The Commission discussed timing of bringing forward the changes and decided to bring forward  to the City Council a discussion on the changes to Section 3 of the Ethics Code and get feedback on Section 5.

 

V.           Discuss 2014 April Ethics Training Session

The Interim City Manager will work with Becker and Collopy on details of the April Ethics Training. The Interim City Manager has confirmed City Attorney Gaughan will be the presenter. The training will be on April 9.

 

VI.         Discuss Ethics Tip

Lehman will bring forward an Ethics Tip at the next meeting.

 

O?Brien mentioned sending out additional information after Ethics Code changes and volunteered to write a summary which can be reviewed at the January meeting.

 

VII.       Approve 2014 Meeting Schedule

O?Brien moved to approve the 2014 meeting schedule, seconded by Lehman.

Ayes All.

 

VIII.    Other Business

The Interim City Manager mentioned the Commission survey and that a reminder will be sent out.

 

IX.         Adjourn

Lehman moved to adjourn the meeting at 6:47 p.m. and Becker seconded.

Ayes All.