Boards and Commissions

ETHICS REVIEW COMMITTEE

AUTHORITY FOR CREATION AND OPERATION

The Committee was created by Ordinance No. 10617 on June 26, 1990.

COMPOSITION AND METHOD OF APPOINTMENT

The Ethics Review Committee consists of five members appointed by the City Council.

All members shall be residents of the city. No member shall hold any city elected or appointed office or be a candidate for any such office. One member of the committee shall be an attorney licensed to practice in the State of Texas. As nearly as is reasonably possible, the membership of the committee shall be fairly representative of all of the several economic, religious, cultural, ethnic and racial groups that comprise the population of the city. The City Council shall develop a list of community, civic and professional organizations which shall be invited to make suggestions for appointments to the committee.

TERMS OF OFFICE

Committee members are appointed to two-year staggered terms with the terms of two members to expire on October 1, 1992, with successive two-year terms, and the terms of three members to expire on October 1, 1993, with successive two-year terms. No member shall serve for more than three full terms. In addition to the City Council's usual powers of removal, members of the committee may be removed by a majority of the City Council for a violation of Ordinance No. 10617. All vacancies are filled for unexpired terms. A member shall hold office until his successor has been appointed by the City Council and continue to hold office after his successor has been appointed by the City Council for the limited purpose of the disposition of all complaints filed during that member's term. No member may participate in a decision regarding a complaint initiated prior to the expiration of the previous member's term, but new members shall assume the duties of office with respect to all complainants initiated after the previous member's term.

GENERAL POWERS AND DUTIES

The Committee shall have the duty and power, unless otherwise provided, to rule upon the appropriate disposition of allegations of violations of Division I of Ordinance No. 10617. The committee shall receive reports of orientations of newly appointed, employed or elected officers, employees and advisory board members concerning the provisions of this article and copies of opinions related to this article that have been issued by the city attorney since the last meeting.

a) The Committee shall, in addition to its other duties:

1. Prescribe forms for reports, statements, notices, and other documents required by this article;
2. Prepare and issue advisory opinions and publish materials explaining the duties of individuals subject to Ordinance No. 10617, including city officers, employees, and board members;
3. Cause sufficient copies of Ordinance No. 10617 and other ordinances, City Charter provisions and state statutes defining and prohibiting conflicts of interest, to be prepared and published and see that the same are made available to City officers, employees, advisory board members, elected officials and the general public;
4. Review all statements and reports filed with the committee in order to obtain compliance with Ordinance No. 10617;
5. Preserve statements and reports filed with the committee for a period of five (5) years from the date of receipt;
6. Review this article at least annually and make appropriate recommendations to the City Council;
7. Review all opinions related to Ordinance No. 10617 that are issued by the City Attorney; and
8. Report to the City Council at least once each year concerning the activities of the Committee during the preceding year.

b) The Committee may:

1. Request the City Council and City Manager to provide such assistance as it may require in the discharge of its duties; and
2. Provide or assist in providing orientations to City officers, employees and advisory board members concerning the provisions of Ordinance No. 10617.

MEETING TIME AND PLACE

The committee shall have regular quarterly meetings and such other meetings as may be necessary to fulfill its responsibilities. The chairperson or any three members of the committee may call a meeting provided that notice is given to each member and written notice is posted in accordance with provisions of the Texas Open Meetings Act. For meeting agendas, please see the Boards, Commissions and Committees page.

PRESENT MEMBERSHIP

Chairperson:
Department Contact: Sarah Fullenwider, 817-392-7606

Minutes

• April 29, 2011