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HomeMy WebLinkAboutMinutes Ethics Commission - 06/22/2023Meeting Minutes City of Corpus Christi Ethics Commission June 22, 2023 5:30 pm City Manager’s Conference Room, 5th Floor, Corpus Christi City Hall 1201 Leopard Street, Corpus Christi, Texas 1. Roll Call. Dane Fuller, Chair – Present Drue Jones, Vice-Chair- Present VACANT– David Bendett – Present Ed Bennett – Present Laura Commons – Present Kamlesh Bhikha– Present Kent Teague - Present Trevor Mack - Present 2. Invocation given by David Bendett 3. Public comment. (3 minutes max per speaker). Comments must be directly related to a potential item of action by this commission. Emailed public comments will be provided to Ethics Commission if emailed at least one day prior to meeting to kentmc@cctexas.com NONE 4. Review and approval of minutes of prior meeting(s) and election of officers, if necessary. Tabled. 5. Excused Absences. Tabled 6. Review, discussion, and possible action regarding Financial Disclosure Reports. Tabled 7. Discussion and possible action regarding forms, policies, rules, ordinances, and laws related to the Ethics Commission, including requested and potential changes thereto. Tabled 8. Hearing on Ethics Complaint filed on April 18, 2023 by Robert MacQueen against Council Member Sylvia Campos. Witnesses were sworn in by Chairman Fuller. Commissioner Jones made motion to acknowledge that Attorney John Bell was representing Councilmember Campos at the Hearing, Commissioner Commons seconded the motion. Motion was approved unanimously. Commissioner Ed Bennett made a motion to close the public testimony in the hearing at approximately 6:30 p.m. Laura Commons seconded. Approved Unanimously. **At 6:34 p.m., Chairman Fuller convened the Ethics Commission into Executive Session pursuant to Section 551.071 of the Texas Government Code and Rule 1.05 of the Texas Disciplinary Rules of Conduct to receive legal advice from the attorney for the Ethics Commission. **Chairman Fuller reconvened the Ethics Commission into open session at 6:57 p.m. The Commission discussed and deliberated the ethics complaint made by Mr. MacQueen against Council Member Campos and the testimony and evidence that was presented to the Ethics Commission. Following the end of discussion and deliberation of the matter, Commissioner Bennett moved that the Commission find that Council Member Sylvia Campos had knowingly filed inaccurate and incomplete campaign finance reports with the City Secretary’s Office while she was running for Council Member for District 2 in November 2022 and during a runoff election in December 2022 in violation of State law and which reflects discredit on the City in violation of Section 2.311 (14) & (15) C:\Users\NormaD2\AppData\Local\Microsoft\Windows\INetCache\Content.Outlook\C1K8JZ51\Minutes for 6-22-23 EC Meeting FNL.docx of the City’s Code of Ethics. Commissioner Commons seconded the Motion, and the Motion was approved by a vote of 7-1 with Commissioner Jones voting “nay.” Commissioner Bennett moved that the Ethics Commission recommend to City Council that they issue a written reprimand to Councilmember Campos for the above-referenced violations of the City’s Code of Ethics; Commissioner Mauck seconded the motion. The motion was approved by a vote of 7-1, with Commissioner Jones voting “nay.” 11. Identification of items to be placed on the next meeting's agenda. Next Meeting will be special meeting on July 6th, 2023. 12. Meeting was adjourned at 8:20 p.m.