HomeMy WebLinkAboutMinutes Ethics Commission - 07/06/2023Meeting Minutes
City of Corpus Christi Ethics Commission
July 6, 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
Kent Teague – Present
David Bendett – Present
Ed Bennett – Present
Laura Commons - Present
Trevor Mauck– Present
Kamlesh Bhikha - Present
VACANT -
2. Invocation 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.
Motion to approve amended minutes from May meeting. Commissioner Bendett moved to approve;
Commissioner Commons seconded. Unanimous approval.
Motion to approve amended minutes from June meeting. Commissioner Jones moved to approve;
Commissioner Commons seconded. Unanimous approval.
5. Excused Absences.
Commissioner Bendett moved to excuse the absence of Commissioner Laura Commons from the May
16, 2023, Ethics Commission meeting. Commissioner Ed Bennett seconded the motion. The
Commission approved the motion unanimously.
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.
NONE
8. Review, discussion, and possible action regarding outstanding Ethics Complaints.
The Ethics Commission reviewed the Robert MacQueen ethics complaint filed against Council
Member Sylvia Campos regarding placement of a political sign on city property. This ethics complaint
was filed with the City Secretary’s Office on June 8, 2023.
Commissioner Commons moved to dismiss this ethics complaint filed by Robert MacQueen against
Council Member Campos and filed with the City Secretary’s Office on June 8, 2023, because it does
not amount to a violation of the City’s Code of Ethics as described in Mr. MacQueen’s complaint . The
motion was seconded by Vice-Chair Jones and the Commission voted unanimously to dismiss this ethics
complaint.
The Ethics Commission also reviewed a second ethics complaint filed by Robert MacQueen against
Council Member Sylvia Campos which was filed with the City Secretary’s Office on June 16, 2023.
This complaint related to some street, pot-hole repairs that were made in January 2023 on Fir Street,
Corpus, Christi, Texas.
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Commissioner Bendett moved to dismiss this ethics complaint against Council Member Campos
because there was not a preponderance of evidence submitted in the ethics complaint to raise probable
cause that Council Member Campos used her position a new Councilmember to order the City’s Public
Works Department to repair potholes on her residential street in January 2023. The motion was
seconded by Vice-Chair Jones and the Ethics Commission voted unanimously to dismiss the ethics
complaint.
The Ethics Commission reviewed the draft letter of reprimand to be sent to the City Council for further
review and possible action related to the April 18, 2023, ethics complaint filed by Robert MacQueen
against Council Member Sylvia Campos. Commissioner Commons moved approval of the draft letter
of reprimand as amended, Commissioner Bendett seconded the motion and the Ethics Commission
voted unanimously.
9. Executive Sessions pursuant to Texas Government Code § 551.071 and Texas Disciplinary Rules of
Professional Conduct Rule 1.05 to consult with attorneys concerning attorney-client privileged matters.
NONE
10. Identification of items to be placed on the next meeting's agenda.
Commissioner Bhikha moved to cancel July 20th & August 17th meetings of the Ethics Commission.
Commissioner Teague seconded. The Ethics Commission unanimously agreed.
11. Meeting was adjourned at 6:49PM