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HomeMy WebLinkAbout07-19-12 Board of Ethics Minutes MINUTES OF THE MEETING OF THE BOARD OF ETHICS July 19, 2012 BOZEMAN, MONTANA These minutes are not word for word and should be considered in addition to the audio of the meeting. The audio recording of this meeting is available in the folder http://weblink.bozeman.net/WebLink&Ol ol/44506/Rowl.aspx The Board of Ethics of the City of Bozeman met in the Madison room, City Hall at 121 North Rouse on Thursday, July 19, 2012. Present were board members Chris Carraway and Melissa Frost. Mary Jane McGarity joined the meeting at 3:17. Staff present was City Attorney Greg Sullivan, and Deputy City Clerk Aimee Kissel. A. Meeting Called to Order Melissa Frost called the meeting to order at 3:07 p.m. B. Election of Officers To take place later in the meeting awaiting board member Mary Jane McGarity. B. Public Comment Melissa Frost opened public comment. No public were present so Ms. Frost closed public comment. C. Disclosure of information or comments received. None. E. Staff Report City Attorney Greg Sullivan spoke regarding the gift provision saying he spoke with the Commissioners about the revisions made. Final adoption of the ordinance to amend the gift provision will occur August 61h on consent. The next steps when the Ordinance takes affect: • Staff to redraft the handbook provisions—Board to sign off at August meeting • Training needed—HPO, upper management. Provide resources so they can train others. Responding to questions from Board members, Greg Sullivan explained city staff is undergoing a structural change. The Finance Director is now the Director of Administrative Services. Human 1 of 5 Minutes of the Board of Ethics, July 19, 2012 Resources and Information Technology has been moved under her. The city is now looking for a Human Resources Manager and IT Manager instead of Directors. F. Discuss Ethics Training for 2013 and Study Results from MSU's Betsy Webb regarding Ethics Training City Attorney Greg Sullivan said he will be going to all the departmental staff meetings to meet with all the city employees to explain how the complaint process works and who their resources are. This will help employees know he and board members are available. Greg Sullivan spoke regarding training ideas and discussed them with board members. • As soon as the Board of Ethics agenda is set,may email out to all of the employees? • Change where BoE meets to Commission room? • Possibility of having a dozen employees who have higher level of training to be ethics liaisons for employees?Not necessarily management,but someone outside of FIR, and Attorneys office. Those employees could act as a conduit. o Training?—Individual sessions with board and Mr. Sullivan?Additional session with MSU? o Who? How chosen? Volunteers?Non-political. Well respected. Mary Jane McGarity joined the meeting at 3:17 p.m. o How much do we think this is needed vs. creating a new sub-structure? o Avoid internal politics of departments by having an employee outside the dept. be liaison? • Setting up curriculum for training: o several years out— o Do we invite employees to participate in establishing curriculum? o Committee to help establish curriculum? • Revise webpage for ethics? o Same page for both ethics page and board? o More oriented towards the user? Who to talk to if you have an ethics question? o Board of Ethics members to look over ethics page and provide suggestions at the next meeting. • Employee evaluation form to be changed—ethics as a more obvious piece of evaluations? • Ethics monthly email?Case scenario posted on internal website?Prizes? • Additional ethics training that is not mandatory for those that want it? Those that are more interested,become informal staff liaisons? The Board spoke further regarding these ideas and their thoughts on the training. • Possible dangers of staff liaisons—another layer of bureaucracy? 2 of$ Minutes of the Board of Ethics, July 19, 2012 • Ethical awareness increases ethical culture Greg Sullivan said he would talk to the directors about sending out the Board of Ethics Agenda to the employees. • Employees more aware of the process Mr. Sullivan spoke regarding having conversations with management regarding how management creates an ethical relationship and reduces the divide. Just as employees have day to day duties, there are only about 20 employees whose jobs are to follow the Commission. Mr. Sullivan spoke about how to connect the two sets of employees and help them understand what the other does. 2013 Curriculum Discussion • Behavioral based scenarios instead of supervisor vs. non-supervisor based? Focus on individual departments? • Live? Some component each year. • More Frequent? • Happen in staff meetings? More informal? (30 sets of staff meetings—more for shift officers) • Different courses for employees versus board members, commissioners? • Curriculum that supervisors could run? Supervisors provide the training several times a year during their staff meetings? Leading discussions? Point out issues? • Reps. from legal and HR lead ethics discussions at staff meetings? • MSU training for the supervisors that will be conducting the training? Training the trainer? • Mid-level people trained? • Supervisor would not train their own personnel but rather another dept's.? • Perception beyond their own departments—misinformed • Get to know employees in another dept. • Like the idea—within staff meetings. May make it more tailored • Spread out training throughout the year • Build scenarios, curriculum— • Supervisor trainers to attend another departments training—cross-training? • Boards— 0 online video to watch with scenarios? o Trainers to attend one of the regular board meetings? Betsy Webb at the BoE meeting in August B. Election of Officers 3 of 15 Minutes of the Board of Ethics, July 19, 2012 Chris Carraway volunteered to be Chairperson. Mary Jane McGarity volunteered to be Vice-Chair. The board spoke regarding a procedure for election of officers. Motion and Vote to elect Chris Carraway as the Chairperson until the end of 2012 pending his reappointment by the Commission to the Board. It was moved by Mary Jane McGarity, seconded by Melissa Frost to elect Chris Carraway as the Chairperson of the Board of Ethics. The motion passed unanimously. Motion and Vote for Mary Jane McGarity to become Vice-Chair. It was moved by Chris Carraway, seconded by Melissa Frost to elect Mary Jane McGarity as Vice-Chair of the Board of Ethics. Motion passed unanimously. Discussion occurred regarding the work of the board eventually lightening. K. FYI /Discussion Upcoming Schedule: • August: Betsy Webb to attend the meeting to discuss upcoming training • Move the regular time of the Board of Ethics meeting? 0 4 p.m. o Send out agenda to all employees o August 16"' or 23rd? Whenever Ms. Webb is available • September: —Conflicts and continue discussion on Curriculum ■ Mary Jane gone the third week of September—Change meeting date during August meeting • October: Prepare to go before Commission regarding conflict revisions L. Adjournment Chris Carraway adjourned the meeting at 4:07 p.m. Melissa rost, Board Chairperson Prepared by: 4of15 Minutes of the Board of Ethics, July 19, 2012 Ailnee Brunckhorst, Deputy City berk Approved on: A48?3 ZO 5 of'$