STRATEGIC PRIORITY: Ad Hoc Committee on General Investigating and Ethics
AGENDA DATE: December 8, 2021
COUNCIL DISTRICT(S): All
DEPARTMENT: Mayor and City Council Office
EXECUTIVE: Kimberly Bizor Tolbert
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SUBJECT
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An ordinance amending Chapter 12A, "Code of Ethics," of the Dallas City Code, (1) establishing an Inspector General Division; (2) creating a personal benefit recusal; (3) simplifying the code by consolidating the gift policies and reordering various sections; (4) consolidating the various gift and travel reporting requirements into one article; (5) prohibiting a person from lobbying a councilmember on a public subsidy matter and prohibiting a councilmember from discussing the public subsidy matter with the person; and (6) making other general non-substantive changes; a resolution creating a new Inspector General position and authorizing an increase in appropriations in an amount not to exceed $197,558.00 in the City Attorney's Office from General Fund Contingency Reserve; a resolution repealing Resolution Nos. 92-0779 and 98-0751; a resolution repealing Resolution Nos. 08-1723, as amended and 17-0516 - Not to exceed $197,558.00 annually - Financing: General Fund Contingency Reserve
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BACKGROUND
The proposed ordinance amending the Code of Ethics is based on the recommendations in the Report of the City's Ethics Reform Task Force (Report) with a focus on implementing the "High-Level Overview of Principal Proposals" in the Report.
The ordinance incorporates recommendations from the Task Force and feedback from other cities that have established inspector general programs with the goals of (1) simplifying and clarifying the code; (2) consolidating various gift policies and reporting requirements; and (3) simplifying the economic interest conflict starting by replacing it with a personal benefit recusal.
The ordinance moves code of conduct rules, fiduciary duty, anti-discr...
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