Palm Beach County Commission on Ethics highlights training, inquiries and outreach in 2024 annual report

Christy Kelly, executive director of the Palm Beach County Commission on Ethics, presented the commission’s 2024 annual report at the Jan. 9 meeting, summarizing training outcomes, complaint activity and outreach efforts.

Kelly said the commission’s mission remains “fostering integrity in public service, promoting the public’s trust and confidence in that service, and preventing conflicts between private interests and public duties.” She told commissioners that the annual report includes an executive summary, the commission’s strategic plan, satisfaction surveys and 2024 accomplishments as well as projects planned for 2025.

The report’s survey results and education work formed the core of Kelly’s presentation. She said 1,097 ethics-training participants have voluntarily completed the commission’s satisfaction survey since June 2022, and that 99.8% reported they were “satisfied or very satisfied” with the programming. Kelly also said 99.6% of respondents found the commission’s programming helpful for applying the code of ethics and that 94.7% felt more confident serving the public after training.

On education and outreach, Kelly reported staff delivered 18 in-person training sessions and attended 22 outreach events in 2024, updated publications and produced media materials including PSAs and social media content. The commission revised newsletter and web materials and released a new printed Practical Guide to Ethics, which Kelly said staff will distribute countywide as copies become available.

Kelly described legal-services activity: staff issued 17 new advisory opinions in 2024, bringing the public database to more than 553 published advisory opinions, and maintained an average turnaround of seven days from request to opinion. The office handled 680 requests for assistance by phone or email and referred 39 requesters to published opinions for guidance.

On enforcement, the report showed pre-inquiry and complaint activity that Kelly characterized as consistent with previous years. She said staff completed 37 pre-inquiry reviews and handled seven inquiries initiated in 2024; two of those had legal sufficiency to become self-initiated complaints and two were closed for lack of legal sufficiency. In investigations, staff opened 26 complaints in 2024, of which 16 were sworn complaints: 10 were administratively dismissed for lack of legal sufficiency, two were dismissed with a finding of no probable cause, four remain ongoing. Among self-initiated complaints, Kelly said one resulted in a letter of reprimand, two produced letters of instruction, two were dismissed with no probable cause and one remains ongoing.

The commission also completed 15 training policy compliance reviews, reviewed 1,055 gift-disclosure forms and 64 voting-conflict forms. Kelly said the commission’s website recorded 48,677 page views in 2024 — almost double the prior year — and that 52% of U.S.-based visitors were in Florida.

Looking ahead, Kelly outlined planned 2025 projects: reformatting and filming revised code-of-ethics training for online access, adding a quiz component for comprehension checks, redesigning the commission’s website, producing short educational videos for social media, and expanding outreach and marketing to increase program awareness. She also noted staff would explore whether the training could qualify for continuing-education credit for regulated professions.

Kelly concluded by thanking staff members who assisted with the annual report and new Practical Guide to Ethics publication.

Ending: The presentation was followed by one question from a commissioner about possible continuing-education credit; Kelly said the office had not yet researched that option but would look into it.