Hidalgo County RMA completes annual ethics and compliance training, reviews new open-meetings and records rules

The Hidalgo County Regional Mobility Authority held its annual ethics and compliance workshop during a regular meeting, where an outside presenter reviewed state and RMA-specific rules covering conflicts of interest, gifts and bribery, use of government property, open-meeting requirements and public information responsibilities.

Blakey Fernandez, the presenter for the workshop, told directors that the RMA's compliance program must include an identified senior staff member for oversight and periodic training. Fernandez said, "Ethics is the conduct and behavior that establishes public trust, avoids the appearance of impropriety. Compliance are the things that evidence that, the enforcement, and the things that that that evidence that we are in compliance with the ethics guidelines that we've adopted."

Fernandez reviewed statutory thresholds that could create a conflict of interest under state law, including a substantial business interest threshold and a substantial property interest threshold, and noted RMA/Txdot-adopted rules that are typically stricter than state law. "Substantial business interest is probably lower than you think," Fernandez said, noting specific dollar thresholds cited in the presentation.

The presenter also reviewed bribery and gift rules and said TxDOT guidance treats certain workplace meals and reimbursements as benefits to be cautious about. Use of government property and the treatment of agency information as RMA property were highlighted: "If it comes on your personal phone, you should be forwarding it to your email to make sure that you've got it or to your work phone to make sure that you're preserving it," Fernandez said.

Fernandez outlined recent legislative changes affecting the Open Meetings Act and the Public Information Act, including a new three-business-day public-posting requirement for agendas and expanded training and disclosure obligations. He said attorneys who assist public bodies must complete online open-meetings training and cannot bill the agency for that time. The presenter also described new statutory guidance for maintaining records, required website postings for budget documents when budget matters are discussed, and the RMA's approach to certified agendas for executive sessions.

Pilar (staff member) and others confirmed training materials and a compliance handbook are available online and that certificates signing attendance will be provided. Fernandez said the RMA maintains an anonymous fraud-reporting portal routed to three officials and that the RMA had recently completed an audit that found the agency largely in compliance with required items.

The workshop concluded with a request that board members who have not completed required trainings do so; staff will circulate certificates for signatures and maintain training records.