Austin Ethics Review Commission elects new officers, expands working-group membership and dismisses complaint for failure to appear

The City of Austin Ethics Review Commission on April 23 elected Commissioner Ross Pumphrey as chair, Commissioner Britney Sharkey as vice chair and Commissioner Adam Matern as secretary, approved a change to the membership of a working group reviewing the commission's complaints process, and dismissed a preliminary complaint for failure of the complainant to appear.

Acting Chair Andrea Lowe opened the meeting and began officer elections, saying the commission had no current chair or secretary because previous officers' terms had ended. "I am the current vice chair, so the only officer left standing right now," Lowe said as she chaired the nominations process. Caroline Webster of the law department clarified procedural questions about voting: "There is no secret ballot."

Ross Pumphrey, who was nominated for chair, told the commission, "I am willing to be chair. I've been…