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Palm Beach County Commission on Ethics offers annual training to Boca Raton council; clarifies jurisdiction scope
Summary
Rhonda Geiger, general counsel for the Palm Beach County Commission on Ethics, briefed the council on the commission’s education offerings, its move away from a "gotcha" reputation and the scope of coverage for county jurisdictions and advisory boards.
Rhonda Geiger, general counsel for the Palm Beach County Commission on Ethics, told the Boca Raton City Council on Feb. 24 that the commission is prioritizing education and proactive outreach to reduce violations before they occur.
"We don't want to. We acknowledge very early on, we sort of had the reputation of being kind of a gotcha agency, just because there were so many things going wrong. And we don't wanna be that agency at all," Geiger said, adding that the commission aims to answer questions and provide training to jurisdictions, employees and advisory board members.
Geiger said the county code of ethics applies broadly to county employees, council members and advisory‑board members in jurisdictions that fall under the commission’s jurisdiction, but not to every independent special district. When asked about the Greater Boca Raton Beach and Park District, Geiger replied it is not covered by the commission.
Geiger encouraged council members to request in‑person trainings and said county staff will provide sessions after hours or for community groups if requested. She also distributed informational materials and business cards for follow‑up contact.
Ending
Councilmembers thanked Geiger and noted the commission is a resource for questions as redevelopment and other items move forward.
