Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Ethics Contracting topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Council introduces ordinance to bar contracts to officialsfamily; adds one-year revolving-door restriction for former full-time employees
Summary
The council introduced, on first reading, an ordinance adding Section 2-112 to the Santa Ana Municipal Code to prohibit awarding contracts, agreements or grants to immediate family members of city officials and amended it to add a one-year post-employment contracting prohibition for former full-time city employees.
The Santa Ana City Council reintroduced an ordinance (proposed addition to Chapter 2, new Section 2-112) that would prohibit the city from awarding agreements, contracts or grants to immediate family members of the mayor, council members or city officials.
Councilmember Penalosa moved to reintroduce the ordinance with an amendment to expand revolving-door restrictions: the amended language applies a one-year prohibition on contracting for former full-time city employees and allows a specific exception for CalPERS retirees who are rehired under a separate council resolution. Councilmember Becerra seconded the motion. The council discussed scope and enforcement; the city attorney confirmed the ordinance would operate prospectively and not apply retroactively to previously approved contracts. The city attorney also said the new subsection could be added to other affected sections to ensure consistent application, and staff agreed to return any additional clean-up language at second reading.
The council voted 7-0 to introduce the ordinance for first reading as amended; the clerk and city attorney said the ordinance will return for a formal second reading and adoption at a subsequent meeting. Councilmembers said the change was intended to strengthen conflict-of-interest and post-employment rules while preserving limited exceptions (for example, necessary CalPERS retiree rehiring under an adopted council resolution).
Outcome and next steps: The ordinance was introduced for first reading; staff will prepare a clean final version for second reading and adoption. The city attorney will incorporate the new one-year post-employment prohibition for full-time employees and the CalPERS retiree exception into the ordinance text presented at second reading.
