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Executive director details outreach and proposed ordinance changes to comply with state law
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Summary
The commission's executive director reported recent outreach at schools and municipalities, announced a new COE intern, and said a review committee proposed ordinance amendments—including removing the local ethics agency's self-initiation authority and adding a cost-recovery process—to be presented to the Board of County Commissioners.
The executive director of the Palm Beach County Commission on Ethics reported at the March 5 meeting that staff resumed community outreach and municipal presentations after a brief pause. She said staff attended a Junior Achievement event at Dr. Garcia High School, participated in Ethical Governance Day at Boynton Beach High School, hosted an outreach event at West Boca Library's senior social event and presented to the Town of Lantana, the City of Lake Worth Beach and the Town of Glen Ridge.
At the County Commission meeting on Tuesday, March 3, Commissioner Bobby Powell presented a proclamation declaring March as Ethics Awareness Month; the executive director thanked Commissioner Cruz for attending and noted that the City of Lake Worth Beach issued a similar proclamation and that the City of Palm Beach Gardens planned to do the same that evening.
The executive director said the COE review committee met on Wednesday, March 4, to discuss proposed changes to the commission's ordinance. She named the committee members represented in the record: David Baker and Clevis Headley (BCC appointees), Leandre Campbell and Michael Napoleone (League of Cities appointees), Keith Davis (League of Cities attorney) and David Behar from the county attorney's office. She said the proposed amendments were necessary to ensure compliance with Florida statutes, including removing the local ethics agency's ability to self-initiate complaints and establishing a process to recover costs and fees for frivolous or groundless complaints. The executive director said those proposed amendments will be presented to the Board of County Commissioners for review and approval.
She also announced the commission's first COE intern, Kev Simpson, a senior at Florida Atlantic University serving as community engagement ambassador; Simpson was not present at the meeting.
