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Board debates placing Board of Ethics in city charter to bolster independence
Summary
Members discussed moving the Board of Ethics from municipal code into the city charter so it could not be disbanded without a public vote, and debated whether appointment by the Inspector General could reduce perceived bias from council appointments.
Vice Chair led discussion of placing the Board of Ethics in the city charter to make the board’s existence voter‑protected and to reduce the appearance of political influence. The Vice Chair said moving the board into the charter would make it harder for the City Council to disband and could "cement" the board as part of Riverside governance.
"Like, it would just make sure that, you know, unless it was, deemed by the voters, the board of ethics would exist," the Vice Chair said. Several committee members expressed support for strengthening independence but raised questions about appointment authority and whether Inspector General appointments could create a different kind of dependency.
City Clerk provided context on prior complaints and appointment history, noting most claims filed since 2021 were directed at the City Council. Board members discussed the procedural path for charter changes — recommendations to the Charter Review Committee, vetting, City Council approval and a ballot measure in the next applicable election cycle — and asked staff to prepare additional legal and procedural details before advancing a formal proposal.
No formal charter amendment was voted on; the board asked the ad hoc committee to continue refining recommendations.
