Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Ethics Advisory topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Board office reports more than 107 advisory opinions in eight months; seeks paralegal support and training expansion
Summary
Executive Director Lauren Akitake told the Board the office issued 24 advisory opinions from Feb. 11 to April 7 (more than 107 over eight months) and reported common topics—gifts, secondary employment, and board/commission participation—while announcing a Council‑approved paralegal position to expand capacity and training.
Executive Director and Legal Counsel Lauren Akitake told the Board on April 8 that the BOE office issued 24 advisory opinions between Feb. 11 and April 7, bringing the total of formal and informal opinions over the past eight months to more than 107.
Akitake told members informal opinions remain confidential while formal opinions are posted online and said the most frequent topics prompting advisory requests are gifts, secondary employment, and board and commission participation (including voting and recusal). She said the Board secured Council approval for a paralegal/administrative assistant position and encouraged qualified candidates to apply, and she described plans to expand onboarding and recurring ethics training for County employees.
Member Randol Leach asked about common advisory topics; Akitake replied that informal, confidential opinions allow timely guidance on time‑sensitive matters and that the volume of requests underscores the need for broader, more consistent training across County departments.
