Ethics Commission

Summary

This item concerns the Ad-Hoc Scope of Work Sub-Committee's report, which details the proposed intake and investigative processes for the City of Pomona's Ethics Commission. The documents outline how complaints will be received, investigated, and reported to the Commission. Key aspects include:

• Complaint Intake: Complaints can be submitted via a website/hotline or during public meetings. A reference number is assigned, and HR or the Ethics Commission determines jurisdiction and warrants investigation.
• Investigation Process: For employee complaints, HR conducts the investigation. For elected officials or commissioners, the Ethics Commission is notified, and the matter may be referred to the City Attorney, a third-party investigator, or the California Fair Political Practices Commission (FPPC).
• Reporting to Commission: Investigation findings, including the nature of the complaint, findings, and resolution (with PII redacted where possible), are presented to the Ethics Commission.
• Commission Action: The Ethics Commission reviews findings and makes recommendations to the City Council.
• Complaint Form Details: The draft complaint form includes fields for incident details, nature of complaint, witnesses, evidence, complainant information, and confidentiality options. It also defines key terms like Ethics Violation, Campaign Violation, Conflict of Interest, and Brown Act Violation.

Citizen Impact

This item establishes the procedures for reporting and investigating ethics violations within the City of Pomona. Residents will have a clearer process for filing complaints and understanding how potential ethical breaches by officials and employees will be handled.

Confidence

high