For: City Council Meeting [February 11, 2020]
TO: Honorable Mayor and City Council
APPROVAL: Rod Foster, City Manager
FROM: Barbra A. McGee, City Clerk, CMC
Title
Request City Council to Adopt Resolution No. 7594 Amending the City of Rialto’s Conflict of Interest Code.
Body
BACKGROUND
Under the Political Reform Act, all public agencies are required to adopt a conflict-of-interest code. A Conflict of Interest Code designates positions required to file Statements of Economic Interests (Form 700) and assigns disclosure categories specifying the types of interests to be reported. The Form 700 is a public document intended to inform public officials and members of the public to the types of financial interests that may create conflicts of interests.
The Political Reform Act requires every local government agency to review its conflict of interest code biannually to determine if it is accurate and up-to-date and/or if it needs to be amended.
ANALYSIS/DISCUSSION
January 22, 2019, the City Council adopted Resolution No. 7451 amending the previous Conflict of Interest Code. The City has since added and changed some employees’ classification titles. It is therefore imperative that the City amend its Conflict of Interest Code to reflect its current structure; otherwise, certain designated positions will not be properly required to file a Form 700. These changes have been incorporated in the proposed resolution for City Council’s consideration.
ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT
The request is not a Project as defined by Section 15378 of the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA). A “Project” means the whole of an action, which has a potential for resulting in either a direct physical change in the environment, or a reasonably foreseeable indirect physical change in the environment. Pursuant to Section 15378 (b)(5) a project does not include organizational or administrative activities of governments that will not result in direct or indirect physical changes in the environment.
GENERAL PLAN CONSISTENCY
The request is consistent with Guiding Principle 3A of the Rialto General Plan:
Our City government will lead by example, and will operate in an open, transparent, and responsive manner that meets the needs of the citizens and is a good place to do business.
LEGAL REVIEW
The City Attorney has reviewed and supports this staff report
FINANCIAL IMPACT
Operating Budget Impact
Adoption of this resolution has no financial impact.
RECOMMENDATION
Staff recommends that the City Council adopt the Resolution amending the Conflict of Interest Code.