The meeting was called to order at 6:32 p.m. with Commissioners Jodie Smith (Chair), James E.T. Jackson (Vice-Chair), Jill Butler, Gail Kong, Nayeli Maxson, and Jerett Yan present. The meeting covered approval of minutes, a stipulation for a campaign contribution limit violation, closure of a mediation case, and information reports. The meeting adjourned at an undisclosed time after 8:44 p.m.
Good evening. It is six thirty-two, and the meeting of the Oakland Public Ethics Commission is called to order. Seeing that we have a quorum of five commissioners, we call them call the meeting to order. Good evening, everyone. Thank you for being here and for your interest in how the government of the city of Oakland runs. We appreciate your time and your uh your attention uh the this evening and for the comments that that you may want to offer during our meeting tonight. Um we will take any staff and commission announcements to begin. There are any from commissioners? Any from staff? Okay. So commissioners cannot discuss the substance of any comments that are made during open forum. And that's not because we're not interested, but it's precisely because they're not on tonight's agenda that we can't discuss them. However, we can and we do hear what you have to say in open forum, and thank you in advance for any comments you would want to offer. If you do want to speak on an item that is on our agenda tonight, please wait until I call that item and you will have an opportunity to speak at that time. I also want to clarify how we handle public comment, uh, both during open forum and during public comment on each agenda item later in the agenda. So that everyone is confident that they will have an opportunity to speak and knows what to expect. The purpose of public comment is for us to hear from you. It is not a time for commissioners to talk or to answer questions or to have dialogue. It is a time for us to listen. So if you speak during public comment, commissioners may ask you a clarifying question about something that you have said, but otherwise public comment is not a time when commissioners will uh will speak or answer questions. However, after the close of each public comment period, we may address questions or concerns that are raised during that comment period. So I may ask the city attorney for information or to um to address an issue that was raised. I may ask staff to explain procedures, or I may ask you to give staff your information if you there's something that you would like follow up about. Um, once each public comment period has closed, it remains closed until the next agenda item is called up, and then you'll have an opportunity to speak again. If there is anyone that would like to be heard during open forum tonight, I invite you to line up. I have a couple of speaker cards already for open forum. But if you if anyone else has not given a speaker card, if you would go ahead and make your way to the mic, we have um Mrs. Olegbala, Ms. Olegbala, and Mr. Hazard. Okay, Mr. And you will have three three minutes, and our Vice Chair Jackson will be keeping time tonight. For the record Jean has it. You know, although there's an item that's being addressed on the agenda this evening, but I want to speak in a more general term in terms of the practice of the enforcement chief to dismiss items when information is not forthcoming. If there's been a complaint that's been submitted by the public regarding a particular uh activity of a particular individual, for the enforcement chief to summarily dismiss it because those individuals who were supposed to give the information are not forthcoming. So to close an item up on a complaint that's filed from the public, I don't understand that. Because the legitimacy in the in asking for the information, then you need to be looking at your procedures and actually penalties associated with those individuals who are not forthcoming with the with that information. Because that information is relevant to the complaint that's been submitted by the complaint. So I don't I don't quite understand. Is that in your I know it's not in your policies? It may be in your practice, but it's not your policy. And if it is in your policy, then you need to let the public know that. But I don't believe there's a policy that speaks to when information is not forthcoming and no reflection on the enforcement chief, but you need to find some other method, even if you have to file legal action to get that in the courts. That's what I would say, but to dismiss it as though it has no merit at all, uh is wrong. Thank you. Thank you. Ms. Aligbala. Uh love life. Remember the red summer of 1919.