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Record of Proceedings

Oakland Public Ethics Commission Regular Meeting – December 7, 2020

Public Ethics Commission — Monday, December 7, 2020
BodyOakland, California
SessionPublic Ethics Commission
DateMonday, December 7, 2020
StatusFILED
Video Record
0:00 / 1:04:19

Original source
Transcript — VerbatimClick a timed line to jump · ⧉ to share it
1:35

Welcome everybody.

1:36

It's our December meeting of the City of Oakland Public Ethics Commission.

1:42

So I'd like to thank you all for your participation.

1:46

And um we're happy to have you join us this evening.

1:49

For starters, I'd like to welcome our newest commissioner, Mr.

1:53

Avi Klein.

1:54

Commissioner Klein, welcome.

1:55

And would you like to make any opening remarks?

1:59

Um not particularly, but very grateful to an honor to join you all and looking forward uh to learning more.

2:06

Wonderful.

2:07

Thank you very much.

2:08

Thanks for being here.

2:09

So let's call the roll.

2:12

Commissioner Vice Chair Butler.

2:15

Present.

2:17

Commissioner Klein.

2:20

Present.

2:21

Commissioner McDonald.

2:23

Present.

2:25

Commissioner Ramachandran.

2:28

Present.

2:29

Commissioner Tuman.

2:33

I got a thumbs up.

2:34

I'm getting please, yes.

2:36

Hi.

2:38

For the for the audio record, if you don't mind, Commissioner.

2:41

Oh, I'm sorry.

2:42

Joe Tuman here.

2:43

Very good.

2:44

Thank you.

2:44

And Commissioner Yan.

2:49

Okay.

2:50

We have a quorum of our um commissioners, one, two, three, four, five, six.

2:56

Six of the seven are present.

2:57

So we have established our quorum.

2:59

Um, are there any staff or commissioner announcements before we move forward?

3:06

Uh Chair Jackson, I don't have any announcements, but I did want to just confirm with Anna for a second just on the technology here.

3:14

Anna, are we broadcasting right now?

3:19

Uh we should be.

3:20

Um, I don't know if someone else may have uh started the webinar.

3:25

Okay.

3:25

Yeah, I just like I don't see any attendees, and usually we have a couple, including some staff that come in that way.

3:32

So um okay, just wanted to be sure.

3:34

I don't ha I don't see anything on my screen that indicates otherwise either.

3:37

So it's correct.

3:39

It was up there and then it was gone.

3:40

So it looks like we are broadcasting.

3:42

We're we're live for attendees.

3:45

Okay, thank you.

3:50

That's okay, yeah.

3:51

Perfect.

3:52

And I'll start uh sharing the screen.

3:55

Thank you.

3:55

And commissioners, just so you know, um, I I will ask for a voice affirmation.

4:00

Um, simply because there is an audio record that's made, and so I will ask you to um make your uh your feelings known by a voice vote rather than a nod of the head or or the like.

4:12

So okay.

4:14

Um moving forward.

4:16

Um, commissioners, are there any commissioner announcements at this time?

4:23

Okay, hearing none.

4:24

I'd like to recognize the staff who are present as well.

Discussion Breakdown — Share of Meeting
Procedural████████████████████20%
Campaign Finance████████████████16%
Public Records Management████████████████16%
Public Records███████████████15%
Public Ethics█████5%
Public Comment████4%
Public Financing████4%
Enforcement Program Report████4%
Public Engagement████4%
Summary of Proceedings

Oakland Public Ethics Commission Regular Meeting – December 7, 2020

The Oakland Public Ethics Commission (PEC) held a regular teleconference meeting on Monday, December 7, 2020, at 6:30 p.m. due to the COVID-19 emergency. Chair James E.T. Jackson presided, with Vice-Chair Jill M. Butler and Commissioners Avi Klein, Michael MacDonald, Janani Ramachandran, Joseph Tuman, and Jerett Yan present. Staff included Executive Director Whitney Barazoto, Lead Analyst Suzanne Doran, Enforcement Chief Kellie Johnson, Investigator Simon Russell, and Ana Lara-Franco. Deputy City Attorney Trish Shafie attended. The meeting covered action items, updates on mediation and enforcement cases, the Limited Public Financing Program, and reports from subcommittees and the Executive Director.

Consent Calendar

  • Approval of November 2, 2020, Regular Meeting Minutes: The Commission voted to adopt the minutes from the November 2 meeting. (Motion by Vice-Chair Butler, seconded by Commissioner MacDonald; passed unanimously.)

Public Comments & Testimony

  • Two members of the public spoke during Open Forum. Their names and topics were not recorded in the provided materials.

Discussion Items

  • Mediation Summary – Case No. M2017-12 (City of Oakland Department of Human Services): Staff presented that the mediation, initiated in June 2017 over a public records request for Measure Z and Measure D grant proposals, was closed after all responsive documents were provided by April 19, 2019. The Enforcement Chief recommended closing the case without further action. Commissioners discussed the matter and voted to accept the recommendation. (Motion by Commissioner Tuman, seconded by Vice-Chair Butler; vote: 6–0, with all present in favor.)
  • Limited Public Financing (LPF) Program 2020 Summary: Staff reported that $137,485 (90% of available funds) was distributed to eligible District City Council candidates during the November 2020 election. The report was informational; no action taken.
  • Reports on Subcommittees and Commissioner Assignments:
    • Sunshine Review Subcommittee: Chair MacDonald updated that the subcommittee continues to meet and aims to have a draft report ready for the January 2021 meeting.
    • Commissioner Recruitment Subcommittee: Chair Jackson announced that with the appointment of two new commissioners (including Avi Klein) the subcommittee’s work was complete, and he dissolved the subcommittee.
  • Enforcement Program Update: Enforcement Chief Johnson reported that since November 2, 2020, the Commission received 2 new complaints. The total caseload stands at 70 enforcement and 21 mediation cases. One status change was noted: the closing of Case M2017-12 (see Action Items).
  • Executive Director’s Report: Ms. Barazoto provided an overview of recent activities, including the swearing-in of Commissioner Avi Klein on November 19, 2020, and plans for a mid-December orientation for new commissioners. Staff also conducted ethics trainings for City employees and the Redistricting Commission.

Key Outcomes

  • Approved the November 2, 2020, regular meeting minutes.
  • Closed mediation Case M2017-12 without further action.
  • Dissolved the Commissioner Recruitment Subcommittee.
  • Noted the status of the Sunshine Review Subcommittee’s ongoing work.
  • Received the LPF Program summary, Enforcement Program update, and Executive Director’s report as informational items.

Meeting Transcript

Welcome everybody. It's our December meeting of the City of Oakland Public Ethics Commission. So I'd like to thank you all for your participation. And um we're happy to have you join us this evening. For starters, I'd like to welcome our newest commissioner, Mr. Avi Klein. Commissioner Klein, welcome. And would you like to make any opening remarks? Um not particularly, but very grateful to an honor to join you all and looking forward uh to learning more. Wonderful. Thank you very much. Thanks for being here. So let's call the roll. Commissioner Vice Chair Butler. Present. Commissioner Klein. Present. Commissioner McDonald. Present. Commissioner Ramachandran. Present. Commissioner Tuman. I got a thumbs up. I'm getting please, yes. Hi. For the for the audio record, if you don't mind, Commissioner. Oh, I'm sorry. Joe Tuman here. Very good. Thank you. And Commissioner Yan. Okay. We have a quorum of our um commissioners, one, two, three, four, five, six. Six of the seven are present. So we have established our quorum. Um, are there any staff or commissioner announcements before we move forward? Uh Chair Jackson, I don't have any announcements, but I did want to just confirm with Anna for a second just on the technology here. Anna, are we broadcasting right now? Uh we should be. Um, I don't know if someone else may have uh started the webinar. Okay. Yeah, I just like I don't see any attendees, and usually we have a couple, including some staff that come in that way. So um okay, just wanted to be sure. I don't ha I don't see anything on my screen that indicates otherwise either. So it's correct. It was up there and then it was gone. So it looks like we are broadcasting. We're we're live for attendees. Okay, thank you. That's okay, yeah.

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