HomeMy WebLinkAboutComm No 0007.09 - Response from Board of EthicsFebruary 19, 2019
BOARD OF ETHICS, County of Hawai
101 Aupuni Street, Suite 325, Hilo, Hawaii 96720
Tel. No. (808) 961-8251
To: Douglass Shipman Adams, Chair
Hawaii' County Charter Commission
From: Kenneth Goodenow, Vice -Chair
Hawari County Board of Ethics
Subject: Recommendations for a Charter Amendment
Thank you for the opportunity to provide our recommendations regarding the ethics provisions
contained in the Hawaii County Charter. At our February 12, 2019 meeting, the Hawari County
Board of Ethics approved the recommendations attached hereto as Exhibit "A". The Board
requests that this matter be placed on the next available Charter Commission agenda.
If you have any questions, please feel free to contact me at (808) 990-0487.
„. •
Comm. No. 7.9
Proposed Charter Amendment for Submit 11 to the Charter C m ission
Section 14-5. Board of Ethics
There shall be a board of ethics appointed by the mayor with the approval of the council.
It shall consist of five members who shall be residents of the county. Each shall serve for a term
of five years. Upon the initial appointment of members pursuant to this charter, one shall be
appointed for a term of one year, one for a term of two years, one for a term of three years, one
for a term of four years and one for a term of five years. The board shall f es+ablishl adopt its
rules of procedure[], having the force and effect of law, as will be necessary to provide for the
enforcement of the code oCethics, Without limitation of its functions, the board shall:
(a) Interpret the code of ethics for both county officials and the public and on its own
may initiate and render opinions with respect thereto.
(b) Render advisory opinions to county officers and employees with respectto the
code of ethics pursuant to written requests by officers and employees.
(c) Receive and initiate complaints of violations of the code of ethics and transmit
such complaints to the council or the appropriate appointing authority, along with
any pertinent advisory or formal opinions thereto.
LO Consider and, if appropriate, impose civil fines established by ordinance,
[0 Hold hearings or conduct investigations concerning application of the code of
ethics and make public such violations of the code thatcome to its attention.
[e](f) Publish advisory and formal opinions with such deletions as may be necessary to
prevent disclosure of identity of persons involved where such opinions are
rendered pursuant to subsection (b) above.
Propose revisions to the code., of ethics where not inconsistent with this. charter.