Council has special Wednesday
workshop on conflict of interest
March 21, 2014
By Peggy Kelly
Santa Paula News
THIS MEETING WAS CANCELLED AND WILL BE RESCHEDULED
By Peggy Kelly Santa Paula Times The Santa Paula City Council is having a special workshop on conflict law in the middle of Sunshine Week.
The March 19 workshop will be held at City Hall, 970 E. Ventura St., starting at 6:30 p.m. It will not be broadcast on Time Warner Cable Channel 10.
According to City Attorney John Cotti, the session is “open to the public” and is considered an agenized special meeting.
The agenda was not available at press time but Cotti said the workshop would feature a presentation by the League of California Cities representative.
There will be a general overview of conflicts-of-interest including Fair Political Practices Commission rules and regulations governing bias, gifts and other issues.
Conflict, said Cotti, “Only arises to the extent that you’re making a decision,” on an issue that an elected official might have a relationship to or even a perceived conflict that could cause an elected official to recuse themselves from a vote.
There has been ongoing speculation on whether or not Councilman Martin Hernandez has potential conflicts due to his employment with the County of Ventura and whether Councilman Bob Gonzales has conflicts with any future Adams Canyon development due to the proximity of his residence to the property’s border, which was expanded when voters approved a development about six years ago.
The council first requested conflict issues be examined shortly after Hernandez was seated on the council in December 2012. The full council agreed at the January 13, 2013 meeting that Cotti offer an opinion on all the council’s potential conflicts of interest.
Sunshine Week is a national initiative spearheaded by the American Society of News Editors to educate the public about the importance of open government and the dangers of excessive and unnecessary secrecy. It was established in March 2005 with funding from the John S. and James L. Knight Foundation.
This year Sunshine Week runs from March 16 through March 22.
For more information on the workshop contact Deputy City Clerk Lucy Blanco at 805-933-4208.
