2011-08-11 - Ethics Commission - Minutes Board or Commission: ❑ Ethics commission
Document Type: ❑A e
g nda 0 Minutes
Meeting ate: 08/11/2011
Type of Meeting: ❑ Regular Meeting
Minutes 8-11-201- 1.pdf
VILLAGE OF BUFFALO GROVE
ETHICS COMMISSION
REGULAR MEETING MINUTES
Thursday, August 11, 3011
7:00 p.m., Village Hall, OVM Conference Room
Present:
Chair Brian Rubin
John Green
Lenna Scott
Martha Weiss
Jeff Braiman, Village President
William Raysa, Village Attorney
Ghida Neukirch, Deputy Village Manager
Absent:
Bruce Bohrer
Debra Ryarczyk
Walter Jasinski
Welcome
Chair Rubin welcomed everyone to the meeting.
Approval of Minutes, 8/17/2010
Approved by Commissioner Scott, second by Commissioner Green.
Ayes: 4 — Green, Scott, Weiss, Rubin
Nays: 0 — None
Motion carried.
Approval of Minutes, 3/3/2011
Approved by Commissioner Scott, second by Commissioner Weiss.
Ayes: 4 — Green, Scott, Weiss, Rubin
Nays: 0 — None
Motion carried.
Chair Report
No report
Rules of Procedure by the Village of Buffalo Grove Ethics Commission for Hearing of a
Complaint
Attorney Raysa noted that Village staff conducted research from other municipalities identifying cases
whereby ethics matters had been heard by municipal boards or commissions. No research could be
found in this regard.
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Commissioner Green provided a Daily Herald article, "Kane County ethics ordinance in trouble?"
dated 6/22/2011. Bill Raysa will review the information.
Attorney Raysa provided an overview of the draft Rules of Procedures which was distributed to the
Commission in advance of the meeting. The following information was shared:
• The Ethics Commission is an administrative body and as a result, the rules are administrative
in nature as opposed to the Rules of Civil Procedure such as a court rules. Rules of evidence are
more "relaxed" for an administrative body such as this Ethics Commission.
• Burden of proof in a criminal case is "without a reasonable double". The standard that would
apply to the Ethics Commission is a preponderance of the evidence — more than 50% based on the
commissioner's judgment.
• The draft Rules of Procedure were taken from the Village's last Electoral Board. The Electoral
Board is similar to the Ethics Commission in that they were an administrative body.
• The Commission members suggested a number of changes to the draft rules. The changes
can be found in the tracked changes document dated 8-11-2011.
Motion by Commissioner Scott to approved the draft Rules as amended. Second by Green.
Ayes: 4 — Green, Scott, Weiss, Rubin
Nays: 0 — None
Motion carried.
Next Steps
The updated draft Rules will be shared with the Commission for final review and consideration. The
staff will plan to present the proposed Rules to the Village Board for formal consideration at the
meeting on September 12, 2011.
The Commission will plan to meet in March, 2012 unless a meeting is necessary in the interim.
Motion to adjourn by Commissioner Weise. Second by Scott.
Ayes: 4 — Green, Scott, Weiss, Rubin
Nays: 0 — None
Motion carried.
The meeting adjourned at 7:45 pm.
Respectfully Submitted,
Ghida S. Neukirch
Deputy Village Manager
cc: Dane Bragg, Village Manager
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