A critical part of good governance involves officials and staff
knowing and understanding the duties and responsibilities of
their agency — and their position within the agency — as well…
How does one sensitize the public agency’s workforce to the
special obligations of being a public agency staff member?
Strategies include discussing practical examples from the media
to help…
The issues related to refraining from participation in an agency
decision can be vexing. It may be tempting to abstain because of
concerns about making an unpopular decision or simply not
knowing…
The issue of when to refrain from participating in an agency
decision can be vexing. This is an area where the law provides
some but not all of the answers.
Romantic relationships in the public agency workplace raise a
number of ethical issues and carry significant risks. This
article explores the problems such relationships can create for
the agency…
California’s Fair Political Practices Commission recently
reorganized and — in some instances — relaxed the rules on when a
public official may accept free or discounted travel. The
changes…
Examining how other local agencies handle these issues provides a
helpful starting place for determining which approach best serves
your agency’s needs.
Disruptions in public meetings seem to be increasingly common.
This article offers tips for local agency officials on handling
conflict and strategies to help make meetings more productive.
Attorneys must meet a number of requirements (including ethics
requirements) to be able to practice law in California. But what
happens when public agency attorneys are pressured to justify…
Recent media coverage of public officials’ ethical lapses raises
questions about the underlying causes of such behavior. This
column explores why people make poor choices and the roles
that…
This column presents options for securing compliance with local
lobbying laws and questions to ask about what kind of laws make
sense for a particular community.
Public agency transparency comprises two dimensions: information
and process. This article includes a handy checklist of items
local agencies may want to consider including on their website.
A variety of changes to the gift regulations took effect Jan. 1,
2012. The goal was to simplify the gift regulations and make them
easier to understand, while reinforcing the principle that
public…
As an elected official and public servant, your actions and words are often subject to intense public scrutiny. Thinking about how the average constituent on the street will perceive your actions…
