Date: October 6, 2023
To: Members of the Ethics Commission
From: Gayathri Thaikkendiyil, Acting Executive Director
Subject: Agenda Item 4 – Acting Executive Director’s Report for October 2023
Summary and Action Requested
This report provides various programmatic and operational highlights since the last report.
No action is required by the Commission, as this item is for informational purposes only.
Staff Update
I’m sorry to announce that September 29th was Patricia Petersen’s last day with the Ethics Commission, as she has transitioned to a new role with the City & County of San Francisco. Pat joined the Commission staff in October 2013 and has been a member of the Compliance team for nearly ten years. Prior to that, she worked for the City of Oakland for over 13 years in a variety of roles. During her time with the Ethics Commission, Pat administered compliance for Form 700 and Ethics programs and broadly supported the needs of City officers and employees across all City departments. She was also instrumental in facilitating the transition of Form 700 filing from paper-based process to electronic filing. While her departure is a loss for the agency, we are excited to see her many talents continue to benefit the City in her new role.
During this transitional period in the Engagement & Compliance Division, we are grateful that Ana De Carolis, Training and Outreach Specialist from the Ethics@Work team, has stepped in to assist Form 700 filers. By serving in this role, Ana will gain insights into compliance functions that will aid Ethics@Work team with the development of future training materials in this program area. Peter Lauterborn, Ethics@Work manager, who has also been serving as the acting manager for the Engagement & Compliance Division since February this year, will help facilitate this transition.
We are also appreciative of the continued work of Senior Program Administrator John Kim in assisting with the campaign finance program in addition to lobbying, major developers, and permit consultant programs, as well as Senior Administrative Coordinator Ronald Contreraz, for providing broad support across program areas and departmental functions during this period of transition and staffing constraints.
The Engagement & Compliance Division currently has four vacancies of which recruitment is underway for three positions, as described in more detail in the section below. In the coming months as we onboard new staff, it will be an opportunity to evaluate current business processes in the Division and incorporate improvements with staff input. We will also look for opportunities to share responsibilities and deepen collaboration between the Engagement & Compliance Division and Ethics@Work Division in the long-term.
Staff Recruitment
Staff continued to focus on hiring activities for vacancies in the Engagement & Compliance Division as a top priority over the last month. The Division currently has four vacancies out of a total of six staff positions.
The job postings for the 1840 Client Support Specialist position and 1844 Engagement & Compliance Officer position are closed and they are in candidate selection phase. The following job posting is active as of publishing this report.
- The 1824 Engagement & Compliance Manager position will provide day-to-day oversight for all compliance programs and division staff. This position will be responsible for implementing public-facing services online and in-office, managing implementation of new policies, procedures, and practices, and monitoring and reporting on program effectiveness. We welcome candidates with diverse backgrounds who are eager to promote accountability and trust in public service to apply to this position.
We are impressed with the talent pool of interested applicants and hope to fill these vacancies soon. We will also initiate recruitment for the recently vacated additional 1844 Engagement & Compliance Officer position in the near future. Up-to-date information about the Commission’s job openings can be accessed on the Jobs page.
Changes to the Commission’s Office Hours
Effective October 10, 2023, the Commission’s office hours will be modified to Monday through Friday 9am-12pm and 1pm-5pm. This change will enable the department to streamline its office operations and better focus its resources for customer support.
Staff will continue to provide assistance via phone, email, and in-person at 25 Van Ness, Suite 220 during office hours. To provide the public with the most expeditious service at the Commission’s office, we encourage visitors to schedule an appointment with staff in advance by contacting ethics.commission@sfgov.org or (415) 252-3100. Many of the Commission’s services and resources can also be accessed online including compliance materials, meeting information, disclosure and complaint forms, and public records.
Staff has been working on noticing the public regarding the office hours changes by posting this information on the Commission’s website and other sites, sending out communication to the Commission’s subscription list, and incorporating this information in phone and email communications.
Meeting Date Change for the Commission’s November Meeting
The Ethics Commission’s November meeting, which was originally scheduled for Friday, November 10 has been rescheduled. This meeting will now be held on Thursday, November 9, 2023 at 10:00 a.m. in Room 408 of City Hall. The meeting agenda and related materials will be circulated in advance of the meeting date and posted on the Commission’s website.
Revenues Report
The table below reflects revenues received by the Commission for Fiscal Year 2023-24 as of October 5, 2023.
| Account Description | Budget | Actuals |
|---|---|---|
| Campaign Consultant Registration Fee | $7,000 | $400 |
| Lobbyist Registration Fee | $85,000 | $5,500 |
| Campaign Consultant Fines | $2,000 | $150 |
| Campaign Disclosure Fines | $50,000 | $600 |
| Statement of Economic Interests Fines | $1,250 | $0 |
| Lobbyists Fines | $2,000 | $800 |
| Other Ethics Fines | $7,500 | $24,200 |
| Other General Government Charges | $2,450 | $1,000 |
| Total | $157,200 | $32,650 |