Date: November 3, 2023
To: Members of the Ethics Commission
From: Gayathri Thaikkendiyil, Acting Executive Director
Subject: Agenda Item 4 – Acting Executive Director’s Report for November 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 am sad to announce that October 27th was Ronald Contreraz’s last day with our office as he has transitioned to a new role with the City & County of San Francisco. Ronald joined the Commission as a Senior Clerk in November 2019 in the Engagement & Compliance division. Prior to that role he worked with the City’s Department of Human Resources where he served as a Test Technician. Before joining the City, he worked with the City and County of Denver for over 24 years in various functions. Over the last four years, Ronald has provided tremendous support across compliance programs and department-wide functions, including providing front-office support to the public and critical assistance for facilitating our Commission meetings. We are grateful for his contributions to the Commission. While his departure is a loss for the agency, we are excited that he will continue to work with the City and wish him the best in his new role.
With this additional vacancy, the Engagement & Compliance Division currently has five vacancies out of a total of six staff positions. Several positions are currently under recruitment as described in the section below. Given the staffing constraints, several staff members across divisions are filling in to cover various programmatic requirements, front-office functions, and Commission meeting support duties. We greatly appreciate their assistance in ensuring operational business continuity during this transition period.
Staff Recruitment
The following positions in the Engagement & Compliance Division are currently under recruitment.
- 1840 Client Support Specialist
- 1844 Engagement & Compliance Officer
- 1824 Engagement & Compliance Manager
The recruitment for the other 1844 Engagement & Compliance Officer position and the Senior Clerk position will be initiated soon after receiving confirmation from the Mayor’s Budget Office, which is currently reviewing the Commission’s FY24 budget spending in relation to the mid-year target cuts. An update regarding the target cuts is on the agenda as item 5. We will continue to provide updates regarding the recruitment efforts in the upcoming meetings.
Up-to-date information about the Commission’s job openings can be accessed on the Jobs page.
Revenues Report
The table below reflects revenues received by the Commission for Fiscal Year 2023-24 as of November 2, 2023.
| Account Description | Budget | Actuals |
|---|---|---|
| Campaign Consultant Registration Fee | $7,000 | $1,650 |
| Lobbyist Registration Fee | $85,000 | $7,500 |
| Campaign Consultant Fines | $2,000 | $200 |
| Campaign Disclosure Fines | $50,000 | $2,523 |
| Statement of Economic Interests Fines | $1,250 | $0 |
| Lobbyists Fines | $2,000 | $2,500 |
| Other Ethics Fines | $7,500 | $35,525 |
| Other General Government Charges | $2,450 | $1,000 |
| Total | $157,200 | $50,898 |