To: Board of Supervisors of Sonoma County
Department or Agency Name(s): County Counsel
Staff Name and Phone Number: Kristin Horrell, Deputy County Counsel, 707-565-2421
Vote Requirement: Majority
Supervisorial District(s): Countywide
Title:
Title
Conflict of Interest Code Update
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Recommended Action:
Recommended action
A) Adopt the Resolution amending the County’s Conflict of Interest Code
B) Adopt the Resolution amending Sonoma County First 5 Commission’s Conflict of Interest Code
C) Adopt the Resolution amending the Assessment Appeals Board Conflict of Interest Code
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Executive Summary:
This item amends the Conflict of Interest Code (COIC) for the County of Sonoma (County), the Sonoma County First 5 Commission (First 5) and the Assessment Appeals Board (AAB). A COIC identifies the public officials, employees and consultants who are required to file statements of economic interest (Form 700s) and which financial interests must be disclosed for each respective position. COICs provide transparency to ensure government employees are not making decisions to promote their own financial interests.
State law requires every agency amend its conflict of interest code when change is necessitated by changed circumstances, including the creation of new positions and relevant changes in the duties assigned to existing positions. The County, First 5 and the AAB have all determined that their COICs need to be amended.
Discussion:
This item amends the Conflict of Interest Code (“COIC”) for the County of Sonoma (County), the Sonoma County First 5 Commission (First 5) and the Assessment Appeals Board (AAB).
State law requires that each local agency adopt a COIC identifying (1) those positions in which officers or employees make or participate in making governmental decisions that affect government spending (“designated employees”), and (2) the types of personal interests which could be affected by those decisions (“disclosure categories”).
Each local agency is required to biennially review its COIC to determine if any changes need to be made and COIC’s must also be amended anytime a change is necessitated by changed circumstances, including the creation of new positions and relevant changes in the duties assigned to existing positions. Since the last biennial review process in 2024, the County, First 5 and the AAB have determined that changes need to be made to their COICs.
The changes being made to the County’s COIC include changes to the designated employee list for the Clerk Recorder Assessor, the Human Services Department and creating a designated employee list for the newly created Registrar of Voters department.
Changes to the First 5 COIC include updates to designated employees.
Changes to the AAB COIC include an update to the language in the Resolution to comply with state law.
Adoption of the attached resolutions will amend the COICs for the enumerated entities.
Strategic Plan:
N/A
Racial Equity:
Was this item identified as an opportunity to apply the Racial Equity Toolkit?
No
N/A
Prior Board Actions:
6/3/2025- County last amended its COIC
Fiscal Summary
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FY25-26 Adopted |
FY26-27 Projected |
FY27-28 Projected |
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Narrative Explanation of Fiscal Impacts:
This item is administrative in nature and has no associated fiscal impacts.
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Narrative Explanation of Staffing Impacts (If Required):
N/A
Attachments:
Resolution amending the County’s Conflict of Interest Code
Resolution amending Sonoma County First 5 Commission’s Conflict of Interest Code
Resolution amending the Assessment Appeals Board Conflict of Interest Code
Related Items “On File” with the Clerk of the Board:
None