DATE: November 4, 2025
TO: Board of Supervisors
SUBMITTED BY: Paul Nerland, County Administrative Officer
SUBJECT: Revision to Administrative Policy No. 1 - Code of Ethics
RECOMMENDED ACTION(S):
TITLE
Approve revised Administrative Policy No. 1 - Code of Ethics to include "Conflict of Interest" in the title, clarify the roles of the Board Chairman, County Administrative Officer, County Counsel and the Director of Human Resources, and remove details regarding reporting and training requirements that are not consistent with County Administrative Policy format.
REPORT
Approval of the recommended action will adopt the revised Administrative Policy No. 1 (AP 1) to include "Conflict of Interest" in the title, clarify the roles of the Board Chairman, County Administrative Officer (CAO), County Counsel and Director of Human Resources in enforcing AP 1. Additionally, the revised policy proposes to remove specific information on how the County will comply with State law relating to gifts and gratuities reporting as well as ethics training. Instead, the proposed policy directs the CAO to specify how the County will comply with State law via a Management Directive. This item is countywide.
ALTERNATIVE ACTION(S):
Your Board could choose not to approve the recommended revisions or direct staff to make different changes to AP 1 prior to Board approval.
FISCAL IMPACT:
There is no fiscal impact associated with the recommended action.
DISCUSSION:
AP 1 establishes ethical standards for the Board, elected officials, and all County employees, ensuring integrity, fairness, and public trust. The proposed revisions to AP 1 modernize language, clarify responsibilities, and align the County's ethical standards with current State law and best practices.
The policy title has been expanded to include "Conflict of Interest" to reflect its broader purpose. The revisions refine and reorganize the policy's ethical principles for clarity, emphasizing professionalism, respect, and i...
Click here for full text