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Commission on Ethics And Public Trust

Building Trust and Confidence in Local Government

Building Trust and Confidence in Local Government

The Miami-Dade County Commission on Ethics and Public Trust was created in 1996 as a result of a citizens' vote to amend the Home Rule charter. It is an independent agency with advisory and quasi-judicial powers. It is composed of five members, each serving staggered terms of four years at a time.

COE News

Promoting Ethics in Government
COE Staff Attorney Nolen “Drew” Bunker recently took part as a guest speaker on Florida Ethics Law at the 48th Annual Local Government Law in Florida Conference, presented by the City, County, and Local Government Law Section of the Florida Bar.  This year’s sold-out event at the Hollywood Diplomat Hotel offered presentations and seminars from top local government lawyers.

The COE will continue to support and participate in similar events that seek to promote ethical behavior of government officials and employees, ensuring they act in the public interest.

Recent Ethics Opinions

INQ 25-29: A County department cannot solicit local restaurants to participate in the Employee Discount Program to offer County employees affordable eating options because the solicitation of gifts, i.e., restaurant discounts, would not be used solely by the County in conducting its official business. Additionally, solicitation of gifts or donations cannot be made directly to County lobbyists, contractors, or vendors; however, those parties may be part of a larger solicitation that includes members of the general public.

INQ 25-30: A County employee may engage in outside employment as an adjunct lecturer at a local university because there is no overlap between his public duties and his outside employment, the university does not contract with his department, and he will not use the same resources or come into contact with the same persons or entities from his County work.

INQ 25-32: A selection committee member does not have a voting conflict of interest as a member of a selection committee because he will not be directly affected by the vote, nor does he or any of his immediate family members have any enumerated relationship with any entity affected by the vote. Additionally, since he has no relationship with any respondent to the solicitation and stated he could be fair and impartial when evaluating the various respondents, there are no facts to demonstrate an appearance of impropriety.

INQ 25-40: The Cone of Silence does not prohibit a registered lobbyist from communicating with employees of the County’s independent constitutional offices about a pending County competitive solicitation because employees of the County’s independent constitutional offices are not members of the County’s professional staff. However, the Cone of Silence will still apply to said employees if they function as an extension of County staff under a joint venture between the County and the independent constitutional office, serve on a County selection committee, or otherwise have a role regarding a pending County competitive solicitation.

News and Events

JOB OPPORTUNITY: Staff Attorney

The Staff Attorney provides ethics advice and issues ethics opinions to covered parties under the County Ethics Ordinance, under the supervision of the Executive Director and the General Counsel. Assists in developing educational materials and conducts training for public officials, employees, advisory board members, and local government lobbyists. Prepares reports and memoranda for presentation to the Miami-Dade Ethics Commission. Responsible for leading investigations, makes probable cause determinations, and conducting prosecutions to address violations of the public trust under agency supervision.

Former Miami Beach Police Department Supervisor Admits to Ethics Violations for Exploitation of Official Position and Prohibition on Outside Employment

A complaint filed by the City of Miami Beach Inspector General alleging that the former supervisor of the Crime Analysis Unit (CAU), Clifford Sparks, a civilian employee at the City of Miami Beach Police Department, violated the Exploitation of Official Position and Prohibition of Outside Employment.

Financial disclosure filings for municipal officers, personnel and board member

Section 2-11.1 of the Miami-Dade County Code of Ordinances (County Ethics Code) requires members of municipal semi-autonomous boards, quasi-judicial boards, and advisory boards to file an annual financial disclosure statement.

Commission on Ethics and Public Trust took part in the AfrICANDO 2023 Conference in October 2023

The Commission on Ethics and Public Trust (COE) staff took part in the AfrICANDO 2023 Conference held on October 25th - 27th.

Read the 2023 Annual Practices memorandum

This annual reminder serves the purpose of underscoring limitations on the political activities of all County and municipal officers and employees during the current and upcoming election season in 2023.

Ordinance requires Ethics course for new and re-elected officials

All County and Municipal elected officials must submit to the Clerk of the Board a certificate of completion of an ethics course within 90 days of being sworn into office.

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