Ethics Reform Achievements and Challenges Discussed at January Forum

(l-r) State Attorney Michael McAuliffe, Inspector General Sheryl Steckler, Commissioner Santamaria, and District 6 Administrative Assistant Fred Pinto

(l-r) State Attorney Michael McAuliffe, Inspector General Sheryl Steckler, Commissioner Santamaria, and District 6 Administrative Assistant Fred Pinto

Commissioner Santamaria

State Attorney Michael McAuliffe

Inspector General Sheryl Steckler

Commissioner Jess Santamaria held his monthly community forum on January 18 at the original Wellington Mall. The main topic was ethics reform and efforts to fight corruption in Palm Beach County. Invited speakers were State Attorney Michael McAuliffe and Inspector General Sheryl Steckler.
McAuliffe gave an overview of the 2009 grand jury investigation that led to sweeping ethics reform county government officials and employees, his first major project after taking office.

“The grand jury (report) wasn’t punitive and negative. It was a positive perspective on how we can make county government better,” McAuliffe said. “Government should serve the people with transparency and efficiency.”

The grand jury’s recommendations resulted in the creation of the Office of Inspector General (OIG) and the Commission on Ethics, as well as a funding mechanism that would not take away from other programs and services.

McAuliffe closed by touching briefly on his decision to not seek re-election as State Attorney in order to join a private firm. “This is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for me in the private sector,” he said.

Steckler’s presentation centered on the recent release of the OIG’s first annual report. Steckler cited a number of successes in her office’s first 18 months. For example, the OIG issued 52 policy recommendations, and 48 have been implemented by county and municipal governments.

There has also been a shift in the amount of correspondence (phone calls, emails, letters) with entities under the OIG’s jurisdiction. Currently, 46 percent of correspondence is with Palm Beach County. But 35 percent now comes from other jurisdictions, such as special taxing districts -- twice the amount as with municipalities.

The OIG’s annual report is available for viewing at: http://www.pbcgov.com/oig/