Mayor Jerry Sanders announced the start of a survey asking city employees their opinion and knowledge of the city’s policies and procedures regarding ethics. The survey is part of the mayor’s efforts to address last month’s Kroll report, which pointed to the city’s need to change its ethical culture.
An outside firm, Ethics Resource Center, will ask employees what they think of the city’s ethical culture, assess their views on how ethical issues are treated in the workplace, and determine employee understanding of rules and regulations pertaining to ethics.
Officials say the survey should establish whether employees believe their supervisors keep promises and commitments and whether their workplace puts a high value on ethics. The survey will also analyze city employees’ overall satisfaction with the organization.
Results from the survey will be used to design ethics training programs conducted throughout the next year. The anonymous and voluntary survey will be administered to all employees departments overseen by the mayor, while staff members of the City Council and the city attorney will also participate.
“It’s a rare opportunity to take the temperature of our city’s work force, to focus on the issues that they feel are important,” Council President Scott Peters said at a Tuesday press conference.
The survey is part of a larger ethics audit conducted by the mayor’s Office of Ethics and Integrity. The audit includes reviewing city policies and procedures, interviewing city managers, consulting outside ethics expert and gauging current conditions in City Hall.
At the end of the year, the mayor will receive a report outlining the results of the audit including recommendations on what needs to be changed.
“We would expect the audit to identify structural impediments and cultural hurdles affecting the city’s effort to maintain the highest level of ethical behavior,” Sanders said.
– MARNETTE FEDERIS