Ethics Commission finalizes approach to annual report and reports progress on BLA performance recommendations

The San Francisco Ethics Commission on July 16 directed its executive director to finalize the fiscal year 2021 annual report after incorporating commissioners' edits and circulating the revised draft for a final look before publication. Commissioners emphasized making the report more narrative and aspirational, pulling high-impact program highlights to the front and using visual charts to show progress on strategic goals.

Executive Director Leanne Pelham summarized updates made since the prior draft, including reorganizing content around three strategic goals (strengthen laws and awareness; strengthen oversight and accountability; improve operational excellence) and adding a table of contents and high-level graphics. Commissioners asked staff to include the BLA implementation-status chart as an appendix and requested quarterly reporting on case-closure metrics and performance targets.

On the BLA implementation report, Pelham told the commission that, as of June 30, staff considered roughly 37% of the BLA's 16 recommendations completed, about 37% in progress, and 25% still in planning for FY2022. Commissioners pressed for clearer case-closure goals and for reporting that acknowledges referrals that await action by the City Attorney or district attorney. Staff committed to quarterly updates and to providing a more detailed case-closure plan at the next enforcement update.

What happens next: The executive director will finalize the annual report incorporating commissioner feedback and circulate the near-final draft; staff will provide quarterly updates on implementation of the BLA recommendations and the case-closure plan.

Authorities referenced: Budget & Legislative Analyst performance audit (August 2020), internal implementation chart.