Ordinance 2010-349 - Laserfiche WebLink

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ETHICS COMMISSIONERS Kerry E. Rosenthal, CHAIRPF.RSON Dawn E. Addy, VICE CHAIRPERSON Judge Seymour Gelber ROBERT A. MEYERS EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR MICHAEL P. MURAWSKI ADVOCATE ARDYTH WALKER STAFF GENERAL COUNSEL - Via First Class Mail and email atKp._oliakQ.ff((~bec.-k~r:Qoliakoff.com July 20,2010 Keith M. Poliakoff, Esq. Becker & Poliakoff P.O. Box 9057 Ft. Lauderdale, FL 33310-9057 Re: RQO 10-19, for Robert C. Solera Miami-Dade County Ethics Code at Section 2-11.1 (q) Dear Mr. Poliakoff: In public session on July 20,2010, the Ethics Commission responded to your query on whether, under the County Code, the "two-year rule" I prevents Robert C. Solera from providing testimony at a publicly noticed quasi-judicial zoning appeal hearing in Sunny Isles Beach within a year of his departure from city employment. The Ethics Commission opined that fom1er local govemment employees are not lobbying when they give testimony in publiely noticed quasi- judicial proceedings. Consequently, they do not violate the County's prohibition on appearing before their respective governments for two years following their separation from government employment. In your email of June 23, 20 I 0, you stated that you wished to call Robert Solera as a witness to give testimony at a quasi-judicial zoning appeal hearing involving Temple B'Nai Zion in Sunny Isles Beach. Mr. Solera would not be compensated for his testimony and is not in any way associated with Temple B'Nai Zion, Until his separation from city government approximately one year ago, Mr. Solera served as Director of the Community Development Department, which is, in effect, the Planning and Zoning Department of the City of Sunny Isles Beach. I The two-year rule, at Sec. 2-11.1 (q) of the County Ethics Code, prohibits former local government employees from lobbying their respective governments for two years following their departure from government employment. .,.~.~t~:i;~~~~~~q~~~~i~~~~~{fl~~~~~~;f(~;_ ~~~1~1If~~i