Despite all the uproar over possible misconduct by county officials, 13 Undercover showed you Monday night the county ethics committee hasn't met in more than two years. Now, the county is starting to respond.
County officials are scrambling in the wake of Monday night's report to prove they really do have an ethics policy, even if it seems no one is enforcing it.
Now for the first time, county employees can go the county website and they can see the ethics policy, down at the bottom. It's brand new. You even have a person you can actually complain to about ethics. Her name is Ericka Owens and her number is 713-755-4390.
Perhaps the county attorney's office should take a special look at this provision of the county's ethics ordinance:
"County property will not be used to engage in political campaign activities, nor will personnel influence subordinates to participate or contribute to political campaigns."
You've seen lots of records lately from us showing they do that a lot at the county, but no one has been punished.
Of course, if you don't trust the county to do the right thing, you can always complain to us. Do it anyway.
You can read that county ethics policy for yourself.
