JCOPE Holds Second Meeting, Addresses Backlog and Staffing Issues

The Joint Commission on Public Ethics (JCOPE) held its second meeting today.

The Commissioners noted that the JCOPE is currently short staffed – it has just one attorney, and no and no investigators or training personnel – and discussed the need to address a backlog of work inherited from the Commission on Public Integrity while they search for an Executive Director.

The Commissioners agreed to authorize the hiring of up three lawyers and two investigators on a temporary basis.

JCOPE Chairwoman Janet DiFiore said during the meeting that the organization’s budget will be cut 2.5% percent for the 2012-2013 fiscal year from where the CPI was last year.

The public portion of the meeting ran for about 20 minutes, and then the Commission approved a motion to enter into an executive session.

JCOPE’s next meeting is scheduled for January 31, at which time the Commissioners said they hope to be in a position to approve an Executive Director.