The application and appointment process for the City of Phoenix Ethics Commission began this week.

Mayor Kate Gallego announced the launch June 29, saying “governments function best with oversight and public input.”

The Phoenix City Council approved the establishment of an ethics commission in 2017 to investigate allegations of ethical violations and enforce the city’s ethics policies.

The commission’s charge is “to initiate proceedings, conduct an initial evaluation, and if necessary, investigate, proceed with a formal hearing, and recommend action to the mayor and city council,” officials said in a release.

The commission will examine alleged ethics or gift policy violations by a council member or board, commission, committee or task force member, according to the release.

The commission will be made up of five members - two who are registered members of the Democratic Party, two who are registered members of the Republican Party and one who is registered with no party affiliation.

Each will serve no more than one five-year term, except one Democratic member and one Republican member who will serve an initial term of three years, according to the ordinance. 

Candidates will be reviewed by the Judicial Selection Advisory Board, which will make recommendations to the Phoenix City Council. The five nominees must be approved by seven members of the council.

Candidates can apply through July 31 at Details - Boards and Commissions (phoenix.gov)

“Our constituents elected us to serve them, and the Ethics Commission is an important accountability tool that will make our city more transparent to its citizens," Gallego said.