Q&A
Need for a full-time trainer in the Lobbying Bureau
0:15:01
·
69 sec
Michael McSweeney discusses the need for a full-time trainer in the Lobbying Bureau, explaining how this position was originally funded but has not been filled. He outlines the challenges this creates for the current staff and the potential benefits of having a dedicated trainer.
- Full-time trainer position was funded as part of Local Law 129 of 2013 but remains unfilled
- Current attorneys and deputy City Clerk are handling training responsibilities alongside their other duties
- Virtual training sessions are being conducted, but more could be done with a dedicated trainer
- Lack of a full-time trainer limits the bureau's ability to focus on investigations and other important tasks
Michael McSweeney
0:15:01
One of the the the things that I I spoke before the committee on government operate operations recently and, you know, just on lobbying activities and one of the things we have not been able to do is hire a full time trainer.
0:15:17
Now the full time trainer was funded as part of local o 129 of 2013.
0:15:23
And, you you know, I have my 2 attorneys, my my deputy City clerk and my assistant counsel focusing on doing all the training of all the lobbyists.
0:15:34
We've been doing it virtually.
0:15:35
We used to have them come to the office and, you know, we we were able to do multiple training sessions.
0:15:40
We've been doing it virtually in recent years.
0:15:43
And, you know, we really could do more if we had a full time trainer, and those other people could focus more on investigations on doing, you know, more things that we don't have the time to invest because we're just barely getting by or, you know, could I say, we're we're just treading water as it were.
0:16:06
So I'd say, you know, those are the biggest challenges in front of us right now.