In an article that appeared earlier this week it has been reported that several city councilmen in Crestview, Florida have been charged with non-criminal violations of Florida’s Open Meetings Laws (aka “Sunshine Laws”). The councilmen are alleged to have traded as series of emails regarding public business. One of the councilmen is also alleged to have deleted…
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In a February 28 message to district employees, Manatee School District Superintendent Tim McGonegal reported that the School Board met in an Executive (i.e. “secret” “private” “outside the Sunshine”) Session on Monday (February 27) night and: 1.) “decided it was not in the best interest of the School District or its employees to become involved in…
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As Florida’s Chief Financial Officer, it is my duty to be a watchdog for how our government spends Floridians’ hard-earned tax dollars. There are few things more important than holding our government accountable. Accountability requires transparency, a principle of which Florida has consistently been on the cutting edge. With groundbreaking legislation in 1909 and again…
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By William Mattox Weather patterns in the Florida Panhandle have not changed much since last March. Nevertheless, the citizens of Jackson County have benefitted from a significant increase in “sunshine” over the last year. That’s because their local officials have made “proactive disclosure” of county government activities a higher priority. As a result, Jackson County…
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Open records help ensure an open political process Trying to separate the unvarnished truth from the spin that is filling the airwaves during this presidential election season? Perhaps it’s time to become proactive and undertake your own search for the facts about the respective candidates’ stands on the issues that are important to you. That…
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We were each astounded when our City Attorney, approached us during the course of our service as mayors of the nearby cities of Lake Helen and Sanford and advised us that the courts had ruled that, although the Sunshine Law requires that meetings be open to the public, the Law does not give the public…
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Many of those members of condominium and homeowners associations elected to their board of directors are either current or previous captains of industry. In their private corporate lives they are used to “going into closed executive session” when delicate strategic matters must be discussed by the board. So it make perfect sense that they believe…
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Question:Is it considered a meeting of the board of directors if the president or another member of the board emails the other members of the board seeking a discussion about an issue to be brought before the board at an established board meeting occurring at a later date? — J.J. Poliakoffs: The issue you’ve raised is…
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THE ASSOCIATED PRESS TALLAHASSEE, Fla. — The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission is accused in a lawsuit of violating the state’s open-meetings “Sunshine Act.” Two environmental groups sued Tuesday in state Circuit Court in Tallahassee. Their lawsuit alleges a technical advisory committee held closed-door meetings to draft a plan for cutting off public boating access…
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Legislation pending in the Florida Legislature helps clarify responsibilities of some, though not all elected officials Legislation pending in the Florida Legislature goes a long way in establishing when elected officials must comply with the state’s open meetings and public records laws. But, at least for the current session of the Legislature, the improvements don’t…
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