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Century Council President Warns of Possible Sunshine Law Violations
November 20, 2018
The president of the Century Town Council is warning that someone could go to jail for violating the state’s Sunshine Law requiring the “prompt” production of meeting minutes.
Monday night, the Century Council approved minutes from an August 3rd budget meeting — over three months after the meeting. Council president Ann Brooks said the council has yet to see minutes from two meetings in September, one in October and one in November.
According to the 2018 Government in the Sunshine Manual, Florida law “requires that minutes of a meeting of a public board or commission be promptly recorded and open to public inspection”. But the law does not define just how long the process should take.
“Because the term ‘promptly’ is not defined in the statute, it ’should be construed in its plain and ordinary sense,’ the Sunshine Manual states. An informal advisory opinion notes that “Webster’s New Universal Unabridged Dictionary (2003) defines ‘prompt’ as done, performed, delivered, etc., at once or without delay.”
Brooks asked Town Clerk Kim Godwin when the minutes would be complete, and Godwin stated that she was working on them.
Pictured: Century Town Clerk Kim Godwin reviews a document during a Monday night council meeting. NorthEscambia.com photo, click to enlarge.
Comments
9 Responses to “Century Council President Warns of Possible Sunshine Law Violations”
Century has become comedy central!
Welcome Back Ann Brooks – and now the “post-election drama” starts again. I have a logical question: why didn’t the council “President” bring this up in September when she noticed an oversight for August, or why not bring up in October when she noticed August and September minutes were not produced? I think we need an answer on that.
I cannot ignore the trend here hopefully they can turn the page from the old tactics and get to business in the town. We will have to stay tuned to this one.
Century employees need a raise they really work very hard, at what who knows?
The personal loans that were made to town council members, would they be listed in the meeting minutes or in the discussions or are they exempt from the state’s Sunshine Law? Also, is the mayor allowed to get personal loans like the town council?
And, what else is new…
Make recordings. They are not minutes because discussion is not part of the minutes but would include actual motions and votes. I’ve been involved in meetings where we had to record the meetings because the minutes dropped motions and votes, reworded motions, misrecorded results of votes.
Nothing intentional, but it often reversed the intended result.
If all else fails, as good as a bedtime story for getting to sleep.
David for truth and rest
I guess one day someone in Century will realize the city has systemic major problems.
Perhaps Century will promptly attract new businesses also.
Not good. Makes it appear somebody does not want their dirty laundry aired.