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Century Appears To Ignore State Law, Grand Jury Findings On Meeting Minutes
August 5, 2019
The Town of Century appears to be ignoring a grand jury finding that meeting minutes were not being prepared promptly. Somewhat ironically, the list of a dozen sets of minutes approved Monday night a meeting three months ago about the grand jury report.
According to the 2019 edition of the Florida’s “Government In The Sunshine Manual”, one of the most basic requirements of the law is “The minutes of a meeting of any such board or commission of any such state agency or authority shall be promptly recorded, and such records shall be open to public inspection. (F.S. 286.011).“
Century fell into a system where meeting minutes were provided to the council for approval months after the meeting date. Council members were forced to certify minutes as correct months after they are held, relying only upon their memories and any notes they may have taken.
A scathing February 2019 grand jury report found “minutes of council meetings have not been prepared for months at a time”, and noted that the digital recording of at least one meeting was reported as lost.
On May 7, 2019, the town council held a workshop to discuss those very grand jury findings. The minutes from that meeting were just now Monday evening presented to the council for approval — a couple days shy of three months later. The council also improved minutes from another meeting in May, five meetings in June, and three meetings held prior to mid-July (see list above).
“We recommend additional training in the area of Sunshine and Public Records. This may be done by the Town’s attorney, the First Amendment Foundation or the Attorney General’s Office,” the grand jury report stated.
We are unaware of any such training transpiring, and if it occurred at a meeting, no public notice for that meeting was given.
Pictured: A list of minutes on the August 5, 2019, Century Town Council agenda. NorthEscambia.com graphic.
Comments
26 Responses to “Century Appears To Ignore State Law, Grand Jury Findings On Meeting Minutes”
@X
I certainly was not condoning what is happening, in fact I think it’s down-right pitiful. I commented about the Grand Jury Report because several have mentioned that not following the recommendations should be grounds for jail time. Unfortunately that is not the case.
@David Huie Green
Spot On!!
The Mayor causing the audit to be late may have significant consequences, and that is on him and him alone. The delay is documented. Why on earth he would delay it is beyond the thinking person’s grasp. It was due 9 months after the fiscal year, June 30.
council Wake up please.
Ann Brooks has kept this incorporation in place hanging by a thread like a loose tooth about to let go.
With the task force assembled and information right in front of everyone’s face perhaps the this can be turned around yet still.
No body is picking on anyone–don’t be ignorant.
Municipalities get their power from the state and the way to run it is dictated by FL statutes and charter.
Still waiting for the TOC to approve my personal loan. Guess only TOC board members get approved for personal loans. I feel like I’m being discriminated against based on not being a board member!!!
REGARDING:
“Ms Brooks has been there for a long time so why did she not know about the mess the town was getting into before now.”
If I have been reading it correctly, she has been doing everything in her power to get the information, but the mayor has repeatedly withheld it and threatened any who tried to comply with the law and provide it without going through him. When she indicated there might be a problem, she was treated as disloyal and a trouble maker. Fellow council members seem perfectly happy with the status quo.
She has favored others for jobs coming up but the charter only allowed a vote to accept or reject the mayor’s pick. Fellow council members were perfectly happy with the mayor’s picks.
We might consider giving Ann a passing grade.
David for better people
The honest paying customers are the ones getting the shaft. All of the friends of employers are getting a free ride. They don’t care because the money is not coming from their pockets. I would love to se a list of all the paying customers published on North Escambia.com. It’s time we stepped in and demand results, after all, they WORK for US.!!!!
Where is Bandit when you need him.
What a pitiful mess. Gas meters cant get replaced, minutes cant be done on time and nothing else is getting done either. I guess we the citizens just pay these employees to do nothing I can remember a time when the gas dept. had to carry the other depts. and now it is broke. Their is something wrong and I believe it could be turned around if everyone would do their jobs Please Mayor and Council do your job as well .As long as the employees are allowed to do nothing that is exactly what they are going to do. this council needs to take control. Ms Brooks has been there for a long time so why did she not know about the mess the town was getting into before now. The blame cannot be placed on one person this mess has been created by all
@ David ???????? Are you a town of Century council member? If not you would fit in nicely.
WELL THE STORY JUST KEEPS ON GOING, NOTHING WILL EVER TAKE PLACES IN THE TOC, ON TILL SOMEONE STEP UP AND SAY YOU ALL ARE GOING TO JAIL. MAYBE THE STATE, OR THE COUNTY.BUT ON TILL THAT HAPPEN NOTHING WILL CHANGE. AS THEY SAY AT THE THE TOWN COUNCIL WE WILL DO WHAT EVER WE WONT TOO! BECAUSE NO ONE WILL EVER DARE COME UP HERE TO CENTURY AND TELL US WHAT TO DO!! WE RUN THIS TOWN JUST THE WAY WE WONT TO, YES THIS MAY BE THE WILD WILD WEST IN CENTURY
@M in Bratt
Right the gas meters–basically the accountant suggested they purchase those as a means to figure out what was going on?? So maybe that was smoke and mirrors? to the tune of what about $150K and everyone took his lead.
It would seem like kindergarten math to see what was coming in vs what was going out, on billing. What was he doing, why did the financials start being done by Warren Averett and not the firm in Atmore?
Do they not want oversite?
Ever heard the saying; Keep the waters muddied up, and nobody can see what is really going on. Some posters want to blame the employees, but basic management practices says that employees are never any better than their leadership. How is installing new gas meters going to fix anything when over half the customers aren’t getting billed to begin with? I still would like to see how many Town leaders are on the list of utility customers that are not getting billed.
@Cindy
Thanks for that. No immediate consequences from not following the Grand Jury recommendations. They did not recommend an indictment for what some would call misfeasance or nonfeasance.
I would think it they do not self correct, another Grand Jury could be reconvened to up the ante or either get the state to step in to intervene It’s the taxpayers money and they deserve accountability and good governance from all levels.
Running water and sewage is imperative and the gas department has been a ball and chain for years. Failure to knowingly act is malfeasance. A greater wrong. Some in the town limits are not on gas and do not wish to subsidize the gas department at the peril of the water department.
It seems the leaders in their hearts are committed to trying to turn it around but if the employees fail to go head on, and the elected official fail to get with the program, demand excellence and competence, the incorporation will fail.
The town has a facebook page that said all the meters would be replaced in a few weeks, that was a few weeks ago. There are several office workers.
Certainly anyone who wants a cushy job with the town getting insurance can google the sunshine law and get with the program.
Once Warren Averett turns in the financials to the Florida Auditor general (late) I have a feeling other measures will be implemented. It’s not going to be a pretty report.
The state requires paperwork and documentation to proceed.
Do the right thing. Integrity. Even when no one is looking, especially when EVERYONE is looking.
the town clerk as well as most of the office staff up there should be terminated. Its more than obvious they are unqualified for the positions they were hired for. I have an idea the next time you have a position open how about you actually interview all the applicants instead of hiring who you want or are friends with. This is what happens when you do that.
The Grand Jury “recommended” steps to be taken. Since there was no recommendation for an indictment against anyone, the Grand Jury report is just that……a report that lists recommendations that can either be acted on or not, without any consequences.
by charter the mayor is in charge of the employees, he went on record that he disagreed with the grand jury. by charter(law) the clerk is to post the minutes.
mayor does not have a handle on the employees. I believe the council can remove him by a vote..
or go down with him.
the citizens can not recall mayor and 2020 is a long way out.
Stop worrying about poor Ann Brooks , they all have taken money from our town .The town needs to get together and get them all out of the office and put new people .Our town is a joke to everyone we need new leader ship or just send it all to county .All our money is missing and no one seems to know where it went .How do you loose $500.000
“Never do today what you can put off until you die of old age.”
New Century motto?
David for competence
Time for Gov. DeSantis to send in his team.
Council needs to be tougher….don’t just leave it for Ms. Brooks…..back her up when she says something to the town clerk. Speak up and stop worrying about hurting folks feelings.
Why is this person still employed with the Town?
This is just insane people. Everyday there seems to be “another finding” of non compliance. Who is being held accountable and why are they not complying? This just does not make any sense for this to continue. It’s almost to the point of defiance. Why?
You want someone in Century (city council)to do their job correctly???????
Might be time fot the BCC to take over this operation.
Wow!
The incompetence continues.
At what point does the state step in and put a stop to this tomfoolery?
This bunch in city hall are dysfunctional. Pitiful.
The grand jury had called for several things they have not done. Are they not afraid of being punished and fined?
Which is more pathetic, what Century polys are doing or the Florida state polys consistently turning their heads at what the town of Century polys have been doing for years. They both are corrupt