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| At least one Escambia County elected official went to jail for not handing over public records in a timely fashion....The public records law is no joke. |
A speaker at today's meeting dropped a bombshell at the dais.....about public records and compliance with Florida's strict Public Records Law. The accusation was made that a member of the Escambia BCC has not replied to a records request that has been made, multiple times over, for 5 months running.
This law is no joke and I don't even waste a second of time in complying. This conversation got my attention quick!
Since I have been on this board of commissioners, I have fulfilled numerous public records requests--including one that ended up taking a box to hold all the emails that were requested, which I put together and delivered within 1 month.
But most of the requests I have fulfilled have come via email or via a phone call request directly to me. And I send them out immediately if I can do it myself or I have my aide, Debbie Kenney, assist and we get these out quick.
Because to delay is to frustrate the spirit and the intent of chapter 119. And that can be very problematic.
When I first stepped into public office on the School Board of Escambia County 13 years ago in 2006---some of the very first trainings I received as a new board member were on public records and open meeting laws. I took it very seriously because I also was told numerous times about a previous Escambia school board member that actually was convicted of violating the public records law and spent time in the county jail for this infraction. The case was appealed and it went back and forth but meanwhile, this Escambia County elected official was removed from office by the governor and she was sentenced to 30 days in the county jail--where she ultimately served 7 days.
Everyone who is interested in this topic now, at this moment, should read the appeal of the Escambia School Board Member's case which gives lots of background on the way this whole thing transpired......
And the kicker was--this school board member at least made the effort to try and produce the
