Daily Commerical by Carlos E. Medina
March 14, 2018
TAVARES – The State Attorney’s Office contacted the attorney for the Lake County School Board on March 7 after questions arose about whether the board is obeying the Sunshine Law.
Ric Ridgway, chief assistant state attorney for the Fifth Judicial Circuit, would not confirm receiving a complaint about a possible violation of Florida’s open meetings law but did say they tried to contact board attorney Steven Johnson.
“We are aware of the situation and we are talking to the School Board’s Attorney,” Ridgway said.
He stopped short of calling the inquiry an investigation.
“At this point, we have not issued subpoenas,” he said.
Since December, experts on Florida’s Sunshine Law questioned several moves made by the board. The Sunshine Law requires most government proceedings to be open to the public.
Since last year, members of the School Board have been holding one-on-one closed-door meetings with district administrators to prepare for the following week’s board meetings. The private sessions make it easier for board members to ask questions about the issues on the agenda, board members say. The meetings fell on Thursday’s in quick succession of one another. Courts have ruled against similar meetings in the past. [READ MORE]