No charges will be filed against three Maitland officials accused of violating the Sunshine Law in a 2012 incident, according to a state attorney.
The case stems from a complaint filed after private discussions were held between City Attorney Cliff Shepard and city council members about whether the Maitland Arts Center was a public or private entity.
The complaint alleged that any discussion on the matter should have been subject to a public hearing or vote.
“No Sunshine laws were violated when the city attorney used his discretion to privately discuss with individual council members the impact of such [an] opinion,” Orange-Osceola State Attorney Jeffrey L. Ashton said Wednesday in a statement.
“While there appears to be little dispute that the city attorney avoided bringing the issue back to council for discussion at a public hearing, there is no violation of Florida’s Government-in-the-Sunshine law,” Ashton said.
The state attorney added that the original question – whether the Arts Center fell under the Sunshine Law – was not considered in the investigation.
Original article here.