Bob Hudson
Beach Fanatic
This email was sent to All BCC Commissioners and the news media.
Commissioners,
The Walton County Taxpayers Association appreciates the rights afforded as a matter of law and customary practice for citizens and citizens' representatives to be heard at BCC meetings on agenda items of interest prior to any vote on such items. Unfortunately, from time to time, items are placed on the consent agenda which in our view have no business being placed there since such placement precludes our comments on such items. We would respectfully ask that more careful attention be given to such placements on the consent agenda in the future, and, further,we would welcome a review of the practice of having a consent agenda at all. The First Amendment Foundation believes the use of this agenda is a prima facie case of violation of the Sunshine Law (personal communication with Barbara Petersen of the FAF on this specific issue), and the WCTA shares that sentiment.
In more urgent particular, the consent agenda for the upcoming meeting next week contains two interlocal agreements which the WCTA respectfully requests be removed from the consent agenda in order to allow public comment before the fact. We have grave misgivings about the practice of interlocal agreements between the County and incorporated cities within the county which have the effect of requiring all county taxpayers to directly underwrite activities which are properly the responsibilities of the citizens of those cities/municipalities created and endowed with taxing authority to provide just such services accruing solely to the benefit of those local taxpayers.
The interlocal agreement with Freeport on the upcoming meeting's consent agenda is just such an agreement, one which we firmly believe should not only be submitted for public comment but also one which should have been discussed in the Sunshine prior to its having been placed in a position to be rammed through without affording any prior citizen knowledge or input.
Please remove this and the interlocal agreement among the County, DFS, and Tri-County Community Council from the consent agenda and place them on the regular agenda, please. We do not believe the public's interests are being properly served by their continued inclusion on the consent agenda, and we have comments which we wish to discuss at the BCC meeting before any vote on these items.
I might also suggest a review of the proposed agreement with DFS for a scrivener's error. Section 8 refers to a non-existent Section 2(b). I believe this should be 3(b).
Respectfully submitted,
Don Riley, M.D., President
Walton County Taxpayers Association
Commissioners,
The Walton County Taxpayers Association appreciates the rights afforded as a matter of law and customary practice for citizens and citizens' representatives to be heard at BCC meetings on agenda items of interest prior to any vote on such items. Unfortunately, from time to time, items are placed on the consent agenda which in our view have no business being placed there since such placement precludes our comments on such items. We would respectfully ask that more careful attention be given to such placements on the consent agenda in the future, and, further,we would welcome a review of the practice of having a consent agenda at all. The First Amendment Foundation believes the use of this agenda is a prima facie case of violation of the Sunshine Law (personal communication with Barbara Petersen of the FAF on this specific issue), and the WCTA shares that sentiment.
In more urgent particular, the consent agenda for the upcoming meeting next week contains two interlocal agreements which the WCTA respectfully requests be removed from the consent agenda in order to allow public comment before the fact. We have grave misgivings about the practice of interlocal agreements between the County and incorporated cities within the county which have the effect of requiring all county taxpayers to directly underwrite activities which are properly the responsibilities of the citizens of those cities/municipalities created and endowed with taxing authority to provide just such services accruing solely to the benefit of those local taxpayers.
The interlocal agreement with Freeport on the upcoming meeting's consent agenda is just such an agreement, one which we firmly believe should not only be submitted for public comment but also one which should have been discussed in the Sunshine prior to its having been placed in a position to be rammed through without affording any prior citizen knowledge or input.
Please remove this and the interlocal agreement among the County, DFS, and Tri-County Community Council from the consent agenda and place them on the regular agenda, please. We do not believe the public's interests are being properly served by their continued inclusion on the consent agenda, and we have comments which we wish to discuss at the BCC meeting before any vote on these items.
I might also suggest a review of the proposed agreement with DFS for a scrivener's error. Section 8 refers to a non-existent Section 2(b). I believe this should be 3(b).
Respectfully submitted,
Don Riley, M.D., President
Walton County Taxpayers Association
