Larry Van Guilder of E.W. Scripps weekly owned paper has an interesting story this week about how he wanted some Commissioner's input on the County Mayor's proposed budget. So, he was granted an interview with Commissioner Sharon Cawood and Commissioner Lumpy Lambert.
In the story the reporter says "Before the meeting with Cawood and Lambert could take place, we received a fax at the office notifying us that the "media is invited" to Sharon Cawood's office." Now one would assume that means the County Commission office or maybe a home office of Sharon Cawood's where she would perform her duties as Commissisoner. But no the reporter continues at the conclusion of his story "And I almost forgot to mention that Lambert who always goes armed was packing heat when he showed up at the juvenile justice center for our interview." The Juvenile Justice Center? Commissioner Sharon Cawood during the day works as a Supervisor in the Juvenile Court Clerk's office. Certainly, she can take comp time and off the clock time for Commission duties during the day but Commission duties during the day on the clock for the citizens in the Juvenile Court Clerk's operation.
Is it a violation of County's personnel policy and the County's Ethics policy to use the Juvenile Court Clerk's office for Commission duties? Brian's Blog will certainly be looking into the issue. Surely the reporter did not demand a meeting during work hours. Which would have allowed Commissioner Cawood to arrange a meeting at an off site location after 4:30 P.M.
As for this comment that the reporter made in the story. "(On my word of honor, I swear that no "deliberations" took place at the meeting.)" What the reporter does not understand is that one of his subsidiaries (News-Sentinel) of his parent company E.W. Scripps has sued the County Commission. So, why he doesn't believe they deliberated had one Commissioner said something that convinced the other and that impacts a vote on the budget. Then that would be a violation of the Sunshine Law.
As for Commission Chairman Scott Moore not meeting with the reporter. If something is printed in his article attributed to Chairman Moore and his colleagues read the article and that influences their position than they have all violated the Sunshine Law.
In the story the reporter says "Before the meeting with Cawood and Lambert could take place, we received a fax at the office notifying us that the "media is invited" to Sharon Cawood's office." Now one would assume that means the County Commission office or maybe a home office of Sharon Cawood's where she would perform her duties as Commissisoner. But no the reporter continues at the conclusion of his story "And I almost forgot to mention that Lambert who always goes armed was packing heat when he showed up at the juvenile justice center for our interview." The Juvenile Justice Center? Commissioner Sharon Cawood during the day works as a Supervisor in the Juvenile Court Clerk's office. Certainly, she can take comp time and off the clock time for Commission duties during the day but Commission duties during the day on the clock for the citizens in the Juvenile Court Clerk's operation.
Is it a violation of County's personnel policy and the County's Ethics policy to use the Juvenile Court Clerk's office for Commission duties? Brian's Blog will certainly be looking into the issue. Surely the reporter did not demand a meeting during work hours. Which would have allowed Commissioner Cawood to arrange a meeting at an off site location after 4:30 P.M.
As for this comment that the reporter made in the story. "(On my word of honor, I swear that no "deliberations" took place at the meeting.)" What the reporter does not understand is that one of his subsidiaries (News-Sentinel) of his parent company E.W. Scripps has sued the County Commission. So, why he doesn't believe they deliberated had one Commissioner said something that convinced the other and that impacts a vote on the budget. Then that would be a violation of the Sunshine Law.
As for Commission Chairman Scott Moore not meeting with the reporter. If something is printed in his article attributed to Chairman Moore and his colleagues read the article and that influences their position than they have all violated the Sunshine Law.
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