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scooterbug44

SoWal Expert
May 8, 2007
16,732
3,330
Sowal
I completely agree that Ms. Harris's request was at best over the top.

I have requested public records and never received any kind of stone walling or interference. The most I could say is that I requested a file from the clerks office at the Annex and was given two options:

1.) Drive to Defuniak as the file was there to view it.
2.) Wait until the following day so the courier could bring it down.

Everyone has the right to view public records, they do not have the right to use that as a method to harass the government.

Perfect~! :clap:
The fact that they gave her an award pretty much sums up how screwed up things are IMO.
 

Matt J

SWGB
May 9, 2007
24,643
9,496
No such thing as unreasonable or excessive. Providing public records is a constitutional requirement of government in Florida. How can you harass them for asking them to just do their job? All they had to do was give her an estimate and ask if she wanted them or not.

So if each commissioner had an email signature that mentioned Beaches of South Walton, she wanted all those?

I understand where you are coming from, but in this case it was clearly for harassment.
 

Suzanne Harris

Beach Fanatic
Aug 19, 2008
349
220
Well Alun, it looks like you and I are about the only ones on this forum that have guts enough to sign our names. The others on this forum would post their names if they had any guts but they chose to hide behind their cute little made up names.

Sarah, I am not and have never been Interested Girl.
 

John R

needs to get out more
Dec 31, 2005
6,777
819
Conflictinator
Well Alun, it looks like you and I are about the only ones on this forum that have guts enough to sign our names. The others on this forum would post their names if they had any guts but they chose to hide behind their cute little made up names.

You need to check yourself.

Maybe do some research, and ask for everyone who actually uses their names. You may be waiting a while, and probably not be able to sue those who won't comply.
 
Well Alun, it looks like you and I are about the only ones on this forum that have guts enough to sign our names. The others on this forum would post their names if they had any guts but they chose to hide behind their cute little made up names.

Sarah, I am not and have never been Interested Girl.


Lady, this post is beneath contempt. The lack of real names fosters the free exchange of ideas. Of course to appreciate this you would actually be required to welcome opposing viewpoints.:cool:
 

Matt J

SWGB
May 9, 2007
24,643
9,496
Lady, this post is beneath contempt. The lack of real names fosters the free exchange of ideas. Of course to appreciate this you would actually be required to welcome opposing viewpoints.:cool:

Don't forget her Nixonian complex. Thankfully I've got at least 40 years on her in age.
 

wrobert

Beach Fanatic
Nov 21, 2007
4,134
575
61
DeFuniak Springs
www.defuniaksprings.com
So if each commissioner had an email signature that mentioned Beaches of South Walton, she wanted all those?

I understand where you are coming from, but in this case it was clearly for harassment.


If that is what she wanted, then all they had to do is give her a cost. If they had said this is going to take 30 days, 8 hours a day, to get someone to do it that makes $15 an hour, then your bill would be $3600. Do you want us to go forward? And if it got done quicker, then they charge her less. They could even ask for a deposit of say $1800 and we will call you when that is used up and move on.

I believe, am sure Bob will jump in here, but I believe that the WCTA has an amount of money on deposit with the county and has authorized persons who can make records requests and it be charged against that account. When we run out of money, we would take more. While it would certainly be distressing if one of those individuals were to use up all of those dollars on a very general request, I would rather us deal with it internally, than the county not honor the request.

I understand that a member that made a request was recently told the request had to be written(a violation of the law). The concern I have with that is that we have already spent hundreds of thousands, yet we still have county employees that obviously are still not trained in public records law. That is very exasperating when you think about what all the county has been through.

What about this? When you go to the south Walton annex planning/zoning they ask you to sign in. But if you are there to make a public records request, it has been held that it is illegal to ask the person making the request to identify themselves. A few years back the DEP official in Pensacola that was requiring ID for people seeking records was arrested for the violation.

So here we have a policy in place that could actual result in somebody being incarcerated, but still it has not changed as far as I know.
 

WCTA

Beach Lover
May 27, 2009
124
120
Walton County
www.waltontaxpayers.org
If that is what she wanted, then all they had to do is give her a cost. If they had said this is going to take 30 days, 8 hours a day, to get someone to do it that makes $15 an hour, then your bill would be $3600. Do you want us to go forward? And if it got done quicker, then they charge her less. They could even ask for a deposit of say $1800 and we will call you when that is used up and move on.

I believe, am sure Bob will jump in here, but I believe that the WCTA has an amount of money on deposit with the county and has authorized persons who can make records requests and it be charged against that account. When we run out of money, we would take more. While it would certainly be distressing if one of those individuals were to use up all of those dollars on a very general request, I would rather us deal with it internally, than the county not honor the request.

I understand that a member that made a request was recently told the request had to be written(a violation of the law). The concern I have with that is that we have already spent hundreds of thousands, yet we still have county employees that obviously are still not trained in public records law. That is very exasperating when you think about what all the county has been through.

What about this? When you go to the south Walton annex planning/zoning they ask you to sign in. But if you are there to make a public records request, it has been held that it is illegal to ask the person making the request to identify themselves. A few years back the DEP official in Pensacola that was requiring ID for people seeking records was arrested for the violation.

So here we have a policy in place that could actual result in somebody being incarcerated, but still it has not changed as far as I know.


Robert is correct that is exactly how we handle costs associated with WCTA public records requests. Four people are authorized but we discuss the request prior to making the request.

The most interesting part of the event you mentioned concerning a statement that our request had to be in wrtining was made to the Walton County Legal department - the same folks advising other departments on how to properly handle a public records requests. That request was made on Monday, so yes they still have educational issues, but seem to be making progress. It is now a more formal process than was followed in the past.

I would point out that the WCTA has never had issues with requests for financial records. They have always been very promptly responded to.

We have always had difficulty with a request that involved "emails". Hopefully that will improve dramatically. As far as I know they have no process to retain text messages. Now that all department heads and all commissioners have PDA's they must find a way to retain those communications. They are required to archive those as well.

We have observed individuals texting to commissioners during BCC meetings and then watched them read and respond. Wonder what they are about?

We will have to wait and see how they meet the court ordered retention policies and training requirements. You must remember that they are now under the jurisdiction of the court on these matters and could be held in contempt for not following the sunshine law provisions as it relates to "records retention" and providing the data.
 
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Matt J

SWGB
May 9, 2007
24,643
9,496
You sure about not asking for ID wrobert? I remember, and it's been quite a few years, that Bay County asked for ID and wrote it down when dealing with a document which has someone's SS#.
 
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