Okaloosa County Tourist Development Council — April 25, 2013 (meeting #1135) — reading text

ROOM NIGHTS (as identified on the Funding Application) Attachment: Amended OP Manual - updated 4-12-13 a.6 (1640 : Cover page) ESTIMATED NON-PARTNERS USAGE ROOM NIGHTS (describe estimated calculation) MEDIA / MARKETING (as described in the Funding Application) Provide summary of media exposure received (out of county, regional and national) as well as examples of promotional materials and activities (brochures, posters, programs, etc.). _________________________________________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________ I certify that the above information is true and accurate to the best of my knowledge. Signature Date Printed Name 31 Packet Pg. 71  2.B.1 Tourist Development Council Meeting: 04/25/13 01:00 PM 1540 Miracle Strip Parkway Department: Tourist Development Council Fort Walton Beach, FL 32548 Category: Approval Prepared By: Aida Wilkinson SCHEDULED Initiator: Aida Wilkinson Sponsors: TDC ITEM (ID # 1641) DOC ID: 1641 Sunshine law Updated: 4/24/2013 4:51 PM by Aida Wilkinson Page 1 Packet Pg. 72  2.B.1.a REVIEW OF SUNSHINE LAW, PUBLIC RECORDS AND ETHICS Attachment: Sunshine Law Public Records and Ethics (1641 : Sunshine law) Nabors, Giblin & Nickerson, P.A. 1500 Mahan Drive, Suite 200 Tallahassee, Florida 32308 (850) 224-4070 Packet Pg. 73  2.B.1.a TABLE OF CONTENTS PAGE NO. GOVERNMENT IN THE SUNSHINE LAW ............................................................................ 3 SCOPE OF THE SUNSHINE LAW ....................................................................................... 3 AGENCIES COVERED BY THE SUNSHINE LAW ........................................................... 3 MEETINGS SUBJECT TO THE SUNSHINE LAW ............................................................ 4 TYPES OF DISCUSSIONS COVERED BY THE SUNSHINE LAW................................. 4 Attachment: Sunshine Law Public Records and Ethics (1641 : Sunshine law) NOTICE AND PROCEDURAL REQUIREMENTS ............................................................ 5 CONSEQUENCES FOR FAILURE TO COMPLY.............................................................. 5 PUBLIC RECORDS..................................................................................................................... 6 SCOPE OF THE PUBLIC RECORDS LAW ........................................................................ 6 AGENCIES SUBJECT TO THE PUBLIC RECORDS ACT............................................... 7 KINDS OF RECORDS SUBJECT TO THE PUBLIC RECORDS ACT............................ 8 Computer records .................................................................................................................... 8 Attorney records ...................................................................................................................... 8 Financial records...................................................................................................................... 9 Investigation records of non law enforcement agencies.......................................................... 9 REGULATION OR LIMITATION OF INSPECTION AND COPYING ..................... 9-10 EFFECT OF STATUTORY EXEMPTIONS....................................................................... 10 ETHICS ....................................................................................................................................... 10 DEFINITION OF PUBLIC OFFICER ............................................................................. 10 ............................................................ 10-11 CONFLICTING EMPLOYMENT AND CONTRACTUAL RELATIONSHIPS ........ 11 i Packet Pg. 74  2.B.1.a MISUSE OF PUBLIC POSITION..................................................................................... 11 GIFTS LAW......................................................................................................................... 12 VOTING CONFLICTS....................................................................................................... 12 Attachment: Sunshine Law Public Records and Ethics (1641 : Sunshine law) ii Packet Pg. 75  2.B.1.a I. GOVERNMENT IN THE SUNSHINE LAW A. Scope Of The Sunshine Law Article I, Section 24(b) of the Florida Constitution, provides as follows: (b) All meetings of any collegial body of the executive branch of state government or of any collegial body of a county, municipality, school district, or special district, at which official acts are to be taken or at which public business of such body is to be transacted or discussed, shall be open and noticed to the public Attachment: Sunshine Law Public Records and Ethics (1641 : Sunshine law) and meetings of the legislature shall be open and noticed as provided in Article III, Section 4(e), except with respect to meetings exempted pursuant to this section or specifically closed by this Constitution. Section 286.011, Florida Statutes requires that (1) all meetings of public boards and commissions be open to the public; (2) reasonable notice of such meetings be given; and (3) minutes of such meetings must be taken and kept. B. Agencies Covered By The Sunshine Law agency or authority or of any agency or authority of any county, municipal corporation, or Gen. Fla. 73-223 (1973). Advisory boards created pursuant to law or ordinance or otherwise established by public agencies are subject to the Sunshine Law, even though their recommendations are not binding upon the agencies that create them. Town of Palm Beach v. Gradison, 296 So.2d 473 (Fla. 1974); Wood v. Marston, 442 So.2d 934 (Fla. 1983); Lyon v. Lake County, 765 So.2d 785 (Fla. 5th DCA 2000). However, advisory committees which are created solely for fact-finding, i.e., strictly information gathering and reporting, are not subject to the Sunshine Law. Cape Publications, Inc. v. City of Palm Bay, 473 So.2d 222 (Fla. 5th DCA 1985). Meetings of staff of boards or commissions are not generally subject to the provisions of the Sunshine Law. Lyon v. Lake County, 765 So.2d 785 (Fla. 5th DCA 2000); Knox v. District School Board of Brevard, 821 So.2d 311 (Fla. 5th DCA 2002); Jordan v. Jenne, 938 So.2d 526 (Fla.4th DCA 2006). However, when a staff member ceases to function in a staff capacity and is appointed to a committee which is delegated the authority of the board or commission, the Sunshine Law will apply to that committee. It is the nature of the act performed, rather than the composition of the 3 Packet Pg. 76  2.B.1.a committee, which determines whether the Sunshine law applies. Evergreen the Tree Treasurers of Charlotte County, Inc. v. Charlotte County Board of County Commissioners, 810 So.2d 526 (Fla. 2d DCA 2002).; Dascott v. Palm Beach County, 877 So.2d 8 (Fla. 4th DCA 2004); Silver Express Company v. Miami-Dade Community College, 691 So.2d 1099 (Fla. 3d DCA 1997). C. Meetings Subject To The Sunshine Law The Sunshine Law is applicable to any gathering, formal or informal, of two or more members of the same board or commission when discussing any matter on which foreseeable action will be taken by that board or commission. Hough v. Sternbridge, 278 So.2d 288 (Fla. 3d DCA 1973. Therefore, the use of a telephone to conduct discussions between members of the Attachment: Sunshine Law Public Records and Ethics (1641 : Sunshine law) same public entity violates the Sunshine Law. State v. Childers, No.02-21939-MMC; 02-21940- MMB (Escambia Co. Ct. June 5, 2003), per curiam affirmed, 886 So.2d 229 (Fla. 1st DCA 2004). It is also applicable to meetings between a board member and an individual who is not a member of the board when the individual is being used as a liaison between, or to conduct a de facto meeting of, board members. Blackford v. School Board of Orange County, 375 So. 2d 578 (Fla. 5th DCA 1979). D. Types Of Discussions Covered By The Sunshine Law The Sunshine Law applies to investigative inquiries of public boards or commissions, even if the meeting concerns alleged violations of laws or regulations. Canney v. Board of Public Instruction of Alachua County, 278 So.2d 260 (Fla. 1973); City of Miami Beach v. Berns, 245 So.2d 38 (Fla. 1971). A staff committee created to screen applications and make