Sharon Barnett’s comments on CMPA issue

While I’m talking about last week’s City Council meeting, I thought I’d share attorney Sharon Barnett’s comments regarding the CMPA Sunshine violations issue:

My favourite part:

Mr. Mayor, this is a clear violation of the Sunshine law. This is a not-for-profit private entity that is acting for a public agency … It is covered by the Sunshine, it’s clear, and furthermore, the Florida Supreme Court itself has said that the public has, as Ms. [Sherri] Myers noted, “an inalienable right to be present and to be heard.” She also adverted to the fact that the consequences can be pretty serious. Once there is a violation, any official act that’s taken is void ab initio. That means from the beginning. That means you have to go back and do everything over again, if a violation is established.