[{"_1":2,"_112":-5,"_113":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,76,88,100],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},"mediaId",6152756,"mediaKeyId","5496494-a56cceb5319c99813e5d9d919c5da4da","parentId",5496494,"title","Officials told to forward city texts, voicemails and documents to clerk to meet public‑records rules","audioSeconds",472,"startMs",4956000,"endMs",5428000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=5496494-a56cceb5319c99813e5d9d919c5da4da&start=4956&end=5428","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5496494-a56cceb5319c99813e5d9d919c5da4da/thumbnail_4956000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6152756/Florida/Officials-told-to-forward-city-texts-voicemails-and-documents-to-clerk-to-meet-publicrecords-rules","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6152756-8ac9e2cfb4905ed94285eee67ee9294d/orig.mp4?Expires=1773618171&Signature=eWos3kvmwjEwDue9i5u5Mee6o1tXn3ghXGjYynXozhHRn5rjLxsQqNBxeJPrpu~Wx5P8ZxKfVFjlVUZ0QE97vVeDBZYBeA341nSncKoY8rstlylBlHAXQJOXqPG3rLylx-u~GUbzxSV0BrNHVoEWljHo~NjthNgfjqi3Y8u1epEM6wQ2lxv4oXvOB-mPRJFX0~R1b-VTVZPG57TNEIxTCTaehin3YB-WnhGuW4YmloFjp16TlrVm9noSJ6XeGCdyh9nh9HzwjtOR4LXTL5jDQqDqnunPpAEjZ3JvXiKB4Dp7Wz9K8YjCY2z3dWGQPMYzjJPh3c3IhjLhFe3~7k6Y6Q__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","City of Eustis, FL","date","2025-07-25T18:55:26Z","article","At the workshop, the city attorney advised commissioners that nearly all communications made or received in connection with city business—emails, texts, voicemails, photographs or drafts—are public records and must be retained.

Lehi said ‘‘public records’’ includes ‘‘documents, papers, letters, maps, books, tapes, photos, videos’’ and warned that voice mails and messages on personal devices can be subject to public‑records requests. ‘‘You can’t delete public records,’’ she said, and explained courts have required agencies to make reasonable efforts to produce messages from personal devices when those messages concern agency business.

She recommended that commissioners forward city‑related messages and materials to the city clerk or staff so the records are archived according to state retention schedules and to avoid accidental deletion on personal devices. Lehi noted a practical risk: some officials’ phones automatically delete messages after a set period; forwarding the items to staff removes that risk.

Commissioners asked whether receiving threats or other sensitive messages required notification to the chief of police; Lehi said such items are public records if received in an official capacity and should be handled by staff, and that staff should be alerted if a message has public‑safety implications.

Direction to staff: the city clerk and counsel should be available to accept any city‑business records from commissioners and keep them on file; commissioners were advised to forward any voice mails or texts related to city business to the clerk to ensure compliance with retention rules. No formal action was taken.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","City Commission Workshop: Sunshine Law - May 1, 2025","oneSentenceSummary","Legal counsel instructed commissioners that emails, texts, voicemails and draft documents related to city business are public records even if on personal devices and recommended forwarding such materials to the city clerk to ensure retention and compliance with retention schedules.","taxTitle","City of Eustis, Lake County, Florida","taxId",71128,"location","Florida","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":77,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":78,"_41":79,"_43":80,"_45":81,"_47":82,"_49":83,"_51":84,"_53":85,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":86,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":87,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6152761,"City attorney warns against private exchanges under Sunshine Law; commission debates email routing",2568,2143000,4711000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5496494-a56cceb5319c99813e5d9d919c5da4da&start=2143&end=4711","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5496494-a56cceb5319c99813e5d9d919c5da4da/thumbnail_2143000.jpg","/articles/6152761/Florida/City-attorney-warns-against-private-exchanges-under-Sunshine-Law-commission-debates-email-routing","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6152761-7bc51940e0b895770cb89733f5b22ab9/orig.mp4?Expires=1773618171&Signature=gcHw0S-7THmtf-laeu1kvqcJLKdhkbo4-VoY5mCo1NH4TdBfTqhFwcWu4GRnam70BQA8YYTmUiEp4qX-gdSVb5U4joxbXPeZwG4fygNZjuzlAxbH8DXnr9847hBPooQMRVNnaR0mIrqzutp0rd7mnNmRcFm3aY24t2UhcOBXo3t0ztbatutug2qqcTcYYVBkLY4i0xXuKzjmGFjMKXpBeKJxqLfu83Pa2U59UbVg6ra1uxBVDYqiNa5XOUHOIvu3yDJ8YKmWbn6aU83KCKcyoObqSD2AOXEoR2Zc-kYrXVTcyzdaPItbBYbgz0h3o1iUToI0ZvQYQ2Z45yrTbPWMKA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","At the workshop, City Attorney Lehi reviewed Florida’s Sunshine Law and advised commissioners to avoid private communications on matters likely to come before the governing body.

Lehi said the law ‘‘provides a right of access to governmental proceedings’’ and that ‘‘any meeting . . . at which official acts are to be taken are declared to be public meetings, open to the public at all times.’’ She explained that the rule covers two or more members of the same board conducting discussions about matters where foreseeable action will be taken, and that communications may include phone calls, email, text or social media.

Lehi urged commissioners not to ‘‘post position statements on issues that may come before the commission’’ and recommended routing substantive inquiries through the city manager to avoid unintended Sunshine Law violations. She also noted that advisory boards and subcommittees are generally subject to sunshine requirements when two or more members discuss matters that will foreseeably come to the commission.

A lengthy discussion followed about the city’s current email practice. Staff currently monitors a commission inbox (commission@...) and forwards items to commissioners. Some commissioners said they preferred direct, individual city emails to appear on the website so constituents could contact them immediately; others expressed concern about public‑records obligations and staff workload. Commissioners asked staff and IT to propose a practical system that ensures timely delivery of emails to commissioners while preserving staff’s ability to manage records and respond to public‑records requests.

No formal vote or policy change occurred; commissioners directed staff and IT to meet and draft a recommended email routing plan for the commission to consider at a future meeting.","Legal counsel advised Eustace commissioners that one‑on‑one and multi‑member communications about foreseeable municipal business must be disclosed and cautioned against social‑media position statements; commissioners then debated whether citizens should be able to email individual commissioners directly or use a monitored commission inbox.",{"_33":89,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":90,"_41":91,"_43":92,"_45":93,"_47":94,"_49":95,"_51":96,"_53":97,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":98,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":99,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6152766,"City attorney summarizes Florida ethics rules for commissioners",650,1316000,1966000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5496494-a56cceb5319c99813e5d9d919c5da4da&start=1316&end=1966","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5496494-a56cceb5319c99813e5d9d919c5da4da/thumbnail_1316000.jpg","/articles/6152766/Florida/City-attorney-summarizes-Florida-ethics-rules-for-commissioners","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6152766-adfd14a2f9c3ef6d56d0e71fb737fecb/orig.mp4?Expires=1773618171&Signature=eWmKPXUz5zSDEmqNL8VMhd7cA0zeFBpIIEFnmto8yNJxNCHF9sLCH4IX3COQ5PzKP7xFAw-3VW1wN9qyzMDDHZbLClpsQEimuPQ4RFupSqok4anyu23ydhFcjgwIseobBu8NbywSDkU6yP8AWb0LlTJCZXJNRrVZ4hiyEiORbatC32mpwewTN2O6CiY-yxD1yXxzESDCkI3zvDlYhg2jMBPu90pN2-zP7T9BrqoFebNaTMXXZfYHfNeURUrfBJCYLUAGMxU6GEzxmdwg3tRgsn0TEpKE9-YpY3Jl2IlTFQAlNTbU4Q7T6jmwVDg0PWXECLjXChHT082f-ejjvmtlAw__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","At a City of Eustace commission workshop, the city attorney summarized Florida ethics law, focusing on provisions that commonly arise for municipal elected officials.

Lehi, the city attorney, opened the ethics portion by saying, “A public office is a public trust,” and reviewed Chapter 112 of the Florida Statutes and related reporting obligations. She explained the law’s core aim: ‘‘to prevent and avoid conflicts of interest’’ where private interest ‘‘tends to lead to disregard of a public duty or interest.’’

Lehi covered several recurring subjects: solicitation or acceptance of gifts, compensation intended to influence official action, doing business with one’s agency, misuse of position, conflicting employment or contractual relationships, voting conflicts, and nepotism. She said officials must report certain gifts and file financial disclosures; a gift over $100 generally must be disclosed and gifts from lobbyists have special thresholds for reporting. She explained an accepted remedy for perception problems: paying fair market value to the giver within 90 days to ‘‘cure’’ an improper gift.

On doing business with the city, Lehi used a local example: a lease that predates a current commissioner’s service. She said such an arrangement is not automatically invalid but ‘‘if it were to come back to the commission for renewal, . . . that commissioner would have to recuse himself’’ because of the financial interest. On voting conflicts she advised officials to read agendas carefully and contact legal counsel ahead of meetings when in doubt. If a voting conflict exists, it must be disclosed on the record and a form completed for public records.

Lehi also noted statutory exceptions and practical considerations for small municipalities where a single vendor may be the only provider of a needed service.

No formal action was taken; the session was informational. Commissioners were urged to consult legal counsel before voting when a potential conflict exists and to make required verbal disclosures on the record and submit the statutory forms for any abstention based on conflict.","At a workshop, the city attorney briefed commissioners on Florida ethics laws—chapter 112 topics including gifts, voting conflicts, misuse of position and contracting with the city—and gave examples and reporting requirements.",{"_33":101,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":102,"_41":103,"_43":104,"_45":105,"_47":106,"_49":107,"_51":108,"_53":109,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":110,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":111,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6152771,"Eustace commissioners debate interim appointment timelines, ask staff for proposal",857,12000,869000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5496494-a56cceb5319c99813e5d9d919c5da4da&start=12&end=869","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5496494-a56cceb5319c99813e5d9d919c5da4da/thumbnail_12000.jpg","/articles/6152771/Florida/Eustace-commissioners-debate-interim-appointment-timelines-ask-staff-for-proposal","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6152771-bd76c6c6eb778e7166d0cc0215399c1c/orig.mp4?Expires=1773618171&Signature=RfX3HSpHiZOZduAvZs~HZVVrCtJSHUpjHBhXrkXUUS9UQSEyev0R1OnDCil9JXriBcbwr65mHC6eTXJCL3~UD4Q0lbfoQPysJ1yTguSZhxeUwMxMQ50BuT~mK7LBhK~63iydKASDyL8k7U-IEXj-duP9mainqhoZ5f~~fsiITIj2Tc8URpi197dlxgr61HTQoelXkcP59qqLxQrUZopIaCao~HDft6E2l1qpVGI11CMZw45UJXxNxrBNdmpIIUZr8yqZbkcMeN3IXvVsXGeB2zMyTXgbtpgWfsOX8GKa2qUIXUgJl3pMor~8WG6mFSRY0Um3jMnvKFctfJA4zlGmzg__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","At a City of Eustace commission workshop, the city attorney reviewed the municipal charter and commissioners debated whether to add a specific timeline for appointing an interim commissioner when a seat becomes vacant.

The city attorney, Lehi, told commissioners the charter ‘‘cannot be changed by ordinance’’ and that ‘‘any amendment to it can be proposed through an ordinance, but it will have to be voted on by the residents.’’ She explained the charter currently requires the commission to appoint a replacement but does not specify a timeframe for doing so.

Commissioners discussed the practical effect of that silence. One commissioner said, “I think there should be a timeline,” and several members raised 30-, 60- and 90-day options as well as the concern that appointing someone shortly before an election could appear to give that person an incumbency advantage. Lehi noted the charter change made in 2016 removed a prior 30‑day appointment requirement and the prior special‑election rule for vacancies longer than six months, leaving broader discretion to the commission.

Commissioners and staff discussed alternatives: (1) amend the charter by referendum to add a specific deadline; (2) keep a broad charter provision and adopt more detailed appointment procedures or timelines in the city code (which would not require voter approval); or (3) add a narrow charter exception that automatically appoints the election winner to serve temporarily if the winner has already been determined. Lehi cautioned that any change to the charter language would require a public referendum.

City Manager Tom and commissioners also discussed operational matters if an appointment were made, including background checks, publication requirements for soliciting applicants and whether an appointed interim should be eligible to run in the next election. Commissioners noted past practice of excluding appointees from short‑term advantage by using selection criteria but agreed those restrictions would need legal review and, in some cases, voter approval.

Direction to staff: commissioners asked staff and legal counsel to prepare draft proposals and comparisons with other cities’ approaches, including timeline options (30, 60, 90 days), a proposal for how appointments would be handled when an election is imminent, and suggested ordinance language to govern interim appointment procedures.

No formal motion or vote took place during the workshop; the discussion was advisory and staff were directed to return with options for commission consideration.","At a city commission workshop, legal counsel reviewed the city charter and commissioners discussed whether the charter or code should set a timeline for appointing interim commissioners; commissioners asked staff to prepare proposal options including 30, 60 and 90‑day timelines and comparisons with neighboring cities.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Officials told to forward city texts, voicemails and documents to clerk to meet public‑records rules

City attorney warns against private exchanges under Sunshine Law; commission debates email routing

City attorney summarizes Florida ethics rules for commissioners

Eustace commissioners debate interim appointment timelines, ask staff for proposal