Resident says she received mail urging petition against ‘sanctuary city’; county says no request on file

Barbara Buecher of Morgan told the Glades County Board of County Commissioners on Jan. 14 that she has received multiple letters saying it is her “last chance” to sign a petition opposing the county becoming a sanctuary city.

Buecher said she contacted a board member earlier and was told there was no agenda item or official request to change the county’s status. When Buecher asked whether county staff had received any related requests, the county manager replied, “No. We have not.”

The matter was raised during the meeting’s public-comment period; commissioners did not take formal action or introduce any agenda item on the subject during the remainder of the recorded portion of the meeting. Buecher requested clarification and asked whether staff could confirm publicly that no formal request to pursue sanctuary-city status exists.

Why this matters: Mailings that ask residents to sign petitions can cause public confusion about whether an item is under official consideration. In this case a county official told the commission there is no request on file, but residents asked the commission to publicly confirm that status and to provide a point of contact if a petition or request is filed later.

What was said (selected): Buecher said she “keeps getting letters in the mail stating that this is my last chance to sign a petition to not make [Glades] a sanctuary city,” and said she had been reassured previously by a board member that no such agenda item existed. The county manager told the commission, “No. We have not” received any requests related to sanctuary-city status.

Next steps: Buecher asked to be allowed back on a future agenda to present additional information if county staff locate records or receive a petition. The commission made no motion and recorded no formal vote on this subject during the portion of the meeting covered by the transcript.