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Committee removes agenda items after procedural questions; AG opinion on item 10 remains routed through representative
Summary
County justices voted to remove items 8, 9, 10 and 11 from the County Services agenda after motions and discussion; county staff said an attorney general opinion requested earlier was declined because the topic did not fall under FOIA and must come via a state representative or constitutional officer.
The Washington County County Services Committee amended and then adopted an agenda that removed four items after motions and discussion among justices.
Early in the meeting Justice Washington moved to remove items 8 and 9 from the agenda, and the committee approved the motion by voice vote. Later Justice Lyons moved to remove item 10, noting the item had been postponed previously pending an attorney general (AG) opinion requested by a judge. County staff explained the AG declined to issue an opinion because the request did not fall under the Freedom of Information Act. "An AG's opinion outside of FOIA can only come from a state representative or 1 of the constitutional officers of the state," staff said. Lyons said she had requested an opinion through her representative and asked the item be removed until that opinion arrives; the committee removed item 10 by a raised-hand vote.
Justices also debated item 11. Lyons moved to remove item 11, arguing members had insufficient time to prepare given the agenda was posted the same day; the committee again removed the item by vote. During debate justices clarified that if an item that appropriates money is advanced it must ultimately go to the Budget and Finance Committee for final approval.
The committee also amended the agenda to add a CAP report and then adopted the amended agenda. After amendments and removal votes, committee members proceeded to regular reports.
Public commenters later addressed themes related to the removed items. Kenneth Lovett and Sherry Maine urged justices not to transfer sheriff’s office personnel or functions into the courthouse administration and said moving those duties could hamper jail operations; Lovett said an ordinance was drafted by the county judge and county attorney, and Maine warned of operational disruptions for employees based at the sheriff’s campus. Both comments were submitted during the public-comment period after the committee business.
No substantive votes on the underlying ordinance or appropriation occurred in the committee; the changes to the agenda were procedural and the removed items will return to committee or the full court when appropriate.
