CDD orders legal review after dispute over 'Coffee With Candidates' event

The Heritage Pines Community Development District voted Sept. 17 to direct the District Manager to review potential legal and governance implications of an HPCA‑organized "Coffee With Candidates" event scheduled for Oct. 9, and to request a formal legal opinion from District Counsel.

Vice Chair Arthur Rhodes raised the issue after saying a memo and candidate materials — including resumes and bios for Mr. Steele, Stephen Putman and Mr. Kleeman — had been circulated. Rhodes said those materials and the narrow scope of the event raised questions about whether the HPCA had authority to schedule a candidate forum and whether attendance by multiple CDD board members would violate Florida's Sunshine Law. Rhodes noted attendance records he cited from CDD meeting files, saying Mr. Kleeman had attended one of six FY2024 meetings and that Mr. Steele and Mr. Putman had not attended prior CDD meetings.

Herb Hurley, HPCA general manager, told the board that "the candidates asked for the event to be scheduled so they could become known as candidates for the CDD Board" and declined to discuss further, saying the matter should be handled by attorneys. On the board's motion — made by Arthur Rhodes and seconded by Carol Vaughan — the board unanimously approved directing the District Manager to review the alleged hostile relationship referenced in candidate materials and asked District Counsel to provide a legal opinion on Sunshine Law and related concerns.

The board's action does not itself determine whether any violation occurred; it directs staff and counsel to investigate and report back. District Manager Chuck Adams said he will ask District Counsel to prepare a memorandum and reminded board members not to reply to related email correspondence.