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Vice chair raises Sunshine Law concerns over 'Coffee With Candidates' event; board directs legal review
Summary
Vice Chair Arthur Rhodes questioned the HPCA's role in scheduling a candidate event and warned it could violate the Florida Sunshine Law; the board voted to have the District Manager and District Counsel review the issue and provide a legal opinion.
Vice Chair Arthur Rhodes asked the board to investigate whether an event scheduled for Oct. 9, 2024 by the Heritage Pines Country Association (HPCA) constitutes a campaign event and whether its planning raised legal or contractual concerns between the HPCA and the CDD. Rhodes said candidate biographies attached to the event memo "raise serious problems in the relationship between the HPCA and the CDD" and pressed staff to explain who instructed the scheduling.
HPCA General Manager Herb Hurley said the candidates requested the event so they "could become known as candidates for the CDD Board," and said board members were advised they could not attend because of the Florida Sunshine Law. After discussion about attendance rules and whether the event could present Sunshine Law issues, the board approved a motion directing the District Manager to review the implications of outside candidates on alleged hostile relationships and to direct District Counsel to provide a legal opinion. The motion was made by Michael Walsh and seconded by Janice Benedetti and was approved "with all in favor."
