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Heritage Pines counsel advises separate events for incumbents at 'Coffee with Candidates'
Summary
District Counsel recommended incumbents arrange separate seat-specific events to avoid potential Sunshine Law issues; Vice Chair Arthur Rhodes said an incumbent would not attend under counsel's interpretation.
The Board discussed District Counsel's written response to questions about a proposed "Coffee with Candidates" event and whether incumbents could participate without violating election or Sunshine laws. Chair Kathleen Lonergan read Counsel's guidance aloud, noting counsel recommended that "if any incumbent Supervisor is interested in participating they will need to ensure compliance with the election code" and that it would be "a fair request for them to arrange separate events per seat to avoid any potential Sunshine Law violations."
Vice Chair Arthur Rhodes said "our guy" would not attend under that interpretation, and the Board noted differences between the District Counsel's guidance and the HPCA Attorney's opinion. Lonergan also observed that portions of the matter might be appropriate for the Florida Election Commission, which enforces complaints rather than providing advisory opinions.
