Fact: In a blog dated Feb. 9, 2012, The DeFuniak Free Press provided evidence that Ron Kelley has altered meeting minutes outside the public meeting forum. The minutes from the Nov. 28, 2011 meeting reflect a statement by Kelley that he would “get with the city clerk after the meeting” to make a few minor corrections to the Nov. 14 minutes.
Fact: The Sunshine Law reads this way: “Draft minutes of a board meeting may be circulated to individual board members for corrections and studying prior to approval by the board, so long as any changes, corrections, or deletions are discussed and adopted during the public meeting when the board adopts the minutes.”
Fact: Janie Griffith appeared before the DeFuniak Springs City Council Feb. 13, 2012, to question the council’s handling of the meeting minutes. She directly addressed the issue of changing the minutes without the public’s knowledge. Mac Work and Clayton Adkinson told Ms. Griffith that it is not a violation of the Sunshine Law to discuss changes with the clerk prior to the meeting. Adkinson did not address the issue of Kelley changing the meeting minutes outside the meeting with no discussion of the changes. Adkinson also incorrectly explained that having the minutes approved in the public meeting is “what matters.”
Fact: Mac Work was careful to point out at the Feb. 13th meeting that “I have never called [the clerk] and changed a thing.” Perhaps Work is concerned that there has been a violation. Continue