Item P03
BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS
AGENDA ITEM SUMMARY
Meeting Date: 3/18/09 - MAR
Division:
County Attorney
Bulk Item: Yes XX
No
Staff Contact Person: Suzanne Hutton
AGENDA ITEM WORDING:
Approval of a resolution providing direction to staff re distribution of informational items.
ITEM BACKGROUND:
From time to time, commissioners directly contact staff re matters of specific concern to them. Sometimes a
mere explanation of the County's role in the matter is the end of the discussion. In other instances, substantial
information is provided to the commissioner and the matter is placed on the County Commission agenda for
some action or direction to staff. Commissioners who have not been involved in the exchange of information
have indicated a desire to be provided the same background information on agenda items. Staff has indicated a
need for clear direction on the type of information or in what circumstances the BOCC desires information
supplemental to agenda item background to be circulated to all commissioners.
PREVIOUS RELEVANT BOCC ACTION:
No action has been taken. This proposed resolution is the result of statements made by commissioners about the
difficulty to assimilate new and lengthy information which one commissioner may raise during discussion of an
agenda item and to make meaningful use of that information in reaching a decision within minutes of the
information being provided for the first time.
CONTRACT/AGREEMENT CHANGES: NjA
STAFF RECOMMENDATIONS: Approval
TOTAL COST:
N/A
BUDGETED: Yes N/A
No
COST TO COUNTY:
N/A.
SOURCE OF FUNDS:
REVENUE PRODUCING: Yes
No xx
AMOUNTPERMONTH_ Year
APPROVED BY: County Atty ~ OMBlPurchasing _ Risk Management _
DOCUMENTATION:
Included X
Not Required _
DISPOSITION:
Revised 2/05
AGENDA ITEM #
RESOULTION NO.
-2009
A RESOLUTION OF THE BOARD OF COUNTY
COMMISSIONERS OF MONROE COUNTY, FLORIDA,
PROVIDING DIRECTIONS TO STAFF REGARDING
DISTRIBUTION OF INFORl\fATIONAL ITEMS.
WHEREAS, individual County commISSIOners regularly request information from
county staff about pending agenda items and County projects and programs; and
WHEREAS, members of the Board of County Commissioners at a recent public
meeting verbally directed that staff provide all commissioners with the same information when
one commissioner requests information about an agenda item; and
WHEREAS, County staff have requested more specificity as to what types of items
and/or information the informal directive applies;
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED by the Board of County Commissioners
of Monroe County, Florida, that:
1. When any Commissioner requests information from a County employee or contracted
agent concerning an item which is listed on an agenda for a pending meeting, all
commissioners shall be supplied with the same information. Due to the potential for
inadvertent violations of the Sunshine Law if all commissioners receive that information in
a format which imparts even an implication as to how the commissioner might vote on the
item, information should be not be in the format of a reply to the commissioner, or a
forward of that reply, but shall be disseminated through a generic communication that says
words to the following effect: "Pursuant to a request for information, I am providing all
commissioners with the following:. . . "
2. When any Commissioner requests information from a County employee or contracted
agent concerning a matter which is not listed on an agenda for a pending meeting, the
employee or agent may use his or her discretion as to disseminating the requested
information to all commissioners. The decision should be based at least in part upon
whether the topic is one of recurring appearance on the BOCC agenda. In every case, the
information should either be provided to all of the commissioners or only the requesting
commissioner.
3. This Resolution shall become effective upon the date of its adoption.
Directions for Distribution
Information to Commissioners
1
PASSED AND ADOPTED, by the Board of County Commissioners of Monroe County,
Florida at a regular meeting on said Board on the _ day of , A.D., 2009.
Mayor George Neugent
Mayor Pro Tem Sylvia Murphy
Commissioner Heather Carruthers
Commissioner Mario DiGennaro
Commissioner Kim Wigington
(SEAL)
BOARD OF
COMMISSIONERS OF
COUNTY, FLORIDA
COUNTY
MONROE
ATTEST: Danny L. Kolhage, CLERK
By:
By:
Deputy Clerk
Mayor George Neugent
::Ltj .,..,.,;~""
Directions for Distribution
Information to Commissioners
2