Gov. Scott's Lake Shore Hosp Auth Board & Manager Berry: In Violation of the Law, Again
Final Posted June 8, 2015 02:30 pm
At 11:00 am the Lake Shore Hospital Authority
agenda is not available.
COLUMBIA COUNTY, FL – Gov. Rick Scott's Lake Shore Hospital Authority Board is at it again. This time, in clear violation of the Florida Statute that requires: "not less than 7 days before" this evening's Authority meeting, its agenda be posted to its website and that the "agenda, along with any meeting materials available in electronic form ... shall [must] be published on the agency's website." At 11 am this morning Authority Manager Jackson P. (Jack) Berry, the agencies "Director" has nothing posted.
Authority budget web page. Click to enlarge.
Ever since the departure of the two board members that kept Manager Berry in check, Bruce Naylor and Stephen Douglas, the Board has allowed Manager Berry to do whatever he wants, whether in compliance with the law, or not.
Authority Budgets: Not Posted
Sleight of Hand on Authority Minutes
Besides not posting the Lake Shore Hospital agendas, Manager Berry has not posted the Authority budgets, other than the 2011 budget.
The FL statutes are crystal clear when it comes to posting the Authority Budgets. the Lake Shore Hospital Authority is a Special District:
The tentative budget must be posted on the special district’s official website at least 2 days before the budget hearing ... to consider such budget. The final adopted budget must be posted on the special district’s official website within 30 days after adoption.
While the final 2011 budget was posted on the Authority's website, it was posted upside down.
On August 4, 2014, Manager Berry was advised in an email that the budget was upside down and that the reference codes for the budget were missing.
He ignored the email. The budget remains upside down.
Before January 2015 the Authority would forward digital copies of agendas and minutes that were not posted to the website upon request. The Authority website stated:
"For previous meeting minutes and agendas please e-mail us at jack@lakeshoreha.org, let us know what month & year you want and we will send you a copy." (emphasis added)
In 2015 resident Barbara Lemley requested the 2007 minutes.
The notice stating that "we will send you a copy" was removed and Ms. Lemley was told that if she wanted the minutes she would have to pay copying charges and pick up the copies.
Koby Adams on the job for Rep. Porter
Epilogue
The Lake Shore Hospital Authority Board is appointed by and overseen by Governor Rick Scott.
Former Board Chairman and Board member, Koby Adams, is Representative Elizabeth Porter's Chief of Staff.
It's business as usual in Columbia County, Florida.
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