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HOT!: Catch the latest Florida open government news with The Florida Sunshine Review ...
Open records and meetings links, resources.
July 18, 2005
 2004 a good year for Peyton's bank account: Public records enable the public to keep tabs on the personal financial status of elected officials. Annual disclosure reports obtained by Greg Richards of The Florida Times-Union show Jacksonville Mayor John Peyton’s net worth increased by 41 percent over the last year. Peyton, whose father Herb owns Gate Petroleum Co., reported a net worth of $18.1 million in 2004, although the bulk of it is tied up in a trust that he can’t tap until his father dies. Interestingly, Peyton is making a higher salary as Jacksonville mayor than when he left Gate as an executive. Other disclosure reports for Jacksonville City Council members show four are millionaires, with Sharon Copeland leading the pack at $5.4 million. Copeland said her high net worth indicates she isn’t a council member for the $41,000 annual salary. The public records handbook covers disclosures of public officials on Page 121.
Inspectors often find problems with pools: Public records often provide insights into public safety. Michelle Keller and Kevin Spear of the Orlando Sentinel explored 4,465 inspections of Central Florida swimming pools this year to find “at least one in eight failed tests for chlorine, meaning they could pose a health risk for swimmers who use them.” Worse yet, the story says, “pool inspectors continue to see lax attitudes and poor training among the people responsible for maintaining water quality in pools used by thousands of local residents and tourists every day.” The newspaper survey covered several Central Florida counties and found chlorine violations at mobile homes, hotels and motels, apartment and condo complexes, beachside motels and resorts, and at subdivisions and apartments. “City pools, water parks and hotel pools at large resorts – including Walt Disney World – generally had good inspection records,” the story noted.
Other records at work:
Property appraisals: Michael Van Sickler of the St. Petersburg Times on how investors are driving a hot Tampa Bay housing market …
Letter between public officials: Larry Hannan of the Naples Daily News on how the director of comprehensive planning in Collier County was removed from his job and incurred the wrath of his superiors because of the way he performed at a June meeting …
July 15, 2005
Florida Sunshine Review:
South Florida Sun-Sentinel, by Patty Pensa: Former Lake Worth Mayor Ron Exline is suing the city, claiming that officials violated the state open-meetings law when selling two city properties …
Tallahassee Democrat, by Bill Cotterell: Former Attorney General Bob Shevin stood for openness in government and everything …
July 13, 2005
Fa$t bucks: Real estate flipping in Southwest Florida: Public records can put real numbers to trends that have everybody talking. In this case, property records reviewed by Gina Edwards of the Naples Daily News chronicle just how white hot the Naples-area real market is right now for property flipping. The story says a Pittsburgh speculator bought a house and sold it six weeks later for a $700,000 mark-up. A Bonita Springs widow bought a lot for $9,900 and dumped it the same day for $37,400. Here’s an even better one: A Naples couple bought a home in the middle-class Saturnia Lakes neighborhood preconstruction and sold it the same day they closed on it for $207,000 more than they paid. “In the past year and a half, more than 180 homes and condos were bought and sold twice on the same day for an inflated price, based on records from the Collier County Property Appraiser's Office analyzed by the Naples Daily News. The median increase for those flipped properties: 29.6 percent.” But some question just how long the good times can roll on. This story includes an interactive map showing some of the flips and their prices along with a spreadsheet on them as well. The public records handbook covers deeds on Page 113 and property appraiser records on Page 322.
Tape reveals drug suspects’ worries: Ever wonder what one drug suspect might have said to another while handcuffed in the backseat of a patrol car? A tape recording obtained from police by Michael A. Scarcella of the Sarasota Herald-Tribune reveals it in this case about two men accused of trafficking in cocaine. As the story says: “One calls the other an idiot and tries to come up with a way out of the situation. The other just keeps saying "Sshhh," trying to get his friend to shut up.” The story includes several exchanges between Sarasota residents Arturo Oviedo, 29, and Milton Borjas DeLaCruz, 28. Among them: “Oviedo: I had a feeling about this, but you didn't listen to me, idiot. DeLaCruz: That's fine. Don't talk anymore.” Yet another example of how public records can inspire more reading.
July 11, 2005
Labor camp inspections falling short in Putnam: State and local inspection records of all kinds are typically public records. A review of labor camp inspection records by Matt Galnor of The Florida Times-Union indicates the “Putnam County Health Department has not inspected its labor camps as often as state law requires and many times did not follow up when camps failed inspections.” Inspectors check out the camps to make sure they are suitable places to live for people who work in potato and cabbage patch fields. “State law requires county health departments to inspect the camps twice every three months when workers are living there. A review of inspection records for the last four years shows Putnam County inspectors either made it only once or never came at all in more than half of the three-month periods. Records also showed several occasions where inspectors didn't come back to the camps until weeks, sometimes even a month or two after they had said they'd check to see if problems were fixed.” The Putnam County Health Department administrator said her inspectors were stretched thin but vowed more timely inspections in the future. St. Johns County inspectors fared better in performing inspections, the records show.
Firm files deeds with “signatures” of dead: Mike Hoyem of the Fort Myers News-Press continues to uncover jaw-dropping stories about deed abuse in southwest Florida. In this one, deed records help him reveal that a “Fort Myers real estate company has joined the list of those who have filed deeds in Lee County with signatures of the dead.” Check this out: “Records show All American Foreclosure Solutions filed three deeds with the Lee County Clerk of Court's Office in November in which the company claimed to have bought vacant lots owned by Jorge Irigoyen of Slidell, La.; Henry Thierauf of Secaucus, N.J.; and Modena B. Mitchem of Oak Hill.
All three property owners appear to have signed the deeds last fall. Records say Irigoyen has been dead since 1991 An obituary published by the Secaucus Home News said Thierauf died on May 17, 1980. Mitchem died on Nov. 29, 2003, at Ocean View Nursing and Rehabilitation Center in New Smyrna Beach.” The owner of All American Foreclosure Solutions, Derek K. Runion, 23, of Cape Coral, did not respond to questions about the deeds, the story said. The FBI and state attorney’s office are investigating reports of fraudulent deeds filed in Sarasota and Lee counties since 2003, several with signatures of property owners who were dead at the time. The public records handbook covers deeds on Page 113.
More records in play:
National Hurricane Center records on hurricane activity: Robert P. King of the Palm Beach Post on records that show Hurricane Dennis is the first major hurricane to hit Florida since record-keeping started in 1851 …
Florida Office of Insurance regulatory records: John Holland of the South Florida Sun-Sentinel on how many South Florida roofers lack insurance, leaving homeowners liable …
Lawsuits: Candace Rondeaux of the St. Petersburg Times about players suing the estate of a Hillsborough County soccer coach who killed himself after he was accused of sexually molesting them…
Florida Sunshine Review:
Palm Beach Post editorial: Slow move online OK for court records …
*Orlando Sentinel, by David Damron: Florida A&M University officials say say list of 41 people fired for payroll irregularities isn’t public record; Sentinel lawyer disagrees (*free registration required) …
*Naples Daily News, by Anne Marie Apollo: CIA director’s Social Security number removed from Web image of deed by Lee County clerk of courts (*free registration required) …
Associated Press, by David Royse: State’s use of database software defended and decried …
Palm Beach Daily News, by Michele Dargan: State prosecutors gain some of Rush Limbaugh’s medical records …
*Naples Daily News editorial: Crist is a “sunshining” example on open government (*free registration required) …
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