Issue link: https://newsleader.uberflip.com/i/110922
Sarasota News Leader February 22, 2013 Page 10 may be too early, but I���ve heard nothing but No more than I could come in and sit in when you go talk to a professional. good things so far. But he���s fairly new. ��������� Theisen: So they���re secret or they���re not. Are you satisfied with the performance Those meetings are not subject to the of the three city charter officials: city at- Sunshine Law. torney, clerk and auditor, city manager? Theisen: So they���ll never get sued over it. Theisen: Mr. Barwin is a little too new. I have If it were the five commissioners togethonly one impression of him. He didn���t like the er, that would be an official meeting, Sunshine idea [of open meetings with an ad noticed, with people able to attend and hoc committee on the city���s homelessness minutes being taken. But one-on-one situation]. He has a reputation. People are meetings are not subject to the Sunshine starting to know he doesn���t like Sunshine. Of Law. course, that���s kind of dangerous because we have a law firm making their whole living out Theisen: I was a little bit raised eyebrows he didn���t want it videotaped. But, well, all right. of Sunshine suits. And the other city charter officials? We might just as well avoid the appearance of any closure. Specifically, I went to a meeting Theisen: I can���t evaluate Mr. whatevwith him and asked, ���Are we in the Sunshine?��� er-his-name is ��� the lawyer. I was holding up the video camera, and he Bob Fournier. said, ���I���d rather you didn���t.��� So I didn���t. But I think that���s dangerous. Theisen: Yeah. I understand the five commissioners and the But as a city commissioner you would manager once a week have a closed-door evaluate him. meeting. Theisen: I think I would judge him on whether or not he was forthcoming with answers to Yes, one-on-one. legal questions. I���d say my impression of him Theisen It���s not all five? is neutral at this point. No. And the city auditor and clerk? Theisen: Then I was misinformed. I wonder Theisen: I���d say she���s right there. She���s on what the justification is of keeping that secret. top of everything. You know, I go over there OK, so the minutes of that are posted? and ask for a public information request, and they never say, ���No.��� Sometimes they take I don���t think they take minutes. an embarrassingly long time and always the Theisen: So somebody could come in and sit explanation is they have trouble getting the information, which isn���t surprising when you on those?