Martin County, Florida
From Sunshine Review
Contents |
 | ||||||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| ||||||||||||||||||||||
Martin County is one of 67 counties in Florida. Stuart is the county seat.
[edit] Evaluation of website
- Main article: Evaluation of Florida county websites
[edit] The good
- County commissioners are listed with contact information.[1]
- Meeting minutes and agendas are available.[2]
- Building permits are available,[3] as well as zoning information.[4]
- Contracts are available.[5]
- Annual financial report is available[6]
- Includes information on open records requests and a link to the State Attorney General's site on Florida Sunshine Law.[7] Does not say who to contact or how for the county.
- Local tax information is included.[8]
[edit] The bad
- The page for the budget comes up as "error"[9]
- Does not disclose if belongs to taxpayer-funded lobbying associations.
- There is no information on the budget or audits.
[edit] Public Records
In late 2008 reporters organized by the Florida Society of Newspaper Editors requested the most recent budget emails from central Florida county officials in order to audit the responses.
In Martin County, the sheriff's office failed the audit because the records custodian refused to give access to correspondence that had accompanied the budget, saying that the budget had since been revised, and therefore the information in the correspondence was no longer valid. State law does not exempt out of date information. Sheriff Robert Crowder expressed dissatisfaction with the methods used during the audit, and insists "My people are well aware of the public records law." [10] [11]
See also public record requests meet with confusion in central Florida.
[edit] Lobbying
- Main article: Florida taxpayer-funded lobbying
The Martin County Board of Commissioners has reported $590,000 spent on lobbying since 2004 (see table).
| Year | Amount spent on lobbying |
|---|---|
| 2009 | $40,000 |
| 2008 | $110,000 |
| 2007 | $120,000 |
| 2006 | $120,000 |
| 2005 | $120,000 |
| 2004 | $80,000 |
[edit] Audits
For Martin County, the clerk or comptroller performs the internal audits.[13]
[edit] External links
- Official Martin County Website
- Martin County Clerk of Court
- Martin County Tax Collector
- Martin County on E-Reference
- Martin County Tourism information
- School Board of Martin County
- Martin County Chamber of Commerce
- Martin County Supervisor of Elections
[edit] References
- ↑ Commissioners
- ↑ Minutes and Agendas
- ↑ Permits
- ↑ Zoning
- ↑ Contracts
- ↑ Financial Report
- ↑ Records Request
- ↑ Tax Collector
- ↑ Budget
- ↑ Sheriff's offices flunk group's audit on public records, Palm Beach Post, November 21, 2008
- ↑ All three Treasure Coast sheriff's offices flunk public records review, TCPalm, November 22, 2008
- ↑ Open Secrets
- ↑ PBC Clerk & Comptroller 5.30.07
| |||||
