Seminole County, Florida

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Seminole County is one of 67 counties in Florida. Sanford is the county seat.

Seminole County's population as of 2007 was 425,698. It is one of 20 charter counties in the state. It became a charter county in 1989.[1]


[edit] Evaluation of website

Main article: Evaluation of Florida county websites

[edit] The good

  • Budget is available.[2]
  • Board meeting information[3], agendas, and videos[4] are available.
  • County commissioners are listed with contact information.[5]
  • Active contracts are available.[6]
  • Building permits[7] and zoning information is available.[8]
  • Audits are available.[9]
  • Includes a public records search, but not how to make a public records request.[10]
  • Local tax information is provided.[11]

[edit] The bad

[edit] Lobbying

Main article:Florida taxpayer-funded lobbying

Seminole County pays for services of the lobbying firm Alcade & Fay. [12] and paid them a total of $40,000 in 2006 and 2007[13]:

  • In 2007, the county wanted federal funding for Jetta Point Park, a computer aided dispatch system, and a water supply project.[14]
  • In 2006, the county was seeking federal funding for State Road 46, a pedestrian overpass, and Cross Florida Greenways Trail.[15]

Seminole County has reported $390,000 spent on lobbying since 2005 (see table).

Reported lobbying expenditures, 2000-2009 [16]
Year Amount spent on lobbying
2009 $50,000
2008 $120,000
2007 $100,000
2006 $100,000
2005 $20,000

[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.

Seminole County saw some confusion, but all three county agencies there met the requests. [17]

See also public record requests meet with confusion in central Florida.

[edit] Audits

For Seminole County, the clerk or comptroller performs the internal audits.[18]

[edit] External links

[edit] References

Working for accountable government now
  1. ↑ Florida's charter counties
  2. ↑ Budget
  3. ↑ Calendar
  4. ↑ Agendas
  5. ↑ Commissioners
  6. ↑ Contracts
  7. ↑ Permits
  8. ↑ Zoning
  9. ↑ Audits
  10. ↑ Records Search
  11. ↑ Tax Collector
  12. ↑ Client List
  13. ↑ Alcade & Fay Client list
  14. ↑ Lobbying Report 2007
  15. ↑ Lobbying Report 2006
  16. ↑ Open Secrets
  17. ↑ Orlando Sentinel, Public-records requests befuddle county staffs, November 22, 2008
  18. ↑ PBC Clerk & Comptroller 5.30.07
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