Ethics Ripple Effects: Ideas Have Consequences!

In 2014, I asked St. Augustine Historic Architectural Review Board members to file financial disclosures as required by Florida Statute 112.3145.

City Attorney RONALD WAYNE BROWN and successor ISABELL CHRISTINE LOPEZ avoided and evaded the issue with flummery, dupery and nincompoopery, with BROWN asking LOPEZ to get "some protection" from the Ethics Commission (a conversation, not a written advisory ruling).

On October 28, 2015, in response to HARB's request for an opinion, my request was vindicated: financial disclosure is mandatory for HARB members.

On Tuesday, February 16, 2016, County Commissioners will vote to require such disclosures for its Cultural Resources Review Board:

Presenter - Rebecca C. Lavie, Assistant County Attorney
8. Financial Disclosure for Cultural Resources Review Board members. The Cultural Resources Review Board is an appointed board of the St. Johns County Board of County Commissioners whose purpose is to establish priorities for the identification, nomination, protection, preservation, and potential acquisition of cultural resources within St. Johns County. In furtherance of this purpose, the board has the power to designate Significant Cultural Resources, review and comment on Cultural Resource Management Plans as part of the County’s Development Review Process, evaluate and issue recommendations for County Landmark and County Landmark District Designations, and issue Certificates of Appropriateness for projects affecting County Landmarks and County Landmark Districts. On October 28, 2015, the Florida Commission on Ethics issued an advisory opinion finding that members of the St. Augustine Historic Architecture Review Board are local officers as defined by Section 112.3145(1)(a)2.d, Florida Statutes, and are subject to financial disclosure requirements. The St. Augustine Historic Architecture Review Board serves a similar purpose to that of the CRRB within the city of St. Augustine. Based on the Commission on Ethics advisory opinion, a copy of which is attached, the County Attorney's Office recommends that the Board of County Commissioners require financial disclosures for members of the Cultural Resources Review Board pursuant to Section 112.3145, Florida Statutes.