COMMENTARY

“It would seem that in the eyes of the island weekly, the Press Journal and the State Attorneys’ Office members of the Indian River Shores Town Council are above the law?”

MARK SCHUMANN

Six months ago, Inside Indian River first reported on email correspondence between Indian River Shores Town Council members. The email communications are in clear violation of the Florida Sunshine Law, which prohibits direct communication about public business between members of a governing board, such as the Indian River Shores Town Council.

Despite the revelation of the emails, the island weekly and the Press Journal continue to ignore the story.  One has to wonder why. Could it be that because the island weekly and the local daily both support the Shores in its legal action against Vero Beach, the “news” organizations are reluctant to report the story?  Surely if it were revealed any two members of the Vero Beach City Council were communicating via email about city business, the island weekly and the “Scripps/FPL” Press Journal, would be all over the story.

In early December, the Sunshine Law violations were brought to the attention of the State Attorney’s Office, yet no enforcement action has been taken. It would seem that in the eyes of the island weekly, the Press Journal and the State Attorneys’ Office members of the Indian River Shores Town Council are above the law?

See:

Sunshine Law questions raised with State Attorney’s Office

Shores Councilman urges town manager to schedule public meeting for “an extremely inconvenient time”