Geter v. City of Sanford

No. 01-CA-904-16-L (18th Jud. Cir. Fla. Seminole County, Apr. 4, 2001) ; Clearinghouse Number: 53857

Description

Tenants Seek to Enforce “Sunshine Law” Right to Attend Housing Authority and City Commission Meetings

Abstract

Plaintiff two public housing tenants are suing defendant city, mayor, and housing authority to secure and enforce tenants’ right to attend and participate in housing authority board meetings and city commission meetings under the state’s government in sunshine law. Amid allegations of housing authority misconduct, the city commission approved a signed agreement providing for the resignation of four housing authority board members and the appointment of an interim director of city’s choice. Tenants allege that city and housing authority violated the sunshine law by engaging in a series of secret discussions. The secret discussions resulted in a “back-room illegal agreement” that permitted housing authority board members to remain as board members in the face of impending criminal investigations of housing authority. Tenants seek declaratory relief and attorney fees and costs. They claim that the operation of the sunshine law is crucial to their efforts to remedy corrupt conditions at the housing authority. Tenants also moved to disqualify city’s attorneys from participating as counsel; tenants allege that the attorneys have a conflict of interest from their past or present representation of housing authority in the same or substantially related matters and from their being material witnesses in tenants’ action.

Additional Information

Attorney Information
Plaintiffs represented by Treena A. Kaye, Central Florida Legal Services, Inc., 315 Magnolia Ave., Sanford FL 32771 (407.322.8983); Robert Hornstein, PO Box 357534, Gainesville FL 32635 (352.335.3533)
Docket Date
2001-05-04 00:00:00+00:00