Two Coral Springs commissioners suspended after being charged with Sunshine Law violations

This morning the Broward County State Attorney’s Office filed second degree misdemeanor charges against Coral Springs Commissioners Vincent Boccard and Tom Powers for violations of the Sunshine Law, which prohibits City Commissioners from discussing City business outside of a public forum.

Gov. Charlie Crist sent out a memorandum at 5:50 p.m., suspending both commissioners from duty until further notice.

“This incident will not affect the delivery of municipal services to our community. We will effectively

manage our way through this unfortunate situation,” City Manager Michael Levinson said.

“I am deeply saddened by the news. Professionally our City will persevere,” Mayor Scott J. Brook added.

Commissioner Boccard and Commissioner Powers have retained independent defense counsel to represent them against these charges.

According to an affidavit from the Broward State Attorney’s Office, the two met with members of the local Fraternal Order of Police and the union negotiating team at Bru’s Sports Bar & Grill in Coconut Creek to discuss city business. By meeting in private, city business was allegedly discussed “out of the Sunshine.”

Related posts:

1. Coral Springs commission meeting Wednesday to appoint replacements for suspended commissioners
2. Coral Springs accepting grant applications for Coral Springs events
3. Coral Springs names new city manager
4. Police investigating Coral Springs homicide
5. Coral Springs offers Amnesty Period for First-Time Business Tax Receipt Applicants

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Posted by Andrea Freygang on Mar 29 2010. Filed under Broward County, Coral Springs, Crime, Ethics in Broward, Local news. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0. You can leave a response or trackback to this entry