Monroe County State Legal professional Dennis Ward’s Workplace is continuous to look into the occasions which led to former Islamorada Village Supervisor Rob Cole’s resignation and the village council’s subsequent approval of a severance package deal.
Particularly, the state lawyer is investigating whether or not a sunshine regulation violation occurred over the Cole matter. Subpoenas have been issued for cellphone information and emails amongst council members and village officers. Sunshine legal guidelines require that officers conduct enterprise at scheduled conferences and never by session out of public view.
“I bought higher issues to do than cope with these elected officers,” Ward instructed Keys Weekly. “You’d determine they’d know higher.”
Ward’s workplace started requesting communications and different information shortly after the Jan. 7 council assembly, when Cole tendered his resignation and council members accepted a severance package deal through 4-1 vote. The matter was initially on the consent agenda, that means the merchandise wasn’t going to see public dialogue or enable for public remark. Councilman Steve Friedman, who elected to tug the Cole matter off the consent agenda, tried to supply the general public some info. Friedman voted no in opposition to the separation settlement, stating Cole by no means wished to resign from his job within the first place.
Friedman mentioned he was initially known as by Village Legal professional John Fast on Dec. 18 relating to an worker’s criticism in opposition to Cole. He additionally mentioned Fast was “conducting a ballot” of the council to see in the event that they supported a severance package deal in return for his resignation. Friedman mentioned Fast instructed him that he was the final council member and that his vote in opposition to severing ties with Cole was “within the minority.”
Fast appeared visibly upset as Friedman spoke, to the purpose the place he interrupted Friedman’s remarks by stating that he by no means polled any council members in relation to the matter.
“Council member Friedman, you particularly requested me to let you know what every of the opposite council members instructed me, and I instructed you I can not try this as a result of that may violate Sunshine,” Fast mentioned. “There isn’t any polling occurring. I have no idea what the aim of this assertion is.”
Friedman mentioned he was making an attempt to determine who on the council got here up with the thought for severance “out of the blue.” Different council members mentioned they both didn’t know or didn’t give you the association.
A bit of the separation settlement states the village, its elected officers and brokers can not publish, request or trigger one other to make or publish any assertion, verbal or in writing, that’s defamatory or disparaging of Cole. Additionally they can’t intervene with him acquiring new employment. Cole additionally agreed he wouldn’t publish any assertion that defames or disparages the village, its staff and council members.
Ward mentioned no prices have been filed in opposition to any official because the investigation continues.
“If we’re in a position to show it was a public conferences violation or a Sunshine regulation violation, we’ll see,” he mentioned.
Along with the investigation in Islamorada, Ward’s workplace has hung out investigating a matter in Key West. Final August, Ward’s workplace subpoenaed mobile phone and e mail information for all six Key West metropolis commissioners and the mayor, in addition to for metropolis lawyer Ron Ramsingh and his brother, Raj Ramsingh, who’s the town’s chief constructing official. The subpoenas got here simply 5 days earlier than a particular metropolis fee assembly to mull the rehiring of fired metropolis supervisor Al Childress, who was ousted in late June by 4 commissioners. Ward’s subpoenas additionally adopted on the heels of a marketing consultant report that questioned some actions of the chief constructing official in approving sure constructing permits.