Brevard County Commissioner Bolin-Lewis Moves Public Comments To End Of Meetings
VIERA, Florida -- Following Brevard County Commissioner Robin Fisher's announcement that the Board's philosophy on taxpayer-funded Economic Development projects will not change despite public opposition, plus a heated debate over Brevard County Animal Services where newly-elected Brevard County Commission Chair Mary Bolin-Lewis summoned Sheriff's deputies on Brevard County Clerk of Court Scott Ellis, Bolin-Lewis, by her authority in Resolution 05-332, has requested the Public Comment section of the Agenda be moved to the end of the Commission Agenda.
The change will put the Agenda in the following order: Approval of Minutes, Resolutions, Awards and Presentations, Board Reports, Consent, Public Hearings, Unfinished Business, New Business, and Public Comment. The change in the agenda configuration will also change the numbering of the sections.
The change to the Agenda configuration will be effective January 21, 2014.
The change will put the Agenda in the following order: Approval of Minutes, Resolutions, Awards and Presentations, Board Reports, Consent, Public Hearings, Unfinished Business, New Business, and Public Comment. The change in the agenda configuration will also change the numbering of the sections.
The change to the Agenda configuration will be effective January 21, 2014.
Referring to Lewis Carroll's Alice's Adventures in Wonderland, Ellis said, "The Red Queen has spoken. Just as wiping out the AAB [Animal Advisory Board] did not make the issue disappear, neither will the deliberate pushing of the Public Comments to the end of the meeting to stifle dissent achieve the desired goal."
"Talk about abuse of power and stifling the public interaction," Commissioner Trudie Infantini said in an email. "This Board is out of control. No transparency whatsoever."
UPDATE: Commissioner Trudie Infantini has requested that this issue be placed on the January 28th Commission meeting agenda.
