{"id":61513,"date":"2026-01-22T21:21:38","date_gmt":"2026-01-23T02:21:38","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/lakelandgazette.info\/news\/?p=61513"},"modified":"2026-01-23T21:08:17","modified_gmt":"2026-01-24T02:08:17","slug":"polk-county-commissioners-break-the-law","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/lakelandgazette.info\/news\/2026\/01\/22\/polk-county-commissioners-break-the-law\/","title":{"rendered":"Polk County Commissioners broke the law \u2026"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
\n
\"\"
Becky Troutman<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
\"\"
Rick Wilson<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
\"\"
Bill Braswell<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
\"\"
Martha Santiago<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
\"\"
Michael Scott<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

The commissioners continue to ask all speakers in public comment for their address. Why? <\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n

\n
\"\"
Randy Mink Polk County Attorney<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n

And the Polk County Attorney allows it, why?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Florida Attorney General’s office has issued opinions, notably Public Access AGO 2005-13<\/a>, AGO 96-55<\/a>, stating that public bodies cannot require individuals to disclose their identification to participate in public comment at an open meeting, as it chills free speech and violates the spirit of Florida’s Sunshine Law (Open Meetings Act).<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Public entities can have reasonable rules for orderly comment, but can’t make address disclosure a prerequisite, as the right to speak isn’t tied to where you live, and public records exemptions for addresses are specific.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

According to Commissioner Becky Troutman phone call to the Lakeland Gazette<\/em>, Randy Mink Polk County Attorney, told her that this case law, CITY OF MIAMI v. AIRBNB INC\u00a0(2018)<\/a>, is what Polk County is going by.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

– – – – – – – – – – – – – – <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Board of County Commissioners is the governing body of Polk County, as established by the Florida Constitution, and serves as the legislative branch of county government, as defined in the county charter<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The five Polk County commissioners must reside in their district. Commissioners from District 1<\/a>, District 3<\/a>, and District 5<\/a> are elected in presidential election years; District 2<\/a> and District 4<\/a> are elected in the intervening years. And shortly after the beginning of a new fiscal year, a chairman and vice chairman are elected by the members of the county commission.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The authorities and responsibilities of the Polk County Board of County Commissioners include:<\/p>\n\n\n\n