12/8/1998 - Laserfiche WebLink

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BOOK 10 7 FACE MOTION WAS MADE by Commissioner Macht, SECONDED BY Commissioner Adams, to adopt the ordinance and require that each of the three constitutional officers pay for the bond premium out of their own budgets. Under discussion, Commissioner Ginn asked that County Attorney Vitunac respond to Mr. Coffee's questions, especially with respect to the purpose of the bonds. County Attorney Vitunac thought it necessary to go back into the early history of the State of Florida when the constitutional officers were far away from Tallahassee, and had little communication with the State and really did have personal control over property and money and could abscond with it. Under the terms of a surety bond, the surety was charged with finding the property and bringing it back or the constitutional officer would lose his bond. He did not know of any county where it has had any good effect. Nowadays, it is pretty hard for anyone to do anything improper with public money or property, and that was why the Legislature gave the power to local counties to determine whether or not it is still a valid safety procedure. In the case of some impropriety, the County would notify the bonding company, notify law enforcement officials, and the Governor. The constitutional officers are independent and equal to the Commissioners in our government. Each one has a different budget method and the County does exert some control during the budget process, but once that is over, they are subject only to the Governor and the voters for approval of how they run their office. The Chairman CALLED THE QUESTION and the motion carried unanimously. (Ordinance 98-027 adopted establishing surety bond requirements for certain constitutional officers and requiring that premium for bond be an expense of the budget for the individual constitutional officer being bonded.) December 8, 1998 26