Comments on: NorthEscambia.com Investigates: Escambia Employee Makes Anonymous Records Request To Identify Anonymous Citizen (And Why It Won’t Work)

By: Michael P McCormack

Michael P McCormack — Mon, 07 Jun 2021 04:53:59 +0000

Jacqueline Rogers – I apologize for my incorrect assumption. It seems that you are correct in that only the Commissioners and Senior management are eligible for the 401(a) plan. I was not aware that information was contained in documents you were privy to via files available thru members on ECW.
Bryan Caro- The Commission is not in a Special Risk Class either. According to the FRS tables I saw they are in the HI/PI class – County, City, Special District Elected Officers, Employer Contribution rate 49.18%.
But you are correct in that it is not the same class as Public Safety personnel, they should fall in the HB/PB class, Employer Contribution Rate 24.45%
Which by the way is 14.5% higher than other rank and file employees in the HA/PA _ Regular class at 10.00%
And you are aware that these rates are set by the State legislature, not the County Commission. So the Commissioners could not change that in the first place.

By: Bryan Caro

Bryan Caro — Mon, 31 May 2021 16:35:43 +0000

@Michael McCormack

Feet on the street aren’t privy to the 401(a) retirement plan. 457(b) is what the commoners get. For a Commissioner to be in a special risk class along with those who are actually risking their lives and livelihood is a joke. Besides, he would have contacted all Union presidents/Eboards and advised them as well. They could have helped w/ his request. If you seriously consider for one millisecond they are looking out for us, you are delusional. If so, I will publicly apologize.

By: Rasheed Jackson

Rasheed Jackson — Mon, 31 May 2021 12:12:15 +0000

A whole lot of anonymity going on here. Sounds like someone is keeping secrets, and maybe some special deals being cut under the table.

By: Dean

Dean — Sun, 30 May 2021 21:09:41 +0000

Ok first I need to state that I am a recognized expert on Florida’s Public Records law. I have to respond because most here are not stating facts but opinions, many of which have no legal basis. And also first understand the term “public records.” It does not refer to the open or closed status of public records but rather means simply “records of a public agency.” Now to the law which is the the only relevant consideration here. Per the law, the only public records that are closed to the public are those that have been determined to be by Florida statute. No other consideration exists. It’s just that simple. Whether you like it or not public agencies cannot withhold public records which unless there is a specific statutory exemption which makes the record “limited” access. And Florida law takes into account federal law in this regard. Public employees who knowingly refuse to provide access to public records that are open can be fined and jailed for doing so. Specifically here, it appears that the email cited does not fall under any statute, state or federal, permitting it to be withheld from a public record request…whether you could determine who sent it or not. And although it has no bearing here, do note that you cannot tell “who” sent an email from an IP address. The best you can determine would be the region or area it originated from. The only way you could know who sent it is by court order to the email provider, etc.

The email here should have been provided promptly to the requester. I’m sorry to see local public legal authorities who obviously don’t have a sufficient understanding of the law and the nature of email communications. And know this, as often stated in emails from those in public agencies. Overwhelmingly, your email to anyone in a public organization, is going to be open public record and is available to anyone who requests it. I don’t care how confidential you consider it, doesn’t matter. Unless it is of a nature that it falls under a statutory exemption from disclosure it is open public record available to anyone. And I can tell you that would be a real exception and 99.9 percent of public email is open to the public.

By: Alex Arduini

Alex Arduini — Sun, 30 May 2021 03:12:49 +0000

16 total county employees including 4 of the commissioners. The 12 employees are the executive level employees consisting of the county attorney, county administrator and most of the department heads. The complete list, provided by the county, is a hand written legal pad note on yellow paper. The settlement request is real, the ethics filing is real and the weaponizing of our county government is real if we allow them to unmask this resident. This should scare every freedom loving American, you can help by contacting the commissioners and tell them to protect our privacy rights. If the “county employee” can remain anonymous because they can speak with the county attorney in person, then an anonymous public records request should also remain anonymous and free from retaliation. Why else would they want to know who asked for the records?

By: Alex Arduini

Alex Arduini — Fri, 28 May 2021 22:10:04 +0000

Commissioner Barry gaveled in a motion to continue the local option 401a, plus he is a financial planner. So the “I didn’t know about it” excuse does not hold water. Commissioner Barry stands to make $250,000 and the county attorney stands to make close to $1 Million dollars from this “lost earnings settlement”!

By: erik

erik — Fri, 28 May 2021 20:34:09 +0000

Its time the fighting stops. Ms Pino seems like a nice lady. If you expect to get anything done you cant go to public forum hurling insults. I would say use the 3 minutes to say things that are productive. Its time to extend the right hand of fellowship and say look Commissioner Underhill im sorry can we start over. I wanna see our commissioners working for the greater common good.

By: Kristi Mitchell

Kristi Mitchell — Fri, 28 May 2021 13:39:01 +0000

@ Mel Pino–

Thanks for opening up with your legal issues.
I know it’s hard on you and your family, being in the legal spotlight all the time.
Very tragic and sad.

By: Well

Well — Fri, 28 May 2021 01:44:15 +0000

Please stop making candidate for District2 county commission think anyone cares what she thinks

We don’t.

By: Perry D

Perry D — Thu, 27 May 2021 23:29:48 +0000

I’m not sure who is right about the anonymous/not anonymous issue, but I’d be really interested to see the information requested too – particularly how many employees would be paid and what the total cost would be.