Lake Point has filed a Notice of Appeal of Judge McManus’ order denying Public Records Act claims against Martin County.
After a two-day trial, Judge McManus last month denied Lake Point’s claims that the County failed to promptly and fully respond to requests for public records consisting of e-mails and commissioner notes. The judge found that the County responded reasonably to Public Records requests and that any delay in locating and producing a couple of e-mails (out of thousands of documents that were produced) was inadvertant. The judge also ruled that personal notes prepared and used by comissioners to assist them in discussions and questioning staff during commission meetings are not public records.
It will be well into the spring of next year before the briefs are all filed in the appeal. A decision from the Fourth District Court of Appeal will likely be issued in the fall.