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Alleged sunshine law violations and alleged state procurement violations are both why Robert A. Schweickert, Jr. filed a lawsuit against the Port Authority and the Board of County Commissioners back in May of 2011.

 

In the lawsuit, Schweickert alleged that members of the Board of County Commissioners, sitting also as members of the Port Authority, improperly decided to retain the law firm of Pennington, Moore, Wilkinson, Bell and Dunbar to lobby for Port Citrus.  He claims this happened after each Commissioner heard information for a port on the Cross Florida Barge Canal from Fred Busack, an attorney in the firm.

 

The County filed appropriate motions to dismiss the lawsuit.  These motions were denied, in order to provide the plaintiff an attempt to state a cause of action.    Schweickert filed his amended complaint.  The County then filed appropriate motions to seek dismissal of these actions.

 

This afternoon, Judge Howard dismissed the original case sighting no facts upon which a sunshine law violation could be made.

 

County Attorney Richard Wesch was very pleased with the outcome, “I was extremely satisfied with the Judge Howard’s decision, vindicating both the Board of County Commission and the Port Authority.  Now the Port Citrus project can continue to move forward without this unfounded hindrance.”