Thursday’s City Commission meeting began with more than an hour and a half of debate on the timing of the Chamber of Commerce’s July 17 public meeting on its energy study group and the impacts of energy policy on small businesses.
The Chamber scheduled the meeting as a public session for commissioners and the public to give input on the business organization’s ongoing study of Gainesville Regional Utilities’ governance and financial issues such as the general fund transfer. Commissioner Thomas Hawkins had previously objected to the fact that the Chamber group’s meetings were behind closed doors.
On Thursday, a majority of the Commission objected to the fact that the July 17 meeting was on a date that GRU General Manager Bob Hunzinger could not attend. Hunzinger, who was out of town at Thursday’s meeting, plans to attend the Florida Municipal Electric Association and Florida Municipal Power Agency annual conference at the July 17 date.
Because the Chamber intended to have a Commission panel discussion at the July meeting, it would have been a Sunshine Law meeting and a Commission workshop. The Commission, after much debate, voted 4-2 Thursday to look to hold the workshop on another date when Hunzinger can attend. Mayor Ed Braddy and Todd Chase were in dissent. Randy Wells was absent.
The decision means that, while commissioners may attend the July 17 Chamber meeting, their input has to be limited under the Sunshine Law, City Attorney Nicole Shalley said.
Braddy said that, with budget meetings for next fiscal year looming in the summer, he felt the majority vote would move any public Commission meeting on the Chamber group out months. The Chamber group expects to release a study in September.