All organizations have records, but public records are special category only found in government. The laws governing public records are state specific and Florida has one of the broadest and most open-access policies in the United States. Florida Statute Chapter 119 is our Public Records Law and is frequently referred to as the Sunshine Law.
The definition of a public record as stated in Chapter 119 is “…all documents, papers, letters, maps, books, tapes, photographs, films, sound recordings, data processing software, or other material, regardless of the physical form, characteristics, or means of transmission, made or received pursuant to law or ordinance or in connection with the transaction of official business by any agency.” Additionally, the statute provides 3 principles that govern an agencies responsibility to provide access as:
- Each government agency is charged with the responsibility of safeguarding its public records.
- Government records are open for personal inspection and copying by any person.
- Providing access to public records is a duty of each agency.
Unless an exemption exists in the statute, for example, medical information or social security numbers, the records must be made available within a reasonable time to the public upon request. If access is denied, the legal citation of the exemption will be provided. There are over 1,500 exemptions in which the State of Florida has identified a specific record or part of a record that are exempt from disclosure to the public.
The Lake Worth Drainage District (LWDD) provides many frequently requested records on its website at www.lwdd.net. If you are unable to find the records you need on the website, a public records request can be submitted. Requests for records do not have to be submitted in writing; however, a request form at www.lwdd.net/contact/public-records-request was created to help facilitate the process. Regardless of the method used when making a request, it is important to be specific about the records you are requesting and if possible, include the date range. A very broad and ambiguous request can take longer to fulfill and the cost of production of extraneous records may be burdensome to the requestor. The LWDD is committed to providing open and prompt access to the agency’s public records and staff is available to assist the public in obtaining the information they need.
Public Records And You
/in NewsAll organizations have records, but public records are special category only found in government. The laws governing public records are state specific and Florida has one of the broadest and most open-access policies in the United States. Florida Statute Chapter 119 is our Public Records Law and is frequently referred to as the Sunshine Law.
The definition of a public record as stated in Chapter 119 is “…all documents, papers, letters, maps, books, tapes, photographs, films, sound recordings, data processing software, or other material, regardless of the physical form, characteristics, or means of transmission, made or received pursuant to law or ordinance or in connection with the transaction of official business by any agency.” Additionally, the statute provides 3 principles that govern an agencies responsibility to provide access as:
Unless an exemption exists in the statute, for example, medical information or social security numbers, the records must be made available within a reasonable time to the public upon request. If access is denied, the legal citation of the exemption will be provided. There are over 1,500 exemptions in which the State of Florida has identified a specific record or part of a record that are exempt from disclosure to the public.
The Lake Worth Drainage District (LWDD) provides many frequently requested records on its website at www.lwdd.net. If you are unable to find the records you need on the website, a public records request can be submitted. Requests for records do not have to be submitted in writing; however, a request form at www.lwdd.net/contact/public-records-request was created to help facilitate the process. Regardless of the method used when making a request, it is important to be specific about the records you are requesting and if possible, include the date range. A very broad and ambiguous request can take longer to fulfill and the cost of production of extraneous records may be burdensome to the requestor. The LWDD is committed to providing open and prompt access to the agency’s public records and staff is available to assist the public in obtaining the information they need.
Tom Turkey Has A Message For You
/in News, Water Conservation & QualityFried turkeys are a holiday treat, but the mess from all that oil is less enticing. After a wonderful meal and it’s time to clean-up, do you know what to do with that left-over cooking oil?
You can store used cooking oil to reuse later. If you plan to reuse your cooking oil, you should choose high-quality oil with a high smoking point and strain it through cheesecloth between each use. Store the used cooking oil in a cool, dry place in a sealed container. Or if you choose to dispose of it, do not pour it down your drain. That can cause costly damage to your home plumbing, sewage collection system or septic system. Additionally, do not dispose of used cooking oil in your garden, down a storm drain or into a canal. Once the oil enters the water system it becomes a pollutant and may cause serious harm to water quality and marine life.
To dispose of cooking oil properly, carefully pour the cooled used cooking oil into a large, sturdy plastic container no larger than 5 gallons in size. Don’t mix the used cooking oil with any other liquids or products. Cap it tightly and drop it off at one of the Solid Waste Authority’s Home Chemical and Recycling Centers. For drop-off locations and more information contact the Solid Waste Authority at 561-640-4000 or visit their website at https://swa.org/173/Used-Cooking-Oil.
Resource for Property Managers
/in News, ResidentialHow You Can Help Cut Costs
/in News, ResidentialMaintenance of the Lake Worth Drainage District (LWDD) canal system is a large portion of our operating budget. Whether adjacent to a canal or miles inland, residents can help LWDD cut costs with a few simple steps.
Residents can limit the use of pesticides, fertilizers, and herbicides (weed killer) on landscapes. Remember, what and how much you place on your lawn will eventually make its way to the canal system. Excessive nutrients in the water leads to additional vegetative growth and water quality issues thus requiring the use of aquatic control chemicals and LWDD personnel time for its application.
Fences, vegetation, and other encroachment violations within the LWDD right-of-way disrupts the daily operations of our crews and may slow emergency response time that is critical to public safety. When violators do not remove or relocate these installations it requires LWDD manpower and equipment mobilization to remove them. Additionally, legal costs may be incurred to protect the public’s property rights from private users.
The LWDD does not provide free trash disposal. Dumping trash including yard waste in the canal or on the right-of-way is illegal. If the dumper cannot be identified, LWDD must redirect personnel away from their daily duties for removal of the debris. Cleaning up after those who dump on the canal right-of-way can be costly both in money and time.
Four wheelers, ATVs and other motorized vehicles are not permitted to drive on the LWDD right-of-way. This type of aggressive land use leads to washouts and other damages requiring time-consuming and costly repairs.
Helping the LWDD to save costs only requires residents to simply avoid the actions mentioned. For more information about the LWDD’s maintenance programs, visit our website lwdd.net.
Post-Storm Vegetation Debris Removal
/in Hurricanes, News, ResidentialFollowing a severe storm event, the Lake Worth Drainage District (LWDD) conducts immediate post-storm assessments, inspecting water control structures, canal channels and the canal rights-of-way for vegetative debris with the potential to negatively impact drainage.
The public can assist by reporting storm damage via our Citizen Damage Reporting System located on our website at https://lwddnet.wpengine.com/storm-response. The user will be asked a few questions and a map will be provided to help identify the location of the incident. These public reports as well as LWDD staff assessments are reviewed and prioritized for vegetation removal. Priority is based on the following criteria:
Depending on the severity of the storm damage it may take several weeks before crews can address low priority incidents. Private property owners that wish to trim vegetation that has fallen or is leaning on their property from the LWDD right-of-way may do so at their discretion and expense. If access to the LWDD right-of-way is necessary to trim or remove vegetation, the property owner should receive prior approval from the LWDD for temporary access.
Any material from trimming or tree removal by the property owner must be properly disposed of by the resident or if applicable the contractor performing the work. Keep in mind that it is unlawful to place any debris in the canal or on the right-of-way in anticipation that LWDD will remove the material. Unlawful dumping will be reported to the authorities.
If fallen debris has damaged personal property, the individual property owner should contact their insurance company to submit a claim. The LWDD will not directly reimburse property owners for damage caused by acts of mother nature.
After a major storm event, debris clean-up is paramount to getting back to normal and the LWDD is committed to quick removal of hazardous flood prone debris for the safety of our residents.