Public Integrity in Government Addressed at June Community Forum

	Alan Johnson heads the state attorney’s new Public Integrity Unit. « Previous | Next »

Commissioner Jess Santamaria held his monthly community forum on June 17 at the original Wellington Mall. Invited speakers were Palm Beach County Clerk and Comptroller Sharon Bock and Assistant State Attorney Alan Johnson, who serves as senior counsel for State Attorney Michael McAuliffe’s newly designated Public Integrity Unit.

Bock told the audience that state lawmakers significantly cut funding to her office during the recent legislative session. As a result, 101 employees -- approximately one-sixth of her staff -- had to be laid off, leaving Bock no choice but to close the mid-county clerk’s office in Royal Palm Beach. She apologized for the inconvenience this will cause and urged residents to contact their state senators and representatives to have the funding reinstated.

Johnson spent about an hour discussing a recently released 54-page grand jury presentment on Palm Beach County governance and public corruption issues. The grand jury met regularly for several months, he said, examining six main areas of governance: bond underwriting, land transactions, discretionary funds, ethics, training of public servants, and the possibility of establishing an independent watchdog, such as a compliance officer or inspector general. The Board of County Commissioners is scheduled to review and discuss the grand jury’s recommendations July 21. The presentment can be viewed at: http://www.sa15.state.fl.us/GeneralInformation/GrandJuryReports.htm