PORT CHARLOTTE — Charlotte County Commissioner-elect John Fleming angered several current commissioners by distributing a letter using official Charlotte County letterhead — weeks before he is set to be sworn in as a commissioner.
The board debated what to do about the release at its Tuesday meeting, including ordering an investigation into who gave Fleming the letterhead.
“To me it’s a serious violation, and where did the letterhead come from?” Commissioner Bill Truex said.
After extensive back-and-forth conversation, outgoing Commissioner Stephen R. Deutsch admitted he gave Fleming the letterhead, but said he was shocked to see that Fleming actually used it.
“He asked for me for a couple of pieces of stationary, and I said ‘You’re only a commissioner-elect and you can’t do anything until you’re sworn in,’” Deutsch said. “I was surprised as anyone else.”
Deutsch said he would have acted the same with any member of the public.
“The official seal is for the use in the commission office only … I don’t know why you don’t get that. You don’t get it,” Truex said.
County attorney Thomas David praised the board for not responding to emails they all got on the matter from Fleming. That would have constituted a violation of Florida open meeting laws, he said.
Fleming is not yet a commissioner, legally, and cannot use the letterhead for his communications, David said.
But he is subject to the Florida open meeting laws, which have been written to include elected officials who have not yet taken office.
The Daily Sun reached out for comment from Fleming, and he declined, except to say that the issue in his letter was something Commissioner Christopher Constance spoke about at the Sept. 9 County Commission meeting.
Fleming defeated Constance in the Republican primary in August. Nobody else qualified for the election, so Fleming will replace Constance in November.