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Highlands Today

Colby Back In Court Wanting FHREDI Records

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By Bill Rettew Jr. | Highlands Today

Published: May 11, 2008

SEBRING — Preston Colby, local public watchdog, was recently in court seeking public records.

Colby seeks a release of public records from meetings of the Florida Heartland Rural Economic Development Initiative (FHREDI) committee.

Colby maintains the the committee held visioning sessions with volunteers in 2006 that violated the Florida Sunshine Law.

Colby said there was a failure to make public notice of some meetings and then they failed to supply him with minutes of those meetings.

During a web search of the official records of Highlands County, Colby was listed as being involved in more than 130 legal actions.

Colby has, or will, butt heads with several agencies and individuals, including, the Internal Revenue Service, Highlands County's Sheriffs Office, county commissioners, the state of Florida and even Dan Andrews, formally of the Sebring Chamber of Commerce.

Colby said on Wednesday that he only sought access to records – some which he said likely never existed – while seeking no financial gain from the recent legal action. The session lasted two days, with no resolution.

Colby said that a $116,000 contract was paid to a consultant, though there was no competitive bidding, as Colby said was required.

"The consultant was hired with no competitive bids," said Colby, who is represented by local attorney Jim McCollum. "They just didn't do it."

Ross MacBeth is representing the county. He said the defense has yet to present any witnesses, and the action was expected to last only two days. No date was given by Colby or MacBeth for when the proceedings will resume.

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