Venice cost taxpayers money in delaying settlement

Eric Ernst of the Herald Tribune is pleased with how the city of Venice, Fla., adopted new e-mail policies and increased FOI training. However, the disappointment is that the city accumulated mounds of bills by not settling the case in June. The recent settlement did not differ substantially from the previous ones offered. Taxpayers will now be footing the bill.

If the outside world takes one lesson from the Venice open records/Sunshine Law case, it should be: Fix what's wrong and get on with life.

The city and its eight defendants -- City Council members, advisory board members and a former mayor -- did fine on the fixing.

They adopted procedures to safeguard e-mails regarding public business and they beefed up training.

More here.