Former Council members Damien Gilliams, Pamela Parris, and Charles Mauti will be facing a lawsuit by Sunshine Law advocate Michael Barfield.
On Thursday, a jury found Damien Gilliams and Pamela Parris guilty of violating the Sunshine Law and charges of perjury for lying to investigators. Charles Mauti testified in the trial for the State prosecution.
“A jury of their peers has rejected their claims, and now the citizens of Sebastian can rest knowing that the system worked,” Michael Barfield told Sebastian Daily.
Barfield and the City of Sebastian agreed on a $15,000 settlement, which could have been in the millions. A couple of years back, the City of Venice in Florida had to pay Barfield over a million dollars for Sunshine Law violations.
However, Barfield wants to hold Gilliams, Parris, and Mauti accountable in Sebastian for violating the law.
“We will press forward with ensuring that Mauti, Gilliams, and Parris are held accountable for civil violations of the Sunshine Law. We will seek to ensure that the city treasury is fully reimbursed for their misdeeds,” Barfield added.
Sebastian Daily will follow up when there is more information available.