10/14/2025
Urgent: Local Government Transparency Issue to be Voted on Tomorrow
Dear Hernando Sun Readers:
The Hernando County Board of County Commissioners will be considering an ordinance tomorrow, Oct. 14, 2025, to publish public notices solely on a county website. Currently, Hernando Sun publishes many of the county’s public notices for public hearings, meetings, ordinances, bid advertisements and more. Hernando Sun publishes these notices at a cost-effective rate- making them available to citizens via a print newspaper, an e-edition, a popular online website hernandosun.com and on the statewide website floridapublicnotices.com.
While a relatively new state law allows them to make this decision, is it the right thing to do? Publishing important public notices solely on a county website or any single website not widely known will make your county government activities less transparent.
Hernando Sun is part of the Hernando County community. If the county chooses to publish the notices online, they will still need to hire an outside vendor to manage the public notice placement. Will that vendor be as invested in the community as Hernando Sun?
Additionally, State law requires the county to provide public notices to residents who request them by email or first-class mail, which could quickly become more expensive than utilizing Hernando Sun. (Many of Hernando Sun’s readers do not use email.)
If you’d like to support Hernando Sun, you can reach out to the county commissioners via the template below:
I fully support Hernando County government utilizing Hernando Sun to publish legal/public notices in their weekly print issue, e-edition, online at hernandosun.com and on floridapublicnotices.com. This protects transparency in county government business matters, meetings and hearings. I do not support the publication of county legal notices solely on a website owned/run by the county or solely on a publicly available website.
The Hernando Sun is an independent, locally owned newspaper and small business in Hernando County that has provided significant economic benefits to the community through its news coverage, partnerships with community organizations, and support of numerous fundraisers.
It is a widely read and respected publication. I hope you see the importance of continuing to partner with Hernando Sun for public notice.
County Commissioner Ryan Amsler: [email protected]
Chairman Brian Hawkins: [email protected]
County Commissioner John Allocco: [email protected]
Vice Chair Jerry Campbell: [email protected]
County Commissioner Steve Champion: [email protected]
County Administrator Jeff Rogers: [email protected]
Please let me know if you do reach out to the county commissioners, so I can thank you.
Sincerely,
Julie Maglio
Co-Publisher, Hernando Sun
[email protected]
The Hernando Sun is an independent and family-owned newspaper. We live, work and raise our kids in Hernando County. Support our real newsroom through a tax-deductible donation.
Database of public and legal notices published in newspaper
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