Who oversees special districts?
The primary entity responsible for overseeing a special district is not the state or a county or city, it is the special district’s own governing board. Each governing board member is responsible for ensuring that the district complies with all applicable laws and conducts district business as authorized by its charter. Since special districts are separate units of local government – not state or local programs overseen by another level of government – no single state agency or person has the authority to completely oversee special districts. One of the main purposes of the Uniform Special District Accountability Act of 1989 (Chapter 189, Florida Statutes) is to ensure that special districts are accountable to state and local governments and the public. This Act requires special districts to comply with many of the same high standards as those of cities and counties. Examples of these standards include: Sending an annual financial report to the state disclosing the district’s revenues,
The primary entity responsible for overseeing a special district is not the state or a county or city, it is the special district’s own governing board. Each governing board member is responsible for ensuring that the district complies with all applicable laws and conducts district business as authorized by its charter. Since special districts are separate units of local government – not state or local programs overseen by another level of government – no single state agency or person has the authority to completely oversee special districts. One of the main purposes of the Uniform Special District Accountability Act of 1989 (also known as Chapter 189, Florida Statutes – Special Districts: General Provisions) is to ensure that special districts are accountable to state and local governments and the public. This Act requires special districts to comply with many of the same high standards as those of cities and counties.
