New Florida financial disclosure law leads majority of North Palm Beach council to resign

NORTH PALM BEACH — Three North Palm Beach Village Council members have resigned over a new state law that takes effect in January that will require elected officials of municipalities to disclose their personal finances in a document called “Form 6.”

Council member Darryl Aubrey announced his departure during a meeting on Wednesday, Nov. 15. He served 17 years on the council.

Mayor David Norris, who served a total of 27 years, and council member Mark Mullinix, who served eight, followed. They announced their resignations during the council’s meeting on Thursday, Dec. 14.

Village Manager Chuck Huff said that Form 6 is detailed and will require council members to disclose the exact numbers in their bank accounts, 401(k) plans and personal assets. It targets Florida’s smaller municipalities, since many larger cities and towns already require significant amounts of financial disclosure.

“Some of the (disclosures) are just really too much for municipal bodies,” Huff said.

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The remaining council members, Susan Bickel and Deborah Searcy, appointed Karen Marcus on Thursday, Dec. 14, to fill one of the empty council seats until three new council members are elected on Tuesday, March 19. Marcus, a longtime North Palm Beach resident, served as a Palm Beach County commissioner from 1984 to 2012.

The current council members plan to appoint two more people to fill the other vacant seats during a special meeting at 4 p.m. Thursday, Dec. 21. The council will then choose a mayor to serve through March.

Norris broke into tears when he announced his resignation. He said he hoped to serve another term, but had to resign as his business does not allow him to do such disclosures. Norris is a partner at a law firm with offices in the village and Boca Raton.

“I think the new rule is ridiculous and wrong,” Norris said on Dec. 14. “It’s something I can’t do. That is forcing me to do something that I don’t want to do, so I am announcing my resignation.”

Mullinix said he would even have to disclose his daughter’s college fund on Form 6, which he said he “couldn’t fathom” doing.

“What the state has done has made it impossible for me to stay,” Mullinix said at the meeting. “This has been one of the great honors of my life and it's been a treat to serve in my hometown.”

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North Palm Beach to fill David Norris' seat in March 19 election

Once the new members are elected, the council will elect a mayor from among themselves at the first meeting following the election. Two people each are running to fill the seats formerly held by Mullinix and Aubrey.

A separate election qualifying period will be held from Jan. 4 to 11 to fill Norris’ former seat. Village voters will cast ballots on his replacement March 19.

“(The resignations) were kind of heartbreaking,” Huff said. “But it did not surprise me. Form 6 has a lot of people spooked and we are not the only municipality that is going through this.”

Elected officials in Dunnellon, Windermere, Longboat Key and other South Florida municipalities have resigned over the new requirement, according to media reports.

Maya Washburn covers northern Palm Beach County for The Palm Beach Post, part of the USA TODAY Florida-Network. Reach her at mwashburn@pbpost.com. Support local journalism: Subscribe today.

This article originally appeared on Palm Beach Post: North Palm Beach council members resign over new Florida Form 6 law