(La Porte County, IN) - Commissioner Rich Mrozinski still in Florida was allowed to vote while attending Wednesday’s meeting of the La Porte County Commissioners meeting on ZOOM.

 

He was prohibited from voting while attending the previous meeting two weeks ago on ZOOM under a new policy requiring a commissioner be physically present.

 

The policy adopted by the commissioners six weeks ago prohibits voting after using ZOOM to take part in meetings more than once during a year.  Mrozinski has not been physically present for a meeting since leaving for his second home near Orlando in early January.

 

Under the policy, the president of the La Porte County Commissioners can grant a waiver to allow a commissioner in violation of the policy to vote if there’s valid reason given for a physical absence.

 

During the last meeting, Mrozinski verbally cited a medical condition without going into specifics for him being in Florida for an extended period.

 

Commission President Joe Haney denied the waiver request, believing he was simply “snow birding.”

 

In recent years, Mrozinski has been spending winter in Florida and Haney cited reports of him doing things like playing golf for not believing his medical claims. This time, Mrozinski provided some medical information in writing electronically to Haney.  

 

Haney thanked him and granted him a waiver to vote at the beginning of the meeting.

 

There was no further discussion.

 

Repeated attempts to reach Mrozinski and Haney for comment, so far, have not been successful.