The BCC passes 5-0 last night in favor of the "Leave No Trace" ordinance....YAY!!! Why isn't anyone talking about it? This is wonderful! Is SoWal only a place for negative posts? Finally our beaches will have order and be beautiful again!

funny you ask that, because more often, people are accusing SoWal as being a place for only positive posts.

What's new with the passing. They've already passed it once. Now they passed it again. We will be more pleased when we see the beach free of crap in the evening, and when we stop falling into huge holes on the beach.

__________________

Code enforcement is comprised of five officers of which one is the manager, plus the administrative assistant. Leave no trace is well known to be very important to the citizens of south Walton. July 4th has to be one of the busiest times in south Walton. So how serious is the situation really being taken when you look at the allocation of resources.

Thursday--1 officer on duty - Gomer
Friday--1 officer on duty - Goober
Saturday--0 officer on duty - No one on duty-not even AuntB
Sunday--1 officer on duty - Barney

As this was being explained to me I may have mixed up Saturday and Friday. While Saturday is the holiday, Friday is what the county says is the holiday.

If this level of service is acceptable during such a busy time, one has to wonder, why not just go ahead and make this the level of service year round.

What will Goober, Gomer, and Barney be doing for the rest of the summer (Labor Day)? Maybe long term goals will be realized in (surprise, surprise, surprise as Gomer might offer to the idle ***** in a slapstick manner) the long term.

__________________

Who knows but if the past is any indication - NOTHING !

maybe you should leave the volleyball up on Saturday night.

__________________

I think they ought to just wait until October or November to even start this whole thing. Seems like it would be a whole less work then.

__________________

They never took it down !

I'm not sure what did or didn't happen in the past, but today we have a way to apply the heat to keep the golden goose that is our pristine beaches clean. Perhaps if the internet was around 30 years ago Miramar, Destin and PC wouldn't be the blight disasters they are now.

__________________

Sometimes trial by fire is the best training! Better to hit the ground running than be milquetoast about it.

__________________

Keep calling they will then just hire people at $35.00 per hour to be beach coordinators. That Goldgen Goose is producing fewer and fewer dollars and its not because of "crap" on the beach. Tourism is down as people try to keep their heads above water.

And the recession (or depression if you prefer) that lasted forever that you can cite is....?

That $35.00 per hour is probably a better long term investment than the whole 'THE Beach' fiasco.

__________________

understanding that I"m an ex-smoker, and a sometimes-beer-drinker, I'd give my left doo-dad for me and my kids (and everyone else, for that matter) not to have to wade through spent cigarette butts, pull-tabs, plastic and glass bottles, and myriad bottle caps as we enjoy our piece of Paradise......though I'd like to come across a pair of those cute left-over panties posted a few weeks ago!

amateur panties.

__________________
The world is a dangerous place, not because of those who do evil, but because of those who look on and do nothing. - Albert Einstein

__________________
I love Jesus, but I drink a little. ~Gladys




DD, I toad you it was pucking hot.~~Kitty

I don't know if I could handle "professional" panties!

I must say one thing...ooooh, nasty! What would you do with them?

__________________
The mind is like a parachute, it works best when it is open.

It seems that those that ride can see no difference - same issues over and over with no resolution.

This one is going to last awhile. Already has.

I don't understand. I thought 30-A was largely undeveloped until the 1990s. The crap on the beach issue can't be that old, at least not here. I think in areas where it has been an issue in the past it has been settled in a very crap-unfriendly manner.

__________________

And I don't understand your "I don't understand"

Who you gonna call ?

WhoYouGonnacall.png

You understand just fine.

__________________

Guess you are just smarter than me because no I don't understand your post about 30-A.
Posted via Mobile Device

My hope is that you are in the minority and smarter heads will prevail. I think you just like to argue and live in the past....is that what you are interested in?
Enjoy your chairs.

To the original poster on this thread....if you have been lurking around here, you would know that both negative and positive posts have informed sowallers (near and far), stopped rumors and given many a platform to get great things accomplished in the area. Thanks for your post!

__________________
The mind is like a parachute, it works best when it is open.

I am a dedicated lurker on this site and I rarely make my own opinion known regarding all of these issues. I firmly believe that everyone is entitled to their opinion and this is the perfect forum for airing those opinions. However this bothered me enough to write a post....I understand the frustration with the beach debris,I too enjoy our beautiful beaches every day. I have come to really love this area and am proud to call it home. There are people out there every day trying to solve these issues and come up with a working solution that pleases most of the masses and they have to start somewhere. Why do you,interested girl, have to resort to calling county workers names? Isnt it bad enough that Code enforcement officers have a difficult job? Why don't you show some support instead of derogetory name calling. Really...maybe you should walk a mile in their shoes before you spout off.

Have you ever called them, dealt with them, seen them in action, seen them actually do their job ? I bet not!

I initally gave them respect and support - having actually asked them to do their job and watching them, bob,weave and dance rather than enforcing the ordinances they are paid to enforce - they have lost that support.

I find nothing difficult about their job other than the fact that they find difficulty in doing it. Give me a break - the highest tourist day in SOWAL and no one is on duty.

If you want results on issues call Sheriff Mike.

Still trying to determine who plays Floyd's role and who plays Andy's role.


Posted via Mobile Device

Still didnt answer my question, why do you resort to name calling? Doesnt solve the problem and causes resentment.

And you didn't answer mine. Guess we are even

I did not call anyone a name - assigned a Mayberry character to unnamed people.

I kind of resent their lack of action, professionalism and results.

Just my opinion.
Posted via Mobile Device

Code Enforcements hands are tied by what the TDC, BCC, , Legal Services, Sheriff's Dept., etc. want to do or not do, depending on who is suing them at the time. Don't blame the messenger when there are other issues pending. They do what ther are told to do and work hard at it.

I do not buy that excuse, sorry.
Posted via Mobile Device

Maybe you should. I have called code enforcement on many occasions and the response has almost always been fruitful. The area across the street from where I live was clear cut without permission. Due to code enforcement, it was finally re-planted, and while certainly not the same as it was, is now presentable. I understand, though I can't confirm it, that over $60,000 in fines were leveled against the owners but a settlement was made for about 1% of that amount. That certainly isn't code enforcement's fault, if it is true. We have a financial shortage in the county and this kind of thing transpires? Like an earlier poster said, give them support county officials and let them do their job.

__________________
Speak out freely...Hold to the truth...Question boldly.

Glad it worked for you, but that is not my experience. I have no respect for them due to their lack of skills,effectiveness and timely respone.

Got a problem call Sheriff Mike.
Posted via Mobile Device

I don't think the Sheriff can help you with code issues. Better make friends with CE.

They have been more helpful everytime.
called them at 1:20 last night, arrived at 1:26 - problem solved.
Posted via Mobile Device

They do crime well. Code enforcement is not their job. Still say you better make friends with code if you have code problems.

Was a code problem, code took the day off and the so solved it in about 4 minutes.
Posted via Mobile Device

You had a code enforcement problem at 1:20 am? What was it?

Looks like Here4Good and I have the same question, IG. And, I agree with what idlewind has to say about you perhaps abusing the SO. I can't imagine that you would call the SO on the 4th of July with all the people in town, many people who have been out drinking all day and take the SO away from protecting the safety of citizens for a code infraction...unless, of course, the infraction had your life/home in danger. I do not understand if CE was going to work weekends, that this day, of all days, would be a day off.

Methinks IG is a part of the good old boy and interested girl club.

__________________
The mind is like a parachute, it works best when it is open.

it looks like to me that IG is personally atacking the Code guys even though she didn't call them by name. I thought that was a no no on this site.

You know the expression, It Takes A Village? Well, my family will be in SoWal for 2 weeks starting Wednesday.

I promise to be a good steward of the area and beaches of South Walton. I promise to Leave No Trace that I was even on the beach. I promise I will pick up all items I brought to the beach with me (us). I promise to check the surrounding area and return it to its natural state.

Ok, that could probably be worded more technically. Can anyone add to this? Maybe we need a "Promise Code" for visitors so they will understand that all visitors need to be responsible for keeping their area of beach clean.
Could we work on the wording of this "Code" and make it a stickie on SoWal.com?

__________________
Sic 'Em Woo Pig Sooie

The International message for protecting and respecting pristine places has been around for awhile:

"Take only photographs; leave only footprints"

thank you for caring about our beautiful beaches, enjoy your vacation, and come back soon!

__________________

"If people cannot write well, they cannot think well, and if they cannot think well, others will do their thinking for them."
George Orwell

The answer to your 4 questions is yes, yes,yes, yes.

Again I ask you why do you call county workers derogetory names? The excuses you have given me are really invalid. Couldnt you just say you resent their lack of action, professionalism and results and leave it at that. Do you have to go the extra mile and get personal?

You think Goober, Gomer Barney and Aunt B are deragatory? They have to be four of the most beloved characters in TV history.

Now Larry, Darryl and Darryl would be different.

Larry-DarrylDarryl-1.gif

Posted via Mobile Device

Are they beloved by you? Is that how you chose those names?

Although Larry, Darrell and Darrell were funny

If Code Enforcement took the day off - who you gonna call Ghost Busters ?

Yep Funny as ???? , but definitely not beloved.

Hey FF2 which days of the year do all of the fire fighters in Walton County take the day off at the same time ?

Sheriff Mike has over 150 deputies versus 4 code enforcement officers and a manager. YOU ARE A WITCH!!! They must have enforced a code on your precious edgewater condo??

I do not have,own,rent or live at Edgewater.

Posted via Mobile Device

Have you examined the budgets of the fire depts ( north and south) or the sheriff? Compared their size to CE's? If you want 24/7 service from CE, as these other groups, you better be prepared for a substantial increase in your property taxes.

If you ( like I) do not want to pay higher taxes so that a CE officer can ride around looking for errant yard sale signs at 3 AM, then I suggest you might want to scale back your expectations. As currently designed CE is supposed to respond to violations after the fact, something that can easily wait for regular business hours. I have never heard of someone dying because a tree was cut in error or a sign was erected in the wrong place. The Sheriff and Fire people should be reserved for criminal or life/death situations, not someone's displeasure at what their neighbor is doing on their property.

my humble apologies for thinking you lived at edgewater ...

So if someone is clear cutting land without a perrmit or filling in wetlands illegally, I wait until they are finished and the irrepairable damage is done, then I make a call?
Posted via Mobile Device

But I guess i'm still a witch.



Posted via Mobile Device

Code Enforcement is not an emergency department unlike fire fighters.
I would have to agree with idlewind.

OK - Why did they announce three weeks ago that they would now be working weekends ? That plan worked until the largest tourist day of the year and then they all took vacation days.

That dept has a budget of over 600,000 per year. Based on everyone elses assessment of what their responsibities are then we should simply eliminate the dept. ,darn can't do that they have a new mission - beach sanitation engineers.
Posted via Mobile Device

Sometimes Daddy-O gives them a long leash so they can walk off a short pier.

Holy crap! Call the Sheriff if you catch those bat-turds raping the land at 1:20 a.m.! Or, maybe you could emulate that lovable bunch from Mayberry and make a citizen's arrest!

__________________

Oh shoot. This is the thread I didn't want to come back to..............I came back by accident! Bye All Y'all!

__________________
Who is Lynnie?? ~~~~~~~Signed, All Y'all

Please, things like this do not happen at 1:30 AM. Let's keep it somewhat real here.

Answer me one question please: Are you prepared to pay higher taxes to get 24/7 service from CE? Remember, now they have a 600,000 budget compared to 10-15 million for the sheriff and fire services.

No
Posted via Mobile Device

Then I would suggest you might tone down the expectations a little.

Nope - you seem to think i want 24/7 code enforcement. I just want 7 day, what I am already paying for.

Horse is dead-no need to keep beating him. We disagree.
Posted via Mobile Device

per the DEP website...Sheriff Adkinson (im not on a first name basis with our sheriff like some others) nor the "Mayberry" crew would have anything to do with that
To report environmental crime, wireless customers can now dial #DEP. Callers can also report environmental crimes to the State Warning Point by calling (877) 2-SAVE-FL (1.877.272.8335).

I would like to know where 7-day/week code enforcement is found. Am I mistaken, or isn't that an administrative job?

I had some crazy neighbors living next door for a long time who sold bait out of their garage (among other things.) I called planning and zoning and code enforcement MANY times, but never expected a human being to answer the phone outside the hours of 9-5, Monday-Friday. I called them so many times, in fact, that they told me that if I witnessed my neighbors violating residential zoning laws outside of regular business hours that I should call the non-emergency line at the sheriff's office.

It took quite a few phone calls on my part and quite a few years to put a stop to it. Friends at the sheriff's office told me that part of the problem was proving they were doing something wrong--they had to build a case. For close to a year, my other neighbors and I noticed deputy's patrol cars in the driveway on about a weekly basis, even months after I made the last phone call. In the end, the joint efforts of the deputies and code enforcement put a stop to it.

Oddly enough, I found that the officers were much more enthusiastic about pursuing the case when I was respectful and cooperative. I don't think they would have worked so hard if I called them up and ordered them to wake up Goober and Gomer and send them over.

__________________

Could you at least answer this question?

__________________
The mind is like a parachute, it works best when it is open.

Yes I could.
Posted via Mobile Device

Deputies make arrest for environmental crimes. If it is a violation of state statute, I am sure that a Deputy would be more than happy to assist you.



As for the other, if CE is suppose to be handling the 'Leave No Trace' ordinance, then are you guys now okay with that just be handled five days a week? Based on the stickers that are issued to people that want to leave things on the beach, I am already convinced that someone in the county is certain that turtles can read. So is the answer then just to post some signs out in the Gulf for the turtles to be extra cautious throughout the weekend? What about people who leave tents that are tagged on Friday? Do they get to leave theirs on the beach until Monday earning extra hours, but then those tagged on Monday are picked up on Tuesday?

Keeping in mind I, personally, do not care either way, just trying to find out what level of service is going to be expected so that I can let the commissioners know. It is a tight budget year, so if we can reduce the CE budget a 100K or so and not worry about weekends and holidays, I say go for it. Maybe we can leave a library open a bit longer in the evening.

__________________

Kitty, she's being coy. Isn't that cute?

__________________

I like this idea, thanks for being proactive about your vacation, and respectful of this beautiful place! Oh if only every tourist was like you!
( I still want to honk and wave hello at everyone I see lugging their stuff off the beach; if I didn't hate car horns so much...)

A couple more to add:
I promise to not go in the gulf above my ankles on red flag days, even though I spent a lot of money on this vacation and really really want to swim in the ocean.

I promise to educate myself about the flag system and the dangers associated with swimming in the gulf that I need to be aware of. I promise that I will do my best to not put myself, my loved ones, other beach-goers, or your beloved life guards, surfers and community members at risk by not understanding riptides or undertows, and not respecting the awesome power of the gulf. I understand that it is not a swimming pool.

__________________
"My life has been a huge adventure, always. I like them bold, I'm done with creepy." - Seagrovegirl

I'm sorry, I really wasn't trying to get into the middle of this dispute. I was just saying that Larry, Darrell and Darrell were funny characters and had not thought of them in a while.

I will add this, the one and only time I called Code Enforcement was to find out what I could do with my old oil filters. I was told in no uncertain terms that he did not know and I should call the road department. Still haven't called the road department. If I threw them in the woods or threw them in the landfill I do suppose it maybe a code problem? I think most of this issue with Code Enforcement could be addressed by educating both the public and the employee as to what each expects. I know in my line of work we have a customer service mentality, see someone broke down stop and help, tire flat change it, need a ride give them one. Obviously we have to use a certain amount of common sense, but you can't go wrong trying. Just saying

It's possible that IG just wants to be left alone and telling the story may give enough clues to know where she lives.
Thank you IG for doing something about an illegal activity. Too many people just turn their head.

__________________
Anthony

not trying to be a smart a@#, but i've always wanted to ride in a fire truck
so all I have to do is walk down the road and you will pick me up in a fire truck? That's cool.....

: floor:

Who said all northenders are humorless? That's funny, I don't care who you are.

Keep them in a plastic bag and turn them in when the county has one of those haz mat collection days. Seriously, you would think that they would have known this. It is a pretty well advertised event.

__________________

Contact
Walton County Solid Waste Facility
Ph: (850) 892-8180
Fax: (850) 892-8434

They will tell you where you can drop off the items and what time.

Or you could try the used motor oil drop offs listed here
http://www.co.walton.fl.us/DocumentView.aspx?DID=226

but I would call first to make sure it was OK.

...for real? I was not asking for an address, just a code infraction. I'll stop now.

__________________
The mind is like a parachute, it works best when it is open.

and lose the spotlight??

__________________
click >> Filter your water instead of using bottled water << click

Hate to break it to you, I was told by those folks to put in my trash, as far as leaving it the oil drop off, I am hesitant to do so because I don't know where they go either I have tried to wait for the Haz Mat days and drop them off then.

This might help.

Welcome to Walton Outdoors - Your source for the outdoors in Walton County Florida and the surrounding area

oops, guess they aren't taking that stuff this time.

__________________
Get Outdoors!

Saw that also, thanks