Walton County loses three supervisors | three, county, walton - News - Northwest Florida Daily News

I never had to deal directly with the planning department except for simple family lot split and never had any dealings directly with Ms. Blackshear. I do know that she has been a large part of the planning portion of Walton county and the EAR process and the Comp Plan Process. The Future Land Use designations and other material that planning department works with. I know little other than what has been in the papper but do you think her retirement will be a positive or a negative for the county?

The loss of two people in emergency management was probably follow up from the merger with the Sheriff taking over the 911 functions but still the loss of two is concerning. I understand that this will mainly effect the North end of the county because South Walton has its on Fire District but I live in the north end and think if the County has removed these Higher Ups then who else has been layed because you never hear of the low level staff just the big wigs and how will the lower level layoffs effect the County?

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are the government layoffs merit based? my guess is ABSOLUTELY not.

Who knows the criteria used to determine who gets layed off. It may or may not be merit based but it is definatly not based on senority.

Anytime a planning director "messes" with property rights -- enemies and detractors follow. Whether you agree with Pat Blackshear's philosophy of long-term planning or not, she took the department from one that kept its files in plastic bags and boxes to one that utilizes computerized planning programs and gives the citizens excellent information about any piece of property in the county.

I hope long-term planning won't be shelved because Pat has retired. With the airport a reality, the need for long-term planning ("airport planning district") is obvious. With so much raw land around the airport, it's an opportunity to "do it right."

The airport is in Bay County. How would we affect those plans?

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DeFuniak Springs, FL - The reorganization process of Walton County’s government is underway, according to Interim County Administrator, Lyle Seigler. Budget constraints, caused by a downturn in the national and state economy, have caused county government leaders to find ways to provide services under the Board of County Commissioners within a shrinking budget.

Seigler addressed the reorganization process at the October 13 Board of County Commission meeting where he advised commissioners that he and the county’s Human Resource Department will continue to evaluate all positions and department functions. The Administration’s and Human Resources’ review of the county’s organizational structure reveals areas within each division that can be improved by the elimination of positions or reassignments. “We’ve made some tough decisions in an effort to provide county citizens with a high quality of service,” says the Interim County Administrator. “All of the changes we are making are designed to help the county through this unprecedented economic time and to prepare our county and citizens for a better future.”

While the reorganization process has streamlined services in various departments making local government services more efficient, the process has involved recent realignment of positions impacting those employed as Director of the Emergency Response Division, the Fire/Rescue Chief and the Director of Planning. “Each of these employees served our county and citizens throughout the years with a high level of professionalism and dedication,” says Seigler.

County officials say they look forward to a future economic upswing. However, officials say that until there are more demands on the county government’s services in the area of development and regional growth, they are committed to finding ways to work within a smaller budget, just as every family in the Walton County community is having to do.

They are being nice to Blackshear. The choice was given to retire or be fired. Either way she was not coming back to work on Monday. Spin it however you wish.

Yes, it is in Bay County, but Walton County has representatives on the airport board and has been involved in the airport development process. We could be involved in a planning district for the thousands of acres that surround the airport. Some of the roads to the airport will be in Walton County, and development along those roads will happen sooner or later -- because of the airport.

Thinking "long-term" - hence the term "long-term planning."

im wondering why people are surprised by this. growth in this county has come to a hault due to pure greed and irresponsibility. it wasnt a matter of if, but a matter of when....

The loss of Pat Blackshear is a definite detriment to our county's long term planning capability. IMHO, she is the only person in the planning department with any conception of how long range planning should be conducted and how it should be implemented. It is also my feeling that you can kiss such innovative planning concepts as transect planning goodbye for Walton County. Oh, well, back to the good ole boy planning concepts which usually means no planning at all.

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

The loss was not to emergency management, it was to the Emergency Response Division. The division is two departments, Fire Rescue and Animal Control. The division lost it's director, but the Fire Rescue Department in one day lost the Fire Chief and Asstiant Chief/Fire Marshal. That is a total of five positions lost in Fire Rescue when you add this to the three firefigters that were cut this year.

Put in place to run the Division is the Deputy Director, who was over emergency management and 911 dispatch, which is now under the Sheriff (wonder why?). Mr. Douglas was the EMS Manager, but in 2001 South Walton Fire District took over EMS services south of the bay, and in 2006 Walton County EMS merged with Walton County Fire Rescue.

The Daily News quoted Lynda Robinson as saying the position of fire chief has been done away with, and that his responsibilities will be taken over by Mr. Douglass.

Does he know anything about Animal Control?

So my question is, does Mr. Douglas have what it takes?

I must say of the three Chief Rivers was the only one to surprise me.

It was my distinct impression, based on her comments in several public meetings, that Ms. Blackshear strongly opposed implementing transect-based planning in Walton County.

I have to speak out on behalf of Planning staff, who do not deserve such criticism. The Planning Department has numerous dedicated and well qualified staff members, and I am confident that they can rise to meet the challenges facing Walton County.

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Susan Horn
www.artisan-builds.com

Your opinion is welcome but as a member of the Planning board is, I'm sure biased on the part of the Planning department. As long as I'm slinging arrows, I might as well sling one in the direction of the Planning Board. Some of the members have been on there for eons. It is my opinion it is time for some new blood. Differences of opinion abide and I am only stating mine from what I have observed. And yes, I have attended Planning Board meetings. Suffice it to say one was enough.

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

New blood on the planning board but keep old blood in the planning department?

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That one was a surprise to me also. And the next department will be next week. No telling where this is heading and when it will end. But you got to admit, it is change.

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Yeah, but is it good change. I guess we'll find out. Your point about old blood in the Planning department is well taken. I understand Pat's position is to be "absorbed" within the department.

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

Yes, I think Kurt welcomes and encourages a variety of opinions. Thanks for honoring mine. Sling away!

FYI, a couple of months ago, I was replaced as a Planning Commissioner, I believe by an appointee of Cecilia Jones. I think I served somewhere between 2-3 years, though I'm not really great at keeping track of time.

When I was appointed, there was no training provided to me as a new commissioner. I had to ask repeatedly just to have some time with one of the county attorneys to get a lesson on Florida Sunshine Law. I don't know for sure about the requirements for the makeup of the board, but I don't think any PC member is required to have any credentials in planning, design, etc. So, while it is indeed true that several Planning Commissioners have been on the board quite some time, as a new commissioner, I found their experience and knowledge essential in helping me learn to understand the very complex matters we considered at our meetings. Even when I disagreed with their opinions, I was grateful for their insight and for their explanations of issues that were not immediately apparent to me. Continuity has its value.

I want to stress that none of the members of the Planning Commission receives any compensation for their service. Every now and again, the Planning Department might find it in the budget to serve us a sandwich, and occasionally kind citizens would send pizza so we could grab a quick bite of lunch or supper during breaks (some of those meetings are VERY long). Serving on this board is a 100% volunteer job, and requires many hours each month of plan review and meetings, especially over the last year going through the Comp Plan amendment process.

I was happy to serve and honored to have been included in the process of the Comp Plan Amendment; my sympathies go out to my replacement who was appointed 12 months into PC meetings and still a ways to go. I cannot imagine how tough it would be to get up to speed at that point!

I'd like to sling a little bit right back your way -- there's no way you could have gotten a complete picture or sense of how the Planning Commission meetings work if you only attended one meeting, so I'm having a hard time putting too much stock in your opinion due to your limited involvment.

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Susan Horn
www.artisan-builds.com

For those that are unaware - an assessment of each Department within the BCC controlled structure is being methodically made. We receive copies of each departments results and a careful read of the attached link might help some understand the process and how decisions for restructuring might be undertaken.

A close review of pages 20-29 might give a reader some insight.

http://www.waltontaxpayers.org/PDF Files/Org_AssessmentFire&rescue.pdf

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Thank You Walton County !
Our Hotline received 1168 calls during it's first month of operation.

Thank you, WCTA. Looks like a lot of the same old same old dysfunctions common to so many hierarchies and bureacuracies.

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Susan Horn
www.artisan-builds.com

Where can ordinary citizens get copies of the rest of them? I bet the fire dept. is not the only dept with big problems so when do their chiefs go? What about a dept doubling their senior staff in one year? Why hasn't anyone started putting a stop to that?

After the reorganization of Growth Management she only supervised 5-7 employees yet was easily the highest paid person in the division. Cutting that position and salary may save several other jobs.

First let me say that I am an ordinary citizen. I know how to file a public records request, I regularly attend BCC meeting, and many BCC employee's know how to provide information to me as well as "regular citizens" through the WCTA Hotline. These studies are shared with the employee's when completed. There is nothing secret about them or our source(s).

I have added links to two other reports:

1.Assessment of Planning/Development Dept
2. The Action Plan deveoped as a result of the study

http://www.waltontaxpayers.org/PDF Files/Organizational Assessment - PlanningDevelopment.pdf

http://www.waltontaxpayers.org/PDF Files/Planning Development Division Action Plan.pdf

I would suggest that the reader pay close attention to the TABS beginning on pages 16 of the Assessment.

I will post links to more later.

BH

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Thank You Walton County !
Our Hotline received 1168 calls during it's first month of operation.

WCTA,

WOW! Thank you for posting this information.

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Susan Horn
www.artisan-builds.com

First of all, I am sorry to hear you have been replaced. I knew you were a relatively new board member and my references concerning "new blood" were not directed toward you.
Secondly, I fully understand your frustration with the lack of training regarding the functions of the Planning Commission. It is not an easy job and I am fully aware that is a volunteer position as it is on most Planning Commissions throughout the U.S. I am also aware it is an arduous and, at times, boring task with little reward.
I imagine by now you are asking how I have reached these conclusions regarding community planning. You stated you could put little faith in my conclusion from the attendance at only one meeting. You would be perfectly correct if it wasn't obvious that one or two persons on the board controlled the outcome of most of the decisions being made. In addition to this observation, it might have helped me to form such opinion since I sat on the Planning Commission in Moore, Ok. for over two years and my removal was due to, of all things, local politics.
I definitely appreciate your public service and laud you for it. While I understand the usefulness of continuity, it should be remembered you can have 20 years of experience or 1 year of experience times 20 years. There is a difference as I am sure you are aware.

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

I feel that this is a good move on behalf of the county. WCFR has been in complete disarray for the last 12 to 18 months. The previous administration had lost all respect from it's employees with no hope of ever regaining it due to several severe circumstances. I hate to see anyone lose their job in this economy, but the county's best interest has to be first & foremost. If you could find 1 employee of WCFR, before this happened, that thought the department was headed in a good direction, or even enjoyed their job you would be doing good. You know you are in a bad place when it takes actions such as this to increase morale in the department. It took this department several years to fall this low & will take several more to get it where it belongs.


To the question asking if Mr. Douglas has “what it takes”......what qualifications did the previous Chief & Assistant Chief have to run the department? Mr. Douglas, along with 3 Battalion Chiefs & 3 interim District Chiefs, will continue to do their jobs & make sure this department provides the level of service expected from it.

I wonder if someone is planning on taking a look at the Sheriff's Office or are we going to let them contiue to spend money as if they are printing there own?

How is it they are spending money like they are printing it? Are they spending more than was budgeted? As someone who voted against the guy, I have thought he was doing pretty good. What is exactly your beef?

Sounds like sour grapes.

I am under the impression he is spending no more than the previous administration only we are getting a much higher level of service, accountability, and transparency in the process.

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