Walton County Commission agrees to pay for 911 system

**Alicia Leonard** · 07-08-2008, 10:04 PM

SANTA ROSA BEACH - After more than an hour of discussion, Walton County commissioners voted Tuesday to restore more than $311,000 to the Sheriff's Office's budget to pay for a new 911 system.
"It's very important for the citizens in Walton County," Sheriff Ralph Johnson said after the hearing. "We needed the new equipment. It's a no-brainer. Take politics out of public safety."
Several people spoke in support of the sheriff's position during the hearing, including several residents, a certified public accountant and attorney Matthew Burns.

http://www.nwfdailynews.com/news/cou...ey_office.html

Sheriff Johnson Says He's Ready for the Check
http://www.wjhg.com/home/headlines/24086114.html

**idlewind** · 07-08-2008, 10:25 PM

What a complete disaster for the taxpayers of Walton County.

**Smiling JOe** · 07-08-2008, 10:56 PM

During Tuesday's hearing, Commissioner Cindy Meadows made a motion to adopt the budget amendment to reinstate the funds.

She then asked that a study be conducted to determine how much money had been spent - including time, attorney's fees and travel to Tallahassee - on what she called a "politically motivated witch hunt."

She also suggested that whatever amount was spent on an issue she said "should have been settled long ago" be reimbursed to the taxpayers.

That motion failed.

This statement makes it sound as though the bold text was part of the motion, and I am pretty sure it was not. I believe that came up in discussion after Comm. Meadows' first motion for approval of the funds failed due to lack of a Second.

**The Watcher** · 07-09-2008, 07:36 AM

Originally Posted by idlewind

What a complete disaster for the taxpayers of Walton County.

This entire situation is an example as to why we need new leadership, on all levels.

I find it interesting that Meadows made the motion.

**scooterbug44** · 07-09-2008, 08:54 AM

Quick question - am I to understand that I and other taxpayers had to fork over another $311K not to mention the expense of all the nonsense because the Sheriff turned down grant money?

**Andy A** · 07-09-2008, 09:14 AM

Quick answer. No

**Smiling JOe** · 07-09-2008, 09:27 AM

Andy, you were taking good notes up there on the front row.

Scooter, the slightly longer answer is:

Sheriff ordered $311,000 worth of 911 equipment in 2007.
(I'll leave out the details of capital expenses over $200,000)

Sheriff's contract stated that Motorola wouldn't be paid until equipment was installed.

Sheriff's 2007 budget included enough funds to pay for equipment.

Equipment wasn't installed until 2008, but by law, any unused funds given to the Sheriff, must be returned to the general funds of the County at the end of the year.

Sheriff Johnson didn't know this or simply didn't care about returning unused funds. (based on his comments last night about if he had it to do over again, he wouldn't have returned the money, I'd say he is just stubborn.)

WalCo Financial Mgr (who attempted to run for Sheriff), caught the unreturned funds and the Sheriff returned the funds, or at least most of them.

So, the County is still sitting on the money which was allocated for the Sheriff last year, but budgets are use or lose.

Motorola wants their money for the installed equipment, and they still hold title to the equipment until funds are paid.

In summary, the money was there, then moved into a different drawer, and locked away from the Sheriff. Now, it is worked out and the funds will be released to pay Motorola. From what I understand, all of this hoopla was strictly political.

**Andy A** · 07-09-2008, 09:44 AM

Thanks, SJ. I couldn't have been near that thorough. I'm not a good note taker anymore.

**scooterbug44** · 07-09-2008, 09:51 AM

What was the grant nonsense? Am I just confused that a grant was involved?

What a waste of time and resources regardless!

**seagrovegirl** · 07-09-2008, 09:52 AM

There was a grant available to Walton Co. that other emergency services shared in......why didn't the Sheriff participate in this grant???

**Alicia Leonard** · 07-09-2008, 09:57 AM

EOC offered to include the SO in that grant but at the time they had the funds to pay, is my understanding from EOC and the WCSO. When the equipment was ordered, I was told that they believed it would be installed and completed before the end of the budget year. The system had to be built and the installation went into the next budget year. They would not pay until completed and then they had to return the funds before completion.

**Smiling JOe** · 07-09-2008, 10:49 AM

I don't know why the Sheriff refused to go after the grant. My guess is, grants take time, and he wanted the equipment ASAP and had the funds budgeted. After hearing Sheriff Johnson speak last night, it may also be due to the fact that he is a terrible speaker. I felt like I was in 3rd grade remedial English class while listening to him.

I will add that IMO, the Sheriff lacks balls enough to stand up to the BCC, or either he is just too angry to speak without getting his blood pressure boiling. He was fairly GWBush-like last night, as someone else mentioned. The Sheriff should have came before the BCC a few months ago at the mtg in Defuniak. He was no-show for that meeting. Instead, he pushed it off, ended up hiring a lawyer and an accountant (at tax payers' expense) to speak for him.

**seagrovegirl** · 07-09-2008, 01:48 PM

This was a national grant to update emergency systems that came about because of the threat of terrorism. It is a matching grant....so maybe the $$ requested is part of the match, but I would like to know if he used the grant and if not, why? It would have saved a lot of money for the county. I don't get it? Do you? Don't you want to know why? If anyone out there has answers, please fill me in. The Sheriff may have a good reason but I wish he would speak up to erase any doubt.

**Smiling JOe** · 07-09-2008, 01:59 PM

Sheriff Johnson did not use a grant. He was paying cash.

I've yet to hear the Sheriff speak up on much of anything. His Office has done a terrible job with handling money. Don't hold your breath -- just vote for a better candidate.

**seagrovegirl** · 07-09-2008, 03:01 PM

Originally Posted by Smiling JOe

Sheriff Johnson did not use a grant. He was paying cash.

I've yet to hear the Sheriff speak up on much of anything. His Office has done a terrible job with handling money. Don't hold your breath -- just vote for a better candidate.

I would say "Walton Co. was paying cash."

**Here4Good** · 07-10-2008, 07:09 AM

I don't understand exactly what Comm. Meadows meant by:

She then asked that a study be conducted to determine how much money had been spent - including time, attorney's fees and travel to Tallahassee - on what she called a "politically motivated witch hunt."

Is she saying that the commission should not have stood their ground against the Sheriff, that in the interest of expediency they should have just approved the first request, or that it was wrong to take back the unused funds in the first place, or what?

**John R** · 07-10-2008, 09:09 AM

so, was our money spent on old 911 technology gear, or ramping up our system for forthcoming NG 911 gear?

http://www.govtech.com/dc/103428
http://mrtmag.com/news/ng_911_change_061207/

knowing the way this guy operates, i think i answered my own question...