And So It Continues

[Bob Hudson]

Taxpayers lose in BCC ‘jihad’ against Kisela
Don Riley, M.D., President
Walton County Taxpayers Association

Once again, the Walton County Taxpayers Association is in disagreement with another ill-advised action taken by the BCC, which we believe is not in the best interests of the citizens at large, whose interests the BCC is at least hypothetically supposed to represent.

The WCTA has publicly and privately opposed the BCC’s taking any action adverse to Mr. Kisela. We opposed his firing months ago. We opposed the mutually agreed resignation. We opposed his firing by the BCC last week.

   We believe the citizens of Walton County have once again been disserved if not in fact betrayed by the BCC. Mr. Kisela is a capable, experienced professional who has, in our opinion, done as good a job as the BCC has permitted, apparently too good for the comfort of some. Why have three members of the BCC voted not only to give him more than 60,000 taxpayer dollars to go away quietly, but then followed up with termination without cause, this time comporting with the law if not good sense in legally, and we believe foolishly, triggering his six month bonus payday? The contrived resignation we thought clearly a violation of state laws.

The only public word from a commissioner on Greg’s job performance, I’m aware of, came from Commissioner Cecilia Jones. She gave Greg a vote of confidence for his good conduct of his duties. The WCTA has found him to be an asset to the taxpayers, deserving of praise for his performance, not firing.

Why did the BCC fire him? Whose agenda is being followed? We strongly feel it was not in the public’s best interest for the BCC to take either of the actions they took. We continue to be left with the question unanswered, not even addressed, by the BCC — why was he fired?

That there is a federal criminal investigation under way involving unnamed parties in Walton County and that the chair of the BCC and the executive director of the TDC have on advice of counsel refused to be deposed in violation of a valid judicial order because of that investigation only adds to the concerns the WCTA has about the conduct of our elected officials. Why have they fired a competent county official without cause? We have questions remaining and so do the citizens of this county.

What is going on here? Is the public interest being served by our elected officials, or are some pursuing their personal agendas instead?

The credibility of the BCC has been suffering during this jihad being waged behind the scenes against Mr. Kisela, and the most recent revelations cast doubt on its integrity. The citizens of Walton County deserve better than this, and the WCTA is dedicated to seeing that better governance arrives sooner than later. The WCTA casts a vote of No Confidence in this entire debacle.