BCC votes to fund unbudgeted program

We need Workforce Housing !

Who should pay for it ?

The November 14th Board of County                      Commissioners  meeting was highlighted by a undeserved public exchange between J.B. Hillard, Vice-president of the Walton County Taxpayers Association and Commissioner Cindy Meadows.

The issue before the commission was a request for startup funding for a joint public-private venture for a Workforce Housing Center to be housed within the Walton County Chamber of Commerce Building.

Mr. Hillard was representing the interests of the taxpayers of Walton County by posing questions concerning the operations of the Center and accountability back to the Board of County Commissioners.

Ms. Meadows chastised Mr. Hillard for his support of the funding provided by the BCC for the new Senior Center in DeFuniak Springs and his questions concerning the $55,000 start up grant requested by the Walton County Chamber of Commerce.

Mr. Hillard served as the Chairman of the Senior Center committee during its quest to secure funding from the BCC.  The $300,000 in funding that was approved during the last budget cycle was subject to the County Budget scrub cycle, the July budget hearings and two Public hearings.  Ms. meadows voted to approve the funding of the Senior Center.

The Workforce Housing initiative has been in the works for over 10 months.  That would have provided ample time for the request to make its way through the normal budgeting process for inclusion in the normal 2006-2007 budget cycle.

The Chamber is seeking funding from Walton County, The City of DeFuniak Springs, and the City of Freeport in addition to the $65,000 they are trying to raise from the public in support of the new Center.

Our goal is to represent the interest of Walton County Taxpayers and have enjoyed a great working relationship with each commissioner.  What happened tonight was not in the interest of Walton County.  Each citizen should be treated with dignity when dealing with elected officials in a truthful, fact finding, gentlemanly manner.

Ms. Meadows made a motion to provide a grant of $55,000 up front funding, with limited accountability from the Chamber back to the BCC. The motion passed unanimously. Reporting back is one thing, accountability for the dollars is another issue all together.

We can only wonder what this development bears for the future of any citizen who appears before the Commission and questions pending action by the BCC.

His treatment was undeserved !